Capital Punishment

[saintmichaeldefendthem]

occupied in what regard? I'm new to this forum so I don't really know too much, is it used by mostly Americans or a mix of nationalities? Or are you referring to a predominant political ideology/line of thought on the forum?

This board is predominantly hardline conservative haters with a few leftists thrown in. If you use this board alone you will get the idea that Americans love capital punishment and want to expand it for much lesser offenses and put it on TV.

Ah okay I understand now, I am trying to get a variety of opinions for both sides of the argument so I can analyse why people hold the views that they do, I have sent the survey to friends in Maryland to share amongst their peers but wanted opinions from people from a mix of states to try create a better picture of attitudes across the country

In order to understand how Americans perceive this issue, you should first dismiss the myth that it falls along liberal/conservative lines as some have already tried to get you to believe. I'm hard core conservative, but I don't believe in capital punishment and I believe the teachings of the Catholic Church on this subject are very insightful. On the other hand, there are many liberals who do believe in capital punishment. But what's even more informative is this graph showing that for conservatives, independents, and liberals, most favor capital punishment:

Who Supports the Death Penalty

My opinion, informed by my faith, is that capital punishment is no longer necessary being we in modern society have developed the capacity to incarcerate murderers for life while protecting their health, and providing for all their needs. The essence of the pro life movement is if we can choose life over death, we ought to do so every time and that the only way to consistently do so is to oppose abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, and injustice during times of war.

But that's as far as I'll go. You won't see me showing up to protest the application of the death penalty for heinous murderers, because it also must be stated emphatically that the death penalty is not an act of injustice and that anyone who murders and is subjected to death because of it has no cause for complaint. God himself instituted the death penalty as the backbone of human criminal justice in the days of Noah, centuries before the Torah was given from Mt. Sinai. And God is not the author of injustice.

The Catholic Church doesn't oppose the death penalty as an intrinsic evil, but rather shows a better option. We believe that if we have the choice of giving somebody a lifetime to come to terms with what they've done and to come to repentance, we ought to do so. And most people serving life sentences for murder truly do come to that point of understanding. This is what we ought to be promoting.

 

[Meathead]

Are you aware what self-deference is?

 

[Little-Acorn]

Some people here try to falsely attribute motivations such as "revenge" to those who favor capital punishment for extremely horrible crimes such as premeditated murder, etc.

That's like saying a housewife who takes out the trash, is trying to get revenge on the empty cans, used tissues etc.

It ignores the real issues involved, such as a decision on whether an individual who has committed the horrible crime, deserves to retain his life and continue to exist among those who do not commit such crimes. And whether he deserves to be supported in a jail for the rest of his life at the expense of the people whose decent society he so grievously assaulted and diminished.

 

[nodoginnafight]

I favor the death penalty even though:

1) I do not believe it is a deterrent. It is not carried out quickly enough or uniformly enough to be a deterrent.
2) It is more expensive than jailing someone for life.
3) Even with our checks and balances and layers of review, we will wind up executing people who are not guilty of the crime we are executing them for. We are only human - we make mistakes.

The reason I favor the death penalty for the most heinous crimes is:
If we as a society DO NOT do this, it will prompt justifiably enraged family members to do it themselves without the safeguards of rules of evidence or judicial review. I think we function better as a society if we can tell the victim's family, "Stand down. We will take care of this for you."

 

[chikenwing]

The state should never have the power to kill any of its people,for any reason,other than self deference,you protecting yourself,or the Gov. doing it,like the cops or military.

Self-deference is a pretty low standard indeed.

Its the only standard that make any sense what so ever,are you still breathing?

 

[chikenwing]

Are you aware what self-deference is?

Defense,spelling error,you know what was intended

 

[Kosh]

occupied in what regard? I'm new to this forum so I don't really know too much, is it used by mostly Americans or a mix of nationalities? Or are you referring to a predominant political ideology/line of thought on the forum?

This board is predominantly hardline conservative haters with a few leftists thrown in. If you use this board alone you will get the idea that Americans love capital punishment and want to expand it for much lesser offenses and put it on TV.

Far left propaganda to cover the fact that they support Obama's illegal wars and doing away with due process.

 

[chikenwing]

I favor the death penalty even though:

1) I do not believe it is a deterrent. It is not carried out quickly enough or uniformly enough to be a deterrent.
2) It is more expensive than jailing someone for life.
3) Even with our checks and balances and layers of review, we will wind up executing people who are not guilty of the crime we are executing them for. We are only human - we make mistakes.

The reason I favor the death penalty for the most heinous crimes is:
If we as a society DO NOT do this, it will prompt justifiably enraged family members to do it themselves without the safeguards of rules of evidence or judicial review. I think we function better as a society if we can tell the victim's family, "Stand down. We will take care of this for you."

The problem with that,is we know we have killed innocent people,we let them off death rows all the time.

 

[Roadrunner]

I favor the death penalty even though:

1) I do not believe it is a deterrent. It is not carried out quickly enough or uniformly enough to be a deterrent.
2) It is more expensive than jailing someone for life.
3) Even with our checks and balances and layers of review, we will wind up executing people who are not guilty of the crime we are executing them for. We are only human - we make mistakes.

