Debate: Capital Punishment: Where do you stand?

[Nitrus]

One of the oldest debates around, should the state have the power to execute where they see fit someone who is deemed to have committed a crime?

I am of the opinion that the state should not execute anyone for any crime. I believe most (if not all) criminals have the ability to reform themselves and those that do not should not have their life taken away from them.

It does not serve the public interest to execute a criminal, as long as measures are taken to protect the public from that individual indefinitely then death shouldn't even come into it.

What do you think?

[stelios]

(14-11-2011 11:27 PM)Nitrus Wrote:  One of the oldest debates around, should the state have the power to execute where they see fit someone who is deemed to have committed a crime?

I am of the opinion that the state should not execute anyone for any crime. I believe most (if not all) criminals have the ability to reform themselves and those that do not should not have their life taken away from them.

It does not serve the public interest to execute a criminal, as long as measures are taken to protect the public from that individual indefinitely then death shouldn't even come into it.

What do you think?

So many arguments about this, however you can see both sides to the argument especially if you are the victim.
However in the US they have it in some states but still a higher rate of crime in those areas, so it dont work surely??

Im open for debate..

[pookster]

Intriguing topic. I've always believed that the threat of executing an innocent person is enough for me not to agree with the state to have the power to execute any one. A quick google indicates how many innocent people on death row have been cleared through new technologies [DNA evidence etc].

And, of course, stelios may be right, I might change my mind if a loved one is murdered.

[Belle]

I agree with you to say that executing someone can never be the 'right' thing to do, by permitting that kind of punishment I believe we would become somewhat of a 'murderer' ourselves, and as pookster states: the existing posibility of sending an innocent to deathrow would be reason enough to say no to Capital Punishment.
But there, of course, is another side to the medal too: what to do with those ones that are 'evil to the bone', as much as I appreciate your believe in the power of redemption (and we do need the believe that people are essentially 'good'), there are some that are just not 'curable', no matter what psychological help you provide, people who brutally murdered other human beings just because they got some kind of kick out of it ( including children or people of any specific ethnic or religious group) without showing any forme of remorce; is locking them up for the rest of their lives, without any chance of parole not equally as cruel (to the families of the victims and to themselves) as putting an end to their lives?