Ethics/Law: What do you think about the Death Penalty?
Discuss the merits and deficiencies of political theories and philosophical questions.
| Announcements | Posted on | |
|---|---|---|
-
- Reputation:
- Exalted Member
- Posts: 301
Re: Ethics/Law: What do you think about the Death Penalty?I generally believe justice should be restorative in nature, so I am sceptical of the death penalty. I certainly believe that if they get the wrong person those who ordered the execution should be charged with murder, and I think in developed societies we can work out restorative ways of dealing with murderers and the like, probably through debt slavery to the victim or their family. That said, I think in primitive societies without a developed economy and an extensive division of labour in law capital punishment is more or less a necessity.
-
- Reputation:
- Junior Member
- Posts: 55
Re: Ethics/Law: What do you think about the Death Penalty?I'm strongly against capital punishment as it serves no purpose in civilized society. I feel that although it serves some closure for the victims, I believe that by gaining satisfaction in that the person who has done you wrong is being executed, you are no different to the offender apart from what you're doing is socially acceptable.
-
- Reputation:
- Thread Starter
- Full Member
- Posts: 135
Re: Ethics/Law: What do you think about the Death Penalty?Not even for paedophiles or serial killers? (presuming that they have been proven guilty beyond doubt)(Original post by Snikle)
I am vehemently against the death penalty. I don't even feel it necessary to explain my reasoning... -
- Reputation:
- Vengeful, Imperial Overlord of The Student Room
- Location: Viridian City
- Posts: 3,580
Re: Ethics/Law: What do you think about the Death Penalty?100% against it in every single circumstance, as it is completely wrong.
Justice should be restorative i.e it helps people, and makes a positive change, not retributive whereby "an eye for an eye" is satisfied.
"An eye for an eye makes the world blind". - Gandhi. Never have truer words been spoken. -
- Reputation:
- Exalted Member
- Posts: 361
Re: Ethics/Law: What do you think about the Death Penalty?Until we have a 100% accurate legal system, which convicts the right people 100% of the time, we shouldn't even consider a death penalty. At least we can attempt to make amends if we wrongly imprison someone through some sort of compensation.
Even if we did have a perfect legal system, I still find the death penalty barbaric. It seems almost hypocritical to deal with murders through further killing, when actually life imprisonment has the same effect of removing them from society. -
- Reputation:
- Exalted Member
- Posts: 301
Re: Ethics/Law: What do you think about the Death Penalty?If you don't feel it's necessary to explain why you're right, you're probably not.(Original post by Snikle)
I am vehemently against the death penalty. I don't even feel it necessary to explain my reasoning... -
- Reputation:
- Junior Member
- Location: Luton
- Posts: 29
Re: Ethics/Law: What do you think about the Death Penalty?******************************** ******************************** ******************************** ******************************** ******************************** ******************************** ********I think that the death penalty should be implemented in the UK. BUT only for re-offenders; for example, A rapes someone in 1990 is found guilty in court then there is first a sentence in prison. Suppose A comes out of prison in 2012 and A rapes again. In that case the death penalty should apply on the gorunds that the defendant/person had been giving one change of transforming themself into a good citizen, but the purpose behind the death penalty would be to prevent further crimes occuring by the same defendant.
I would like to hear on what to think of my believe/theory.
Thanks
******************************** ******************************** ******************************** ******************************** ******************************** ******************************** ******** -
- Reputation:
- Exalted Member
- Posts: 361
Re: Ethics/Law: What do you think about the Death Penalty?Again, in my opinion the idea of an imperfect justice system comes in. What if person 'A' was wrongly convicted the first time, or the second time, or even both times (very likely if the courts place bias on him for being a previous offender, even if he didn't really do it)? With life in prison, at least a mistake can be corrected to a certain extent, and the wrongly convicted can be compensated - again only to a degree. However, no such compensation can occur with the death penalty; there is no chance to reverse a mistake here. It's all good when new CSI techniques turn up, and prove someone innocent, but that's useless if they're dead.(Original post by aliali786)
I think that the death penalty should be implemented in the UK. BUT only for re-offenders; for example, A rapes someone in 1990 is found guilty in court then there is first a sentence in prison. Suppose A comes out of prison in 2012 and A rapes again. In that case the death penalty should apply on the gorunds that the defendant/person had been giving one change of transforming themself into a good citizen, but the purpose behind the death penalty would be to prevent further crimes occuring by the same defendant.
I would like to hear on what to think of my believe/theory.
Thanks
Even then, if we had a perfect justice system, is killing person A really humane? If the death penalty serves the purpose of removing a criminal from society, why can't we do the same, except without the killing? (i.e. life imprisonment). In fact, I can't recall where the data is from, but sentencing someone to death (in America) actually costs more than life imprisonment. -
- Reputation:
- Junior Member
- Location: Luton
- Posts: 29
Re: Ethics/Law: What do you think about the Death Penalty?(Original post by R.P.Everything.)
