What are your thoughts about capital punishment.

[Eddietester1066]

I believe there are cases where Capital punishment is both justified and necessary. I also know that as it is currently practiced in the USA, it has completely lost its effectiveness. With all due respect, SMWasder, the purpose is not "an eye for an eye", or retribution of any sort. The purpose of any criminal punishment should be deterrence, where we demonstrate to the innate selfishness of potential offenders that the consequences of harming others can be dire.

Given the finality of the punishment, it should also be rather rare, with the guilt of the condemned undoubted. In my world, there are a few additional considerations: The execution is held in public, and the Judge, all Attorneys, and the jury who found them guilty are all required to attend. Knowing this beforehand should give people good reason to think long and hard about the sentence.

[SMWasder]

I believe there are cases where Capital punishment is both justified and necessary. I also know that as it is currently practiced in the USA, it has completely lost its effectiveness. With all due respect, SMWasder, the purpose is not "an eye for an eye", or retribution of any sort. The purpose of any criminal punishment should be deterrence, where we demonstrate to the innate selfishness of potential offenders that the consequences of harming others can be dire.

Given the finality of the punishment, it should also be rather rare, with the guilt of the condemned undoubted. In my world, there are a few additional considerations: The execution is held in public, and the Judge, all Attorneys, and the jury who found them guilty are all required to attend. Knowing this beforehand should give people good reason to think long and hard about the sentence.

Whilst I agree that criminal punishments should be a deterrant, I don't like the idea of keeping people in line by fear of death. I think that it's unnecessary for people to need to threat of death to stop them from resorting to certain crimes such as murder. Partially because I doubt much thought goes into that when people commit them. Aside from all that, I simply don't think it's possible to justify killing another human being without their consent (except in some circumstances, like people on life support machines and things where I think it's ok with reasonable judgement).