Why Do Many People Think The Death Penalty Is A Deterrent To Crime?

Question

If someone molests and murders a child (regardless of how and why) do you think giving them the death penalty stops others from doing the same thing? I believe punishment should be given to those who commit terrible crimes and it should be the maximum allowed. I believe in punishment. Not retribution. I say this to stave off those who say it should be painful and the criminal should suffer. I have lost a brother to murder (he was shot by his best friend) and other relatives to street violence so I can speak with some authority on this matter. I know what it feels like. I hated the man who killed my brother. I didn't want him to suffer tho I wanted him gone. What do you think?

Answer 1

because we have seen the increase of crime over the years . The prisoners  who get life are there just a short time , get out , and do it again. While they are there , the get 3 squares a day, tv, relaxation , medical care , lodging all at your expense and never reform , just learn what the parole board wants to hear.Bring it back and limit appeals to a one time thing,like the trial, swift judgements should be performed.

Answer 2

Would you commit a crime if you knew that you would be killed for that crime? I would not. As for the death being painful, imagine what the victim of the crime went thru. The victim was not given a trial.Someone just took it upon themselves to subject the victim to whatever they saw fit.

Answer 3

The death penalty used to be a deterent but ceased to be since most death row inmates die while waiting to be killed.

Answer 4

I think that the death penalty is great for preventing a repeat offender.  

Let's say that the man that killed your brother got out and killed again.  Or that while in prison he killed a guard or another prisoner.  Wouldn't they have been better off with him being given the death penalty instead of just sitting in prison living off the public that he has shown no respect for?

Answer 5

Most people feel that if the death penalty is given for certain crimes, then people will make a choice to live and not do the crime or risk death as punishment. What I find funny is that most of the people that support the death penalty are against abortions. So much for the right to life crowd. I think that there could be other ways for people to repay their debt to society. Organ donations, submitting themselves to bio-medical testing and banishment to remote locations are a few ideas

Answer 6

Because there has never been another killing by anyone thats been put to death. My question is, why the h**l can't people understand that.

Answer 7

If the death penalty was truly carried out in a timely fashion, then yes, I think it would be a deterrent.  They won't be committing any more crimes.

Answer 8

You intentionally kill someone, you should be put to death, you rape and molest a child, you should also be put to death, although if you're gonna be sentenced the death penalty, they shouldn't wait 20 years before they do it, which is why our prisons are so over crowded right now. They want to approve everyones appeal 3 and 4 days before execution date, and then give them another 6 month stay so they can appeal again.  

Answer 9

There is a lot of misinformation about this.  Many people don't know that homicide rates are higher in states and regions with the death penalty than in those without it.  People who commit murder do not think about consequences and don't even think they will be caught.

48 states now have life without parole.  It means exactly what it says, and, like the death penalty, prevents reoffending. The death penalty is much more expensive than life without parole, mostly because of the legal process, which is supposed to prevent executions of innocent people.  We should be spending some of the extra money on front end crime prevention and try to save some lives.

Answer 10

Why do people think that giving thousands of people life sentances is helping anything?  People that murder and molest kids should be killed, for their crime and because its too expensive, space consuming, and pointless to incarcerate them until they die.  Once your locked up for life you can no longer contribute to society.  We have enough deadbeats sucking up tax dollars w/o people condemned for life doing it also.

Non violent drug offenders should be let go.

Illegals should be expidited to whereever they came from.

Lifers should get lethal injection, they are going to die there anyway, why prolong it.

Answer 11

Survival instinct.

Answer 12

It's not designed to stop others from committing crime, it is designed to assure society that THAT offender will not commit another heinous crime, such as murder.

Capital Punishment STOPS repeat offenders.

And I could care less if it's painful. I'm more concerned about the victim.

You should be too...

Answer 13

One at a time....  you kill a child molester - there is NO chance of a repeat offense.  Deterrent?  Probably not, BUT - that puke will not do it again.  You believe in punishment not retribution - just wait until it's YOUR child.  Then tell me you don't want retribution!

I don't care about retribution or punishment.  You DO NOT cut a cancer out of your body and then put it in a petri dish and make it comfortable for the rest of it's life.  The same goes with child molesters....  and NO THEY ARE NOT PEOPLE!!  They are predators and cowardly ones at that.  Get over it.  Life sucks and some people MUST die.  Put your energy into saving the innocent children NOT the pukes who prey on them.

Answer 14

i dont honestly think criminals think too much about the consequences when the commit the crime. i am so very against the death penalty. i dont want to be misunderstood though. i believe in punishment of a crime. however. there are lots of cases where someone was convicted and spending decades in jail just to find out they didnt do it. if they are sentenced to death and executed, how do you set them free? how do you explain to their families that, even though they didnt do it, they are now dead and paid in full for someone elses crime?  

Answer 15

  Your key word here is deterrent. Yes it does.. The only problem is executions are to closed to the public and serene.

   Take your child murder.. to the public square.. chop his/hers head off put this on the news and front page of the newspapers.. You next murder might not happen.