[Soilwork]

significantly lowered the murder rate in this country, and there was substantial evidence to show this, would you be for or against it?

It seems while many people may argue they oppose capital punishment on the grounds that it's inhumane, could mean innocent people are put to death etc, this may also be due to the fact that capital punishment does not deter people. However, if capital punishment was shown to deter on a large scale then would people change their minds?

Obviously there would still be many people who would still oppose capital punishment on the grounds stated above but over time would we see more and more people in favour of capital punishment?

[chickenonsteroids]

I don't think that the state should have the power to kill their own people.

[ckingalt]

I don't support capital punishment, but I believe that prison for the worst offenders should absolutely suck beyond comprehension.

[Pawsies]

Nope, just look at the US, crime has gone up since the death penalty was introduced. So it's clearly not much of a deterrent.

[Soilwork]

(Original post by Pawsies)
Nope, just look at the US, crime has gone up since the death penalty was introduced. So it's clearly not much of a deterrent.

Yes but my question was a hypothetical one rather than one based on reality. If capital punishment was proven to deter would you be for it or against it?

[Carecup]

This is a pointless argument because it has been proven time and again that it doesn't, that it only makes murderers more desperate not to be found out.

Even in this situation in which human psychology worked in a very different way to reality, I don't support the states right to execute its own citizens under any circumstances.

[Kiss]

No, even if it did.

[Markus4]

Nope it would still be wrong... The poll is a bit unclear "yes" isnt really a good answer to "are you for or against it"

[Soilwork]

(Original post by Markus4)
Nope it would still be wrong... The poll is a bit unclear "yes" isnt really a good answer to "are you for or against it"

Yes = for it
No = against it

Seems pretty clear to me.

[DontJudge]

Well obviously if they're dead, they can't commit the crime again.

[Markus4]

(Original post by Soilwork)
Yes = for it
No = against it

Seems pretty clear to me.

it clearly wasnt clear lol

[Curzon]

What's the point of this kind of hypothetical question?

I'd still say no anyway.

[cambio wechsel]

It's perhaps a product of teaching to the test that it has become increasingly difficult to solicit answers to a hypothetical question, and particularly one invoking counterfactual circumstance. I mean, I notice this as someone teaching at university.

What would you do if you won the lottery?
Couldn't happen, I don't buy tickets.

Would you support the death penalty if it were demonstrated to significantly lower murder rates?
Evidence from America says it doesn't though.

[Soilwork]

This is merely a thought experiment to see whether people really are against capital punishment because they have moral objections to it rather than because it doesn't deter criminals.

Also, to the people who would still be against it. Why would you be against something which could potentially save countless lives per year?

[buchanan700]

Always against. (Even though it's a pointless question because its been shown not to work.)

Who are we to decide when to kill? Assuming that capital punishment would be for murderers, wouldn't it be kind of hypocritical?

[Multitalented me]

(Original post by Soilwork)
This is merely a thought experiment to see whether people really are against capital punishment because they have moral objections to it rather than because it doesn't deter criminals.

Also, to the people who would still be against it. Why would you be against something which could potentially save countless lives per year?

This

[RandomPeopleDancin]

No because if they were found to be innocent afterwards then it would be too late. At least with prison they are still alive, even though they have lost years off their life and could get compensation.
Also as buchanan700 said, if ordinary citizens aren't allowed to murder people, why should the government be able to murder people.

[sugar-n-spice]

(Original post by Pawsies)
Nope, just look at the US, crime has gone up since the death penalty was introduced. So it's clearly not much of a deterrent.

their was a point wen they dint have it?

[ScheduleII]

Perhaps a reference to the moratorium ordered by the Supreme Court in the 1970s, before & after that. That's the only way US figures could be compared pre- and post- execution.

I am generally anti-death penalty but I am even more against these EU rules and international conventions ORDERING nation-states not to use it. I believe every government should decide yes or no for itself to capital punishment. If we did choose to bring it back the EU couldn't stop us- Parliament has the power to repeal the European Communities Act thus making the UK a nonmember of the Union. Sanctions for breaking the rules would not be so bad anyway.

[Birchington]

Capital punishment is simply the seeking of revenge, and as such has no place in any civilised legal system.