Do you support the Death Penalty

[Senator Ben]

Yes (D)

[BushKenya]

Yes (D)

[Јas]

No, of course not.

This is an issue where the US stands with some very questionable company on a human rights issue.

[True Federalist]

I feel we both use the death penalty too much and too little.  Too much because there should be solid and testable forensic evidence that directly links the accused to the murder before it is invoked and too little because it is not applied enough.  Any homicide resulting from a felony act, not just the act of planning to kill someone, should cause death to be an applicable punishment and extenuating circumstances should have no bearing.  Executing a few people for killing someone while DWI might just sober up some people, and if not would at least start thinning the gene pool of those too susceptible to alcoholism that they cannot keep from drinking and driving.

However, for our European humanitarians, I'd be perfectly happy to commute the death penalty to permanent exile and imprisonment according to the term established by another country if that other country is willing to agree to take them and keep them.

[Sensei]

I'm with the green countries on the map. They have to be extraordinary circumstances.

[WalterMitty]

no (r)

[phk]

Green

[ilikeverin]

No, I oppose it in all cases (D).

[Secretary Polnut]

No, I oppose it in all cases (D).

[Gabu]

No.

I do find it kind of interesting just from a sociological examination standpoint, however, how the United States is the only country in the First World in which the death penalty is still in use.  I've always kind of wondered what's different about it that would make that be the case.

[NDN]

I do find it kind of interesting just from a sociological examination standpoint, however, how the United States is the only country in the First World in which the death penalty is still in use.

Japan and South Korea are hardly developing countries.

[NDN]

I'm with the green countries on the map. They have to be extraordinary circumstances.

Pretty much my opinion. I'm more than okay with it for war crimes, mass murder, etc. I've become increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of using it for "ordinary" crimes like murder though.

[Lief]

Only in a few cases (such as treason, repeat murderers, etc.) and only with near indisputable evidence, but generally No (D).

[Gabu]

I do find it kind of interesting just from a sociological examination standpoint, however, how the United States is the only country in the First World in which the death penalty is still in use.

Japan and South Korea are hardly developing countries.

Okay, western First World, sue me.

[NDN]

I do find it kind of interesting just from a sociological examination standpoint, however, how the United States is the only country in the First World in which the death penalty is still in use.

Japan and South Korea are hardly developing countries.

Okay, western First World, sue me.

You're right though, it's interesting that we've diverged that much from the Europeans. Just another example of the US increasingly having more in common with the East and South than the people it's supposedly the "leader" of.

[Nym90]

Only in a few cases (such as treason, repeat murderers, etc.) and only with near indisputable evidence, but generally No (D).

Agreed. I voted no since I support a great reduction in its use, but it should be used occasionally, for say serial killers, or those already serving a life sentence who then murder someone else in prison. Also murders that threaten the very sanctity of the entire justice system, such as murder of a police officer, judge, juror, witness, etc.

Its use should be rare enough that it is a major news event.

[afleitch]

I oppose it in every case and in every imaginable scenario.

[Friz]

I oppose it in every case and in every imaginable scenario.

[Brandon W]

I support the death penalty.

[Verily]

I do find it kind of interesting just from a sociological examination standpoint, however, how the United States is the only country in the First World in which the death penalty is still in use.

Japan and South Korea are hardly developing countries.

Japan and South Korea also have close to the lowest use of the death penalty among nations where it is legal. By contrast, the US executed more people in 2006 than any country except China, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq and Sudan. Even India, which has the death penalty and nearly quadruple the population, didn't execute as many people in 2006.

[Democratic Hawk]

Generally, No (D)

[Tender Branson]

No. Some excerpts of my lenghty debate on this topic a while back:

Compare Germany/France and Colombia/South Africa. Both do not have the death penalty. Germany/France have homicide rates of 1-2/100.000 while Colombia/South Africa have rates of 50-80/100.000

Now compare Singapore/South Korea/Japan (countries with DP) with Jamaica (with DP). While the first group has a homicide rate of 1-2/100.000, Jamaica has a rate of 40 homicides per 100.000

So what do Germany/France/Singapore/Japan/South Korea as well as Colombia/South Africa/Jamaica have in common ?

The 1. group has a functional social security net, more or less low unemployment and a peaceful society.

The second group of states experiences civil war, racism, high unemployment, high gunownership etc. and the real problems of high homicide rates are a matter of poverty and misery or a culture of violence (see Guatemala).

[Boris]

I remain undecided on whether the Death Penalty serves as a legitimate deterrent, although I'm generally opposed in all circumstances. Not that this issue really has any importance to me.

[Tender Branson]

There´s also a resolution on the DP coming up in the UN in a few weeks:

UNITED NATIONS - European Union and other countries opposed to the death penalty are to launch a fresh bid in coming weeks to have the UN General Assembly pass a resolution urging an end to it, diplomats said.

Two previous similar attempts failed, due partly to opposition from the United States, where many states still perform executions, but a diplomat familiar with the campaign said this time the text would tone down the demand.

Instead of asking outright for abolition, a draft obtained by Reuters calls on countries that put criminals to death to "establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty."

It calls application of the death penalty "a denial of human dignity and integrity," says it "provides no added value in terms of deterrence" and notes that "any miscarriage or failure of justice in its implementation is irreversible and irreparable."

Unlike Security Council resolutions, those passed by the General Assembly are not binding, but they have moral force.

The diplomat said sponsors of the resolution would hold an informal meeting later this week before circulating it to a General Assembly committee. The aim was to have a vote by mid-November by the full Assembly, where a simple majority of the 192 member states is needed.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10471596

[IDS Judicial Overlord John Dibble]

Yes, though it's application should require a heinous crime and enough solid evidence to remove any reasonable doubt of innocence.