Death Penalty Question

[Frodo]

We haven't had a poll on this subject in quite a while, though I am well aware we already have a thread on the topic...   

[dialectical fetishist]

Democrat/Death Penalty

[Pacific Councillor Big Wiggly Style]

Republican/Life in prison wo parole.

[Governor Scott]

Democrat/Life without parole

[True Federalist]

independent - voted death penalty, which I would like to see as the sole punishment for murder, but like the constitutional standard for treason, only if two or more witnesses can be provided. (Forensic evidence would be counted as only one witness, no matter how many people present it.) A lesser conviction, either for manslaughter, or with only one witness should have the punishment be life without parole, and the jury should be given the option to find that only one witness was credible, thereby making the defendant ineligible for the death penalty.  Neither rape nor pedophilia, as horrible as they are, warrant a death penalty on their own, or as special circumstance that makes a homicide a capital offense.

[Senator Napoleon]

Democrat/never support the death penalty

[Redalgo]

Independent - Life in Prison without Parole

I also do not think murder, rape, or pedophilia should carry the maximum sentencing as a default. I reckon these sorts of things really ought to be decided on a case-by-base basis.

[Ѕenator Αverroës]

independent/neither

Both punishments are unnecessary and inhumane in most cases, although I'm not categorically opposed to life without parole.

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Death penalty.

I don't like the use of "but what about life without parole?" to sway people in this matter. There are crimes for which allowing the offender to continue living, even in prison without the chance of parole, would be too generous.

[Insula Dei]

What murder, rape and pedophilia at the same time? Or would one out of the three suffice?

[Frodo]

What murder, rape and pedophilia at the same time? Or would one out of the three suffice?

A murderer who also happens to have been a rapist and a pedophile.

I am testing people's parameters here, especially those who oppose the death penalty. 

[Insula Dei]

Well, I've got no complaints about the treatment we've given Marc Dutroux (well, not since 1998), so that probably means 'Life Without Parole'.

[perdedor]

I believe in replacing the death penalty and life in prison with life in a labor camp. Why kill off potentially valuable resources?

[I left.]

Life in prison.

There should be a chance of parole in most cases, with the exception of crazy mass murderers, like Breivik.

[dead0man]

Indy, DP

We're talking about somebody that rapes and kills a little kid here.  Assuming there is a ton of evidence against the guy (like video tape of the act, DNA, witness(es)), I see no reason a person like that should live.  I don't care if the studies say it doesn't prevent crime, it might make the victim's family feel just a little bit better and that by itself is enough for me.

[Pacific Councillor Big Wiggly Style]

I believe in replacing the death penalty and life in prison with life in a labor camp. Why kill off potentially valuable resources?

What

[Tender Branson]

Life in prison with chance of parole after 20 or 25 years for moderate murder cases with a good psychological outlook for no repeat offenses (has to be determined by 2 or more psychologists) and the criminal must not commit any offences while in prison and behave well.

Life in prison without chance of parole for really bad or serial murderers.

As for the poll: option 4

[perdedor]

I believe in replacing the death penalty and life in prison with life in a labor camp. Why kill off potentially valuable resources?

What

The death penalty is horribly flawed and bad policy all around, and this point has been beaten to death. I won't bother going into this.

That said, what's unreasonable about my proposal? What's the point of sticking a bunch of criminals in an enormous complex and babysitting them for the rest of their life? Why is it better to put convicted murderers and rapists in government storage when they could be contributing back to society via a labor program?

[Pacific Councillor Big Wiggly Style]

I believe in replacing the death penalty and life in prison with life in a labor camp. Why kill off potentially valuable resources?

What

The death penalty is horribly flawed and bad policy all around, and this point has been beaten to death. I won't bother going into this.

That said, what's unreasonable about my proposal? What's the point of sticking a bunch of criminals in an enormous complex and babysitting them for the rest of their life? Why is it better to put convicted murderers and rapists in government storage when they could be contributing back to society via a labor program?

Um because that's basically the same idea as taking away someone's human rights for practicing a certain religion and subsequently forcing them to work themselves to death in a labour camp?

Where've I heard that one before...

[perdedor]

I believe in replacing the death penalty and life in prison with life in a labor camp. Why kill off potentially valuable resources?

What

The death penalty is horribly flawed and bad policy all around, and this point has been beaten to death. I won't bother going into this.

That said, what's unreasonable about my proposal? What's the point of sticking a bunch of criminals in an enormous complex and babysitting them for the rest of their life? Why is it better to put convicted murderers and rapists in government storage when they could be contributing back to society via a labor program?

Um because that's basically the same idea as taking away someone's human rights for practicing a certain religion and subsequently forcing them to work themselves to death in a labour camp?

Where've I heard that one before...

Being incarcerated is the suspension of human rights, of course - therefore I don't see how forced labor is anymore vile than storing rapists and murderers in a prison against their will. Furthermore, how is forced labor for murderers and rapists the same as "taking away someone's human rights for practicing a certain religion". That doesn't make any sense, whatsoever.

[shua]

I agree that people in prison should be doing some kind of work. But it shouldn't be harsh in the way that "labor camp" would imply, and there should be some element of choice about the type of work.  Some type of restitution from the offender is important.

[I Can't Get That Sound You Make, Out Of My Head]

Democrat, DP.

Apart from genocide/terrorism this is probably the only thing that would make me support the death penalty.

[Frodo]

Democrat/Life without parole

Would you still oppose the death penalty even for terrorists and those Americans who committed treason in a time of war?

[perdedor]

I agree that people in prison should be doing some kind of work. But it shouldn't be harsh in the way that "labor camp" would imply, and there should be some element of choice about the type of work.  Some type of restitution from the offender is important.

I certainly agree with the bolded part, but I'm not sure how protecting rapists and murderers from "harsh" labor accomplishes this. Let me emphasize the point that I am not suggesting we convert the entire prison/jail system into a system of "labor camps"; this would be a punishment for offenders of the highest degrees (rape, murder, terrorism, etc). There could be a less rigid community service program for lower level offenders.

[Pacific Councillor Big Wiggly Style]

Democrat/Life without parole

Would you still oppose the death penalty even for terrorists and those Americans who committed treason in a time of war?

Yes.