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Capital Punishment
by DominicGee @ 2008-05-12 - 12:51:27

Just posted this to a group, but thought I'd like to hear other opinions.

Was attempting to have a discussion the other day about Capital Punishment (that old chesnut). Here's the deal:
Is it more ethical to keep someone alive in order for them to serve punishment for the rest of their life in a prison, or to simply execute them?

It seems to me that a large part of the argument against Capital Punishment is the idea that we do not have a right to take away someone's life (outside of war and self defence). However, the alternative - giving somebody life imprisonment - seems just as extreme. There has been a whole spate of programs on TV about the world's hardest prisons. Are these places actually helping? They are certainly not rehabilitating the offenders.
So the conclusion is (and the person with whom I had the discussion admitted this freely) that we keep them alive because 'death is too easy.' Call me naive, but I was under the impression that civilization and 1500 years of the English Judicial System came to more than simply physically retaliating in this way towards offenders.
There is the argument that the reason for the abandonment of Capital Punishment is due to the seculrisation of this (and other) countries. That is, because there is not that strong belief in the after-life, punishments dealt to offenders must be carried out in THIS lifetime rather than the next. Previously, had a horrific crime been committed than the person was sentenced to death, given the chance to repent then executed.
What do you guys think? Recent polls in this country seem to suggest that people DO want a return to Capital Punishment, the main argument against it being the devastation if/when a mistake is made and an innocent man is killed.

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tel1342tel1342 pro
2008-05-12 @ 12:59

I firmly believe that Capital Punishment should be an allowed judicial option, but only for really severe crimes eg: London Bombings.

The advances in Forensics are such, that identifying the culprit or culprits has been made so much easier. So the odds on making a mistake and wrongly convicting an innocent person have been drastically reduced.

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DominicGeeDominicGee [Member]
2008-05-12 @ 15:06

thanks for the comment - but you could you explain your reasons for supporting capital punishment over, say, life imprisonment or forced labour?

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tel1342tel1342 pro
2008-05-12 @ 15:21

I only support capital punishment in certain cases as I stated above. There are certain crimes that should qualify for a Death Sentence at the discretion of the Judges.

Life in Prison generally means serving 10 years and then being released out on licence, unless the judge states otherwise whilst sentencing the accused.

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boredrichboredrich [Member]
2008-05-13 @ 17:49

posted on the other site :)

willofmemorywillofmemory pro
2008-05-14 @ 00:20

A problem inheres in emphasising the right to life without reference to a responsibility to life. The dialectic between the two should be apprehnded simultaneously. If it is, it becomes clear that there is no simple answer, and there shouldn't be. We live with both the horror of crime, and the horror of our retribution.

EmsbabeeEmsbabee pro
2008-05-21 @ 10:50

The death sentence just seems a bit primeval to me, like you say, the justice system has come a long way.

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DominicGeeDominicGee [Member]
2008-05-21 @ 11:14

but is locking someone up in an institution surrounded by other thugs and criminals more civilized?

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EmsbabeeEmsbabee pro
2008-05-21 @ 13:54

As long as their basic human rights are met, then yes, I think it is.

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Albert_SovietsAlbert_Soviets [Member]
http://www.freewebs.com/imjoedonbaker/index.html
2008-05-28 @ 18:48

"Is it more ethical to keep someone alive in order for them to serve punishment for the rest of their life in a prison, or to simply execute them?"

Well, depends on the regime and what the purpose of prison is. I do not believe that prison should be for punishment although obviously that puts me in a tiny minority of tree huggers and cranks. I believe that prison should be about rehabilitation where possible and protecting the rest of society where it isn't. If that should mean keeping someone in prison for their entire lives then so be it but in the mean time they should live as full a life as possible. I see a reason for depriving people of liberty, but no reason to deprive them of anything else.

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DominicGeeDominicGee [Member]
2008-05-29 @ 08:57

I don't think you're a tree-hugger (you might be though, I'll be wary), you make a good point. Rehabilitation or Protection - cleary put.

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