Do you believe in capital punishment?

[Side Bird 566]

We're not barbaric animals, this is a fellow human you are talking about, even if they did kill someone or commit such horrid crimes.

 

But on the flip of a coin I can be against it.

If someone committed a horrid terrorist attack or something, I say capital punishment should work. They wouldn't deserve getting paid for or living for what they did. 

 

And that's my bad opinion on this.

[Littlepip3000 111]

You're arguing on "principle" and you want to shorten the duration of the process? These are human lives that we're talking about; unfortunate lives too. Can you imagine having the brain of one of these individuals?

 

These people have the opportunity to serve an incredible purpose for the human species. For most of our history, we've just tied their hands or threw rocks at them. But with modern neuroscience, we have the chance (if not to rehabilitate them) to look under the hood and see what the real problem is. Someday, we might even be able to issue blood tests for violent or criminal attributes. Killing them because "they make us sad" would be a waste if ever there was one.

 

Besides, if the state is willing to take human lives to uphold its own moral standards, then... Well, maybe all those crazy evangelists preaching about the "End Times" are right...

Even if we do figure out the problem, you think we could solve it? Not likely. Even if we could, you think people would allow it? There'd be all sorts of crapstorms about how we don't have the right to alter a person's brain, or how we don't have the right to lock someone away because they have some genetic or psychological marker that makes them more likely to commit violent crimes. Do we have the right to execute people? Maybe, maybe not. You're worried about the state killing people to uphold moral standards, but what about the state altering people's brains to uphold moral standards? What's stopping the state, if they start altering the brains of murderers or rapists, from altering the brains of the religious or gays?

 

Honestly I can't see the murderer or rapist as having an "unfortunate" life. A starving child's life is unfortunate. A homeless man's life is unfortunate. A rapist's life is just wasted.

[Blackshirt Brony 415]

Even if we do figure out the problem, you think we could solve it? Not likely. Even if we could, you think people would allow it? There'd be all sorts of crapstorms about how we don't have the right to alter a person's brain, or how we don't have the right to lock someone away because they have some genetic or psychological marker that makes them more likely to commit violent crimes. Do we have the right to execute people? Maybe, maybe not. You're worried about the state killing people to uphold moral standards, but what about the state altering people's brains to uphold moral standards? What's stopping the state, if they start altering the brains of murderers or rapists, from altering the brains of the religious or gays?

 

Honestly I can't see the murderer or rapist as having an "unfortunate" life. A starving child's life is unfortunate. A homeless man's life is unfortunate. A rapist's life is just wasted.

 

I think you're missing the bigger picture here. On a basis of principle, or even on a purely pragmatic basis, capital punishment is a poor investment for a nation. The suggestion that it is worth such an extravagant waste of time, money, and moral sense to kill someone (who may or may not in fact be guilty of the supposed crime committed) is to me, profoundly concerning to say the least.

 

It's really pretty pointless anyway. Whatever emotional gratification we may get from resorting to violence, it won't remove either the mental or physical scarring that was originally inflicted upon the victims.

[Littlepip3000 111]

I think you're missing the bigger picture here. On a basis of principle, or even on a purely pragmatic basis, capital punishment is a poor investment for a nation. The suggestion that it is worth such an extravagant waste of time, money, and moral sense to kill someone (who may or may not in fact be guilty of the supposed crime committed) is to me, profoundly concerning to say the least.

 

It's really pretty pointless anyway. Whatever emotional gratification we may get from resorting to violence, it won't remove either the mental or physical scarring that was originally inflicted upon the victims.

You're right on that last part; it won't bring dead victims back, or reverse the crime committed on them or living ones, but to me it'd provide closure knowing that the person who hurt me or my loved ones was dead.

[Omega Centauri 317]

If it is a truly heinous crime, and there is indisputable proof, then I think that we should remove the perpetrator from society altogether.

 

Unfortunately, putting them to sleep tends cost more than feeding them for the rest of their life, simply because have to go through such a long process to actually execute them.

[Trine 665]

I am against it too. I mean even if someone does horrible stuff, it feels wrong to justify it by cruel treatment.

[Poetic Stone 1,041]

Love to hear what everypony has to think on this subject here so please more ponies jump in on the subject.

[Tanos 179]

When it's been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the person is guilty of murder I'm all for the death penalty. If there is reasonable doubt however, they can't receive it (like in 12 angry men)

Edited April 12, 2015 by Tanos

[ConcorDisparate 385]

Sort of off topic, we must make sure prison is NOT desirable. I heard that a homeless man actually committed a crime SPECIFICALLY to get in prison because "he would get food and shelter"

 

I think you're missing the point here. What if we actually made sure to give these people a home instead of making sure that they never will have one ?

 

I'm not sure that trading a crime for a suicide is the best option.

Edited April 13, 2015 by ConcorDisparate

[Catsle 604]

I'm for it, of course I'm Texan so it kind of make sense but the reason is, if a person has killed 3 or more people, he has to be put down, we cannot risk his escaping his confines and going on a rampage for the convictions, sorry but this is what I believe, if the person killed 1 person he should be given a cell, 2 that fine a cell or solitary but 3 that where I have to draw a line

[Probably Lee 197]

In my kingdom it would be eye for an eye. Rape? say bye to your testicles!

 

 

God I'm a awful person...

[Luna the Great of all the Russias 2,985]

If it is a truly heinous crime, and there is indisputable proof, then I think that we should remove the perpetrator from society altogether.

 

Unfortunately, putting them to sleep tends cost more than feeding them for the rest of their life, simply because have to go through such a long process to actually execute them.

That is true? Was thinking about not bothering spending money on keeping such criminals alive.

[JanisJopleyBird 22]

I don't believe in it. I also am not a huge fan of when the financial aspects of it come into play. Even though this person did some absolutely horrendous things to get to death row you shouldn't weigh human life against tax dollars.

[Omega Centauri 317]

That is true? Was thinking about not bothering spending money on keeping such criminals alive.

 

It's mostly due to the fact the appeals process is usually so long, because if you're gonna execute someone, you've gotta make DAMN sure they did what you're accusing them of. This is why it takes years for people on death row to actually get executed, and it lasts so long that it ends up costing more than just throwing them in jail forever and leaving it at that.

 

I don't know all the details, but I think that's the basics of it.

[Aleh 481]

No, not at all.
For one, capital punishment doesn't really work as a deterrent for most crimes, people will always commit crimes of passion or desperation. 
For another theres always a risk that the person who's being executed didn't actually do it, which would just lead to the state killing innocent people.
The legal system SHOULD be about rehabilitation not getting some sort of sick pleasure at people being punished >.<

A lot of serious crimes are committed when the person is mentally unhinged, several years of therapy would be cheaper AND have a better outcome than deaths row.

We're not barbaric animals, this is a fellow human you are talking about, even if they did kill someone or commit such horrid crimes.

 

But on the flip of a coin I can be against it.

If someone committed a horrid terrorist attack or something, I say capital punishment should work. They wouldn't deserve getting paid for or living for what they did. 

 

And that's my bad opinion on this.

Isn't a death from the government exactly what a terrorist would want though? >.<
To become a martyr, the ultimate victory for them, since they'll be remembered.