The reason I favor the death penalty for the most heinous crimes is:
If we as a society DO NOT do this, it will prompt justifiably enraged family members to do it themselves without the safeguards of rules of evidence or judicial review. I think we function better as a society if we can tell the victim's family, "Stand down. We will take care of this for you."

The problem with that,is we know we have killed innocent people,we let them off death rows all the time.

A lot more people have been killed by lifers, being punished with three hots and a cot and all the sex they can coerce, than have ever been erroneously executed.

 

[nodoginnafight]

I favor the death penalty even though:

1) I do not believe it is a deterrent. It is not carried out quickly enough or uniformly enough to be a deterrent.
2) It is more expensive than jailing someone for life.
3) Even with our checks and balances and layers of review, we will wind up executing people who are not guilty of the crime we are executing them for. We are only human - we make mistakes.

The reason I favor the death penalty for the most heinous crimes is:
If we as a society DO NOT do this, it will prompt justifiably enraged family members to do it themselves without the safeguards of rules of evidence or judicial review. I think we function better as a society if we can tell the victim's family, "Stand down. We will take care of this for you."

The problem with that,is we know we have killed innocent people,we let them off death rows all the time.

No one is innocent - we are all human and we have all made mistakes.
I did acknowledge that as long as we enforce a death penalty, we will wind up executing people who are not guilty of the crime we are executing them for. We are human beings, the fact that we are incapable of perfectly enforcing any punishment is not - IMHO - a sufficient argument to stop enforcing punishments.

 

[saintmichaeldefendthem]

I favor the death penalty even though:

1) I do not believe it is a deterrent. It is not carried out quickly enough or uniformly enough to be a deterrent.
2) It is more expensive than jailing someone for life.
3) Even with our checks and balances and layers of review, we will wind up executing people who are not guilty of the crime we are executing them for. We are only human - we make mistakes.

The reason I favor the death penalty for the most heinous crimes is:
If we as a society DO NOT do this, it will prompt justifiably enraged family members to do it themselves without the safeguards of rules of evidence or judicial review. I think we function better as a society if we can tell the victim's family, "Stand down. We will take care of this for you."

The problem with that,is we know we have killed innocent people,we let them off death rows all the time.

A lot more people have been killed by lifers, being punished with three hots and a cot and all the sex they can coerce, than have ever been erroneously executed.

Rather than pit the two against each other, why not make both impossible by eliminating capital punishment and making our prisons safer? We've made progress on both fronts, segregating the most dangerous offenders and outlawing the death penalty in more states, making it impossible to kill an innocent person. So yes I believe it can be done.

 

[Little-Acorn]

Some people here try to falsely attribute motivations such as "revenge" to those who favor capital punishment for extremely horrible crimes such as premeditated murder, etc.

That's like saying a housewife who takes out the trash, is trying to get revenge on the empty cans, used tissues etc.

It ignores the real issues involved, such as a decision on whether an individual who has committed the horrible crime, deserves to retain his life and continue to exist among those who do not commit such crimes. And whether he deserves to be supported in a jail for the rest of his life at the expense of the people whose decent society he so grievously assaulted and diminished.

 

[Jack Richardson]

In Britain there are such few cases that people feel so angered by that they demand the use of capital punishment, at least in the 18 years I've been alive, but quite a percentage of people do want the death penalty to be re-introduced. Personally I am against it, but I can see why people can justify it, and in the most heinous and extreme acts i understand and almost agree with the justification.

 

[ChrisL]

I don't believe in the death penalty. It's barbaric and completely unnecessary. Murdering someone as a punishment for murder? Good Lord. We are amongst a handful of 3rd world countries that still practice the death penalty. It's kind of embarrassing actually. Most other 1st world countries disposed of the death penalty long ago.

 

[chikenwing]

I favor the death penalty even though:

1) I do not believe it is a deterrent. It is not carried out quickly enough or uniformly enough to be a deterrent.
2) It is more expensive than jailing someone for life.
3) Even with our checks and balances and layers of review, we will wind up executing people who are not guilty of the crime we are executing them for. We are only human - we make mistakes.

The reason I favor the death penalty for the most heinous crimes is:
If we as a society DO NOT do this, it will prompt justifiably enraged family members to do it themselves without the safeguards of rules of evidence or judicial review. I think we function better as a society if we can tell the victim's family, "Stand down. We will take care of this for you."

The problem with that,is we know we have killed innocent people,we let them off death rows all the time.

No one is innocent - we are all human and we have all made mistakes.
I did acknowledge that as long as we enforce a death penalty, we will wind up executing people who are not guilty of the crime we are executing them for. We are human beings, the fact that we are incapable of perfectly enforcing any punishment is not - IMHO - a sufficient argument to stop enforcing punishments.

Just at that level,death can not be overturned. Killing a few innocents because we know we do,make little sense.
Bottom line ,the state shouldn't have that power.

