Yes or No. The death penalty is a deterrent to committing heinous crimes.

[devilgrrl]

Poll question: Yes or No. The death penalty is a deterrent to committing heinous crimes.

[ZombieHorde]

1. I voted no. The death penalty does not work, and is all around stupid.

I would like to add that the party that supports the death penalty is the same party that does not trust the government to make good decions.

[KansDem]

5. Good point...

I would like to add that the party that supports the death penalty is the same party that does not trust the government to make good decions.

Also the party that politicized the judiciary. That alone should be grounds for abolishing the death penalty.

The death penalty should not be used as a political tool...

[renie408]

2. When people go apeshit and do the kind of stuff that gets them the death penalty

they aren't really thinking about the death penalty.

[spin]

3. The death penalty takes far to long to implement...

to be effective. Ten to twenty years may pass before the person in executed. The incident that led to the execution is old history to those who might decide to commit a capital crime.

And it's a very expensive legal procedure with very high standards.

* At the trial level, death penalty cases are estimated to generate roughly $470,000 in additional costs to the prosecution and defense over the cost of trying the same case as an aggravated murder without the death penalty and costs of $47,000 to $70,000 for court personnel.

* On direct appeal, the cost of appellate defense averages $100,000 more in death penalty cases, than in non-death penalty murder cases.

* Personal restraint petitions filed in death penalty cases on average cost an additional$137,000 in public defense costs.
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?did=108

Plus there is always that nagging possibility that you executed the wrong person.

[JFN1]

4. I think our entire prison system needs serious work

Prisoners, if our goal is to actually rehabilitate, need something more than the violent and strange society prisons have become.

Psychological and emotional counseling should be the center of incarceration, and sadly, it is not.

Plus we don't need to lock up non-violent offenders (like pot users) with the violent ones, which also happens constantly, and ultimately creates more crime and violence.

The death penalty does not provide deterrence whatsoever, since, for instance, cops can - and do -shoot and kill citizens for simple traffic violations...

[Mandate My Ass]

6. No. Death penalty states have higher per capita murder rates than non-DP states

and violent crime rises in the wake of a publicized execution.

The DP has no place in any civilized society.

[meow2u3]

14. Many murderers are unconsciously suicidal as well as homicidal

Especially those who commit the most brutal murders. The death penalty is effectively suicide by state. Non-death penalty states make someone think about wanting to kill someone, for a killer would rather die themselves than face spending the rest of their lives in a tiny cell, surrounded by other criminals, and away from their families.

The only exception to my opposition to the death penalty for murderers are four: those who run a risk of escaping only to kill again; war criminals; those convicted of crimes against humanity; and traitors during wartime. Convicted terrorists should be allowed to rot in prison for the rest of their lives--in solitary, a punishment worse than the death they seek when they kill thousands of innocents for some twisted cause.

[gratuitous]

7. Wouldn't murder be unknown in Texas if the death penalty was a deterrent?

Instead, as Ron White jokes, they're putting in an express line. So if it doesn't deter anyone, what's next?

[Parche]

8. Nuking Japan Was Necessary Evil

Yes :hi:

[Mandate My Ass]

9. There is no such thing as 'necessary' evil

That is the pathetic excuse of the sociopath for committing acts of inexcusable violence and hatred upon the innocent.

[ulysses]

10. no, on the evidence.

We've had the DP for a long time. Yet, heinous crimes still seem to happen.

[ismnotwasm]

11. No

Never has been.

[RushIsRot]

12. The death penalty prevents recidivism.

It might not prevent the original crime, but no more will occur -- IF the accused is truly guilty. If not, then the guilty party will continue unchecked. It is important to be certain, but currently that does not take place.

[1]

13. nice question. which begs the further question, what is the alternative?

inquiring minds want to know...