Death Penalties - Does It Deter Crime?

[sbl_admin]

The steady drumbeat of DNA exonerations — pointing out flaws in the justice system — has weighed against capital punishment. The moral opposition is loud, too, echoed in Europe and the rest of the industrialized world, where all but a few countries banned executions years ago.

[piemaker720]

Exen though there is a death penalty people still commit crimes and think they can beat the death penalty. The age of criminals are getting younger too and they don't seem to be worried either.

[Pocahontas]

That is true Pie! They seem to get younger and younger! Some gangs I hear use killing as a rite of passage to join and establish themselves amongst the group. A travesty!

[joepole]

No, the death penalty does not deter crime.

[Al Swearengen]

Originally Posted by joepole

No, the death penalty does not deter crime.

Crime in general? No, it does not. Deter crimes for which the death penalty is handed down? It'd make me think twice.

[Isaac-Saxxon]

NO repeat offenders. For murder and rape time for the dirt nap. There will be much less of those crimes if the death penalty was strictly enforced on these two crimes !!!!! Murder 1 and aggravated rape should be in the public square and on the front page. Yep tall tree and short rope.

[Texasbelle]

Originally Posted by Al Swearengen

Crime in general? No, it does not. Deter crimes for which the death penalty is handed down? It'd make me think twice.

You Al think with your God given brain cells. The people normally committing these crimes are not like you and I. They just don't think about the long term anything or the consequences of anything for the most part. I do like Texas where we have the express lane for the death penalty but if we saw more death sentences carried out much faster, it might give them some food for thought.

[howela]

It deters the one that was executed! He will never commit another crime.

[BrainSmashR]

Originally Posted by Al Swearengen

Crime in general? No, it does not. Deter crimes for which the death penalty is handed down? It'd make me think twice.

Let's try to have a civil conversation again because I think this is an interesting contradictions in your opinions.

If you understand that the death penalty isn't an effective crime deterent, and that it is in fact only effective on rational people who have something to lose.

Why then are you UNable to use that same logic when talking about more guns on the street reducing the crime rate and realize that the rational individual, the only one who will be swayed by this proposed concept, IS NOT the one holding up stores at gunpoint or shooting up the local high school.

Your proposal may reduce the number of causalities in a given crime, but it in no way shape or form will prevent the irrational person from committing his or her crime because the risk already exists that someone at the scene may be caring a gun of their own.

and for the record, I'm still pro-death penalty, and I'm still pro-gun, I'm just arguing the propaganda often used to support those concepts instead of just saying all adult Americans have a Constitutional right to bare arms and murderers shouldn't be allowed to walk the streets.

[Al Swearengen]

Its a fair point. The death penalty likely wouldnt deter the sort of people who commit violent crimes, as they arent exactly the most rational of folks to begin with. I just said it'd make ME think twice, but then I'm not a violent criminal.

As for the gun issue... I fully understand that there will always be violent criminals around, likewise I fully understand that we cant stop insane people from doin insane things with insane laws (laws are meaningless to them...that's what makes them criminals) that only succeed at disarmin law-abidin citizens like you and me. I just take great comfort in knowin that if some nutcase shows up and starts randomly shootin people at the store or restaurant where I just happen to be, somebody, perhaps even myself, might just be able to drop the bastard and save some innocent lives.

I too am pro-death penalty and obviously pro-gun, so theres no argument.

[Isaac-Saxxon]

Originally Posted by Al Swearengen

Its a fair point. The death penalty likely wouldnt deter the sort of people who commit violent crimes, as they arent exactly the most rational of folks to begin with. I just said it'd make ME think twice, but then I'm not a violent criminal.

As for the gun issue... I fully understand that there will always be violent criminals around, likewise I fully understand that we cant stop insane people from doin insane things with insane laws (laws are meaningless to them...that's what makes them criminals) that only succeed at disarmin law-abidin citizens like you and me. I just take great comfort in knowin that if some nutcase shows up and starts randomly shootin people at the store or restaurant where I just happen to be, somebody, perhaps even myself, might just be able to drop the bastard and save some innocent lives.

I too am pro-death penalty and obviously pro-gun, so theres no argument.

Great post Al. I think the gallows would make a deep impression on those that might want to do murder or aggravated rape.

[Texasbelle]

Don't you think if we went back to the gallows vs. the needle (easy way out), you absolutely might see less crime?

[Al Swearengen]

Violent criminals ARE afraid of the consequences of their actions which is why they attempt to avoid detection. And after they've been convicted and sentenced to death, they file appeal after appeal to delay their "date with destiny"!

[BrainSmashR]

Originally Posted by Al Swearengen

Its a fair point. The death penalty likely wouldnt deter the sort of people who commit violent crimes, as they arent exactly the most rational of folks to begin with. I just said it'd make ME think twice, but then I'm not a violent criminal.

As for the gun issue... I fully understand that there will always be violent criminals around, likewise I fully understand that we cant stop insane people from doin insane things with insane laws (laws are meaningless to them...that's what makes them criminals) that only succeed at disarmin law-abidin citizens like you and me. I just take great comfort in knowin that if some nutcase shows up and starts randomly shootin people at the store or restaurant where I just happen to be, somebody, perhaps even myself, might just be able to drop the bastard and save some innocent lives.

I too am pro-death penalty and obviously pro-gun, so theres no argument.

Actually I see your example in an entirely different light. Think about how many domestic dispute cases you've ever heard about, then imagine that guy having a gun in his pocket instead of just a clenched fist.

Now try to imagine how many OTHER misdemeanor crimes will turn into felony murders if those people are carrying guns when they blow their stack?

[Al Swearengen]

Originally Posted by BrainSmashR

Actually I see your example in an entirely different light. Think about how many domestic dispute cases you've ever heard about, then imagine that guy having a gun in his pocket instead of just a clenched fist.

Now try to imagine how many OTHER misdemeanor crimes will turn into felony murders if those people are carrying guns when they blow their stack?

Domestic disputes usually occur at a couple's or family's home, where there are all sorts of household objects that can be used as weapons...anythin from ash trays to guitar strings, bicycle chains, skillets, bug spray, screw drivers, golf clubs, liquor bottles, drain cleaner, pencils, keys, clothin irons, bowlin trophys, dogs, kitchen knives, baseball bats, compound bows, rat poison, panty hose, frozen leg-o-lamb and on and on and on...all have been used to kill, cripple, or maim! Besides, you're talkin about people who physically abuse those they supposedly love...irrational, violent people. If somebody's gonna cross that line, they're gonna cross it regardless of their proximity to a gun. Fortunately, the majority of heated family arguments do not escalate to broken bones and new orifices. For most folks, yellin, cussin, and slammin doors is about as bad as it gets.

Demonizin guns is just the sort of knee-jerk scare-tactic the gun-control maggots typically use to advance their agenda. They blame the weapon, not the criminal that wields it! And if that criminal's chosen weapon just happens to be a gun? Well we've all seen how effective the laws are at preventin that, right? So maybe if more of the rational, sane, law-abidin folks at the theater, grocery store, cafe, post office or where-ever are armed when the disturbed mad-at-the-world homicidal loser starts randomly shootin people...well maybe there'll only be two deaths before its over includin the afore-mentioned murderous bag-o-schit instead of ten, twenty or thirty innocents whose final, fatal mistake was that they failed to arm themselves.

To my way of thinkin, its pretty cut and dried...there are still more honest, hard workin taxpayers (good guys) on the street than killers, robbers, rapists, muggers, whatever...the bad guys'll always be the minority. So more guns on the street equals safer streets IMHO.

Its nice to be in general agreement on the issue.