 

[ChrisL]

I favor the death penalty even though:

1) I do not believe it is a deterrent. It is not carried out quickly enough or uniformly enough to be a deterrent.
2) It is more expensive than jailing someone for life.
3) Even with our checks and balances and layers of review, we will wind up executing people who are not guilty of the crime we are executing them for. We are only human - we make mistakes.

The reason I favor the death penalty for the most heinous crimes is:
If we as a society DO NOT do this, it will prompt justifiably enraged family members to do it themselves without the safeguards of rules of evidence or judicial review. I think we function better as a society if we can tell the victim's family, "Stand down. We will take care of this for you."

The problem with that,is we know we have killed innocent people,we let them off death rows all the time.

A lot more people have been killed by lifers, being punished with three hots and a cot and all the sex they can coerce, than have ever been erroneously executed.

Rather than pit the two against each other, why not make both impossible by eliminating capital punishment and making our prisons safer? We've made progress on both fronts, segregating the most dangerous offenders and outlawing the death penalty in more states, making it impossible to kill an innocent person. So yes I believe it can be done.

Other countries do it just fine without capital punishment. Australia hasn't had capital punishment for YEARS, and they are doing fine.

 

[saintmichaeldefendthem]

I favor the death penalty even though:

1) I do not believe it is a deterrent. It is not carried out quickly enough or uniformly enough to be a deterrent.
2) It is more expensive than jailing someone for life.
3) Even with our checks and balances and layers of review, we will wind up executing people who are not guilty of the crime we are executing them for. We are only human - we make mistakes.

The reason I favor the death penalty for the most heinous crimes is:
If we as a society DO NOT do this, it will prompt justifiably enraged family members to do it themselves without the safeguards of rules of evidence or judicial review. I think we function better as a society if we can tell the victim's family, "Stand down. We will take care of this for you."

The problem with that,is we know we have killed innocent people,we let them off death rows all the time.

No one is innocent - we are all human and we have all made mistakes.
I did acknowledge that as long as we enforce a death penalty, we will wind up executing people who are not guilty of the crime we are executing them for. We are human beings, the fact that we are incapable of perfectly enforcing any punishment is not - IMHO - a sufficient argument to stop enforcing punishments.

Just at that level,death can not be overturned. Killing a few innocents because we know we do,make little sense.
Bottom line ,the state shouldn't have that power.

That's another good point. Polls show that Americans' trust in their government is at an all time low but we trust them with power of life and death over people? It makes no sense. I wouldn't trust the government to watch my kids or balance my checkbook much less killing people.

 

[emilynghiem]

I favor the death penalty even though:

1) I do not believe it is a deterrent. It is not carried out quickly enough or uniformly enough to be a deterrent.
2) It is more expensive than jailing someone for life.
3) Even with our checks and balances and layers of review, we will wind up executing people who are not guilty of the crime we are executing them for. We are only human - we make mistakes.

The reason I favor the death penalty for the most heinous crimes is:
If we as a society DO NOT do this, it will prompt justifiably enraged family members to do it themselves without the safeguards of rules of evidence or judicial review. I think we function better as a society if we can tell the victim's family, "Stand down. We will take care of this for you."

The problem with that,is we know we have killed innocent people,we let them off death rows all the time.

No one is innocent - we are all human and we have all made mistakes.
I did acknowledge that as long as we enforce a death penalty, we will wind up executing people who are not guilty of the crime we are executing them for. We are human beings, the fact that we are incapable of perfectly enforcing any punishment is not - IMHO - a sufficient argument to stop enforcing punishments.

Just at that level,death can not be overturned. Killing a few innocents because we know we do,make little sense.
Bottom line ,the state shouldn't have that power.

That's another good point. Polls show that Americans' trust in their government is at an all time low but we trust them with power of life and death over people? It makes no sense. I wouldn't trust the government to watch my kids or balance my checkbook much less killing people.

Well why do Liberals trust Govt with heath care?
and why do Conservatives trust Govt with military spending unquestioned and unchecked?

 

[hauke]

im german from germany

ok i think thats funny

im a human from earth

so why do you go to an obscure political page in the internet to get an opinion of what americans think ?

you might get the opinion of an

madagascarn who is on this board

and think its an american,

how would you know `?

so scientificly

your research is useless

if you want to research americans

go to america

 

[Jack Richardson]

im german from germany

ok i think thats funny

im a human from earth

so why do you go to an obscure political page in the internet to get an opinion of what americans think ?

you might get the opinion of an

madagascarn who is on this board

and think its an american,

how would you know `?

so scientificly

your research is useless

if you want to research americans

go to america

I'm not doing a study of American opinions on capital punishment, I'm doing a dissertation looking at The Death Penalty in America in general. I'm fully aware not everyone on this forum is American, but the majority are, and that's why I'm using it. This research isn't the basis of my dissertation, its a small part that i will refer to, but i will be accounting for drawbacks of the method, such as the one you suggested. It is quite impractical as you can imagine for me to travel to America to ask questions, so this is an alternative method that is useful, it's far from useless.