Again, in my opinion the idea of an imperfect justice system comes in. What if person 'A' was wrongly convicted the first time, or the second time, or even both times (very likely if the courts place bias on him for being a previous offender, even if he didn't really do it)? With life in prison, at least a mistake can be corrected to a certain extent, and the wrongly convicted can be compensated - again only to a degree. However, no such compensation can occur with the death penalty; there is no chance to reverse a mistake here. It's all good when new CSI techniques turn up, and prove someone innocent, but that's useless if they're dead.
Even then, if we had a perfect justice system, is killing person A really humane? If the death penalty serves the purpose of removing a criminal from society, why can't we do the same, except without the killing? (i.e. life imprisonment). In fact, I can't recall where the data is from, but sentencing someone to death (in America) actually costs more than life imprisonment.
I study Law and I know how the system works. If person 'A' would be charged with the offence of Rape or any other indictable (serious) offence, then the guild or innocence of the individual wil be decided by 12 members of the jury if they are convinced BEYOND ALL REASONABLE DOUBT that the D caused for forbidden consequence. Individuals like you and me would be on the jury and the judge would only explain the law to us. Therefore, I don't agree with the fact that innocent people will be killed because fair enough you may get convicted innocently once, but not twice.
Remember sometimes you have to do something bad to prevent something worse from happening. In this case your taking away a life (peacefully through an injection) of a reoffender in order to safe the lifes of other potential victim'(s). -
- Reputation:
- Exalted Member
- Posts: 361
Re: Ethics/Law: What do you think about the Death Penalty?It is a fact, that as human beings without perfect knowledge and reasoning, we cannot have a perfect legal system, and it is a fact that without a perfect legal system, innocent people will die under the death penalty. Although unlikely, there is a possibility, and always will be with the philosophical idea of an imperfect legal system, that an innocent person could be convicted - even twice, and even if it seems beyond all reasonable doubt for the jury. The false conviction of someone to death simply isn't acceptable collateral to me.(Original post by aliali786)
I study Law and I know how the system works. If person 'A' would be charged with the offence of Rape or any other indictable (serious) offence, then the guild or innocence of the individual wil be decided by 12 members of the jury if they are convinced BEYOND ALL REASONABLE DOUBT that the D caused for forbidden consequence. Individuals like you and me would be on the jury and the judge would only explain the law to us. Therefore, I don't agree with the fact that innocent people will be killed because fair enough you may get convicted innocently once, but not twice.
The death penalty is barbaric and inhumane in the sense that you are taking a human life. Why do something so gruesome when something less horrific serves the same purpose? Life imprisonment removes criminals from society just as much as the death penalty does, and it saves the lives of potential victims just as much too. There is no difference in effect, only in the method.Remember sometimes you have to do something bad to prevent something worse from happening. In this case your taking away a life (peacefully through an injection) of a reoffender in order to safe the lifes of other potential victim'(s). -
- Reputation:
- PS Helper
- Overlord in Training
- Location: Basingstoke
- Posts: 2,189
Re: Ethics/Law: What do you think about the Death Penalty?As a law student, I'm sure your well aware of Sam Hallam.(Original post by aliali786)
I study Law and I know how the system works. If person 'A' would be charged with the offence of Rape or any other indictable (serious) offence, then the guild or innocence of the individual wil be decided by 12 members of the jury if they are convinced BEYOND ALL REASONABLE DOUBT that the D caused for forbidden consequence. Individuals like you and me would be on the jury and the judge would only explain the law to us. Therefore, I don't agree with the fact that innocent people will be killed because fair enough you may get convicted innocently once, but not twice.
Remember sometimes you have to do something bad to prevent something worse from happening. In this case your taking away a life (peacefully through an injection) of a reoffender in order to safe the lifes of other potential victim'(s).
As for the OP, I shall refer you to this article, because I believe this is a much more admirable aim, rather than the barbaric death penalty. -
- Reputation:
- New Member
- Posts: 2
Re: Ethics/Law: What do you think about the Death Penalty?I don't think that the death penalty should be used as part of a normal justice system, the flaws in the justice system are to big to allow for such an absolutely final punishment. However, I can find myself agreeing with the use of the death penalty who have commit crimes against the rest of the Human race, rather than an idividual person. Rape, murder, both are terrible crimes, but with these, their is still the possibility of reform, for recompense to be made.
Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden to name but a few people who - in my opinion - forfeighted the right to live with their atrocities, and deserved to die for what they did, but only because their crimes affected so many people, in so many terrible ways. The guilt of one person can not be compared to the blood on their hands, so I don't see how you can award the same punishment to both crimes. To be capable of such acts of devestation required a heart so evil, I don't see how it can be changed by serving time in prison.
