Should Britain bring back the death sentence?

[Holofoil]

EDIT: Maybe this needs to be in the debates section. I only posted it here because there's a lot in the news about CP recently.

Should Britain bring back the death sentence?

In 1969, Capital Punishment in Britain was totally abolished. Since then, punishments have arguably become more lenient over the years. Is Britain too soft on its criminals?

Reasons For Capital Punishment

Prison: There are three purposes for prison. First, prison separates criminals for the safety of the general population. Second, prison is a form of punishment. Third and finally, the punishment of prison is expected to rehabilitate prisoners; so that when prisoners are released from prison, these ex-convicts are less likely to repeat their crimes and risk another prison sentence. The logic for capital punishment is that prisons are for rehabilitating convicts who will eventually leave prison, and therefore prison is not for people who would never be released from prisons alive.

Cost of Prison: Typically, the cost of imprisoning someone for life is much more expensive than executing that same person. However with the expensive costs of appeals in courts of law, it is arguable if capital punishment is truly cost effective when compared with the cost of life imprisonment.

Safety: Criminals who receive the death penalty are typically violent individuals. Therefore for the safety of the prison’s guards, other prisoners, and the general public (in case a death row inmate escapes prison), then logic dictates that safety is a reason for capital punishment.

Deters Crime: There is no scientific proof that nations with capital punishment have a lower rate of crime, therefore the risk of the death penalty does not seem to deter crime.

Extreme Punishment: The logic is that the more severe the crime, then the more severe the punishment is necessary. But what is the most severe punishment: lifetime in prison or execution? I am not sure that anyone alive is qualified to answer this question.

Appropriate Punishment: It is commonly believed that the punishment of a crime should equal the crime, if possible. This is also known as "an eye for eye" justice. Therefore using this logic, the appropriate punishment for murder is death.

Vengeance: Some crimes are so horrific that some people think that revenge or retribution is the only option. This reasoning is not based on logic; but rather, it is based on emotions. Therefore, this reason should not be deemed a valid justification

Reasons Against Capital Punishment

Prison: It is often believe that prison is a viable alternative to executing a person. However as mentioned above, even imprisonment for life with no chance of parole still has issues.

Not Humane: Killing a person is not humane, even if the criminal is not humane. What is humane is subjective to a person’s upbringing, education, beliefs, and religion. Therefore different people interpret what is humane differently. For instance, some people consider putting a pet asleep is humane if the animal is in great pain, but doing the same thing for a person is often not considered humane. Other people would not kill an animal even for food. In some cultures, mercy killings are honorable.

Fairness: The life of the criminal can not compensate for the crime committed. Basically, two wrongs do not make a right.

Pain of Death: Executing a person can be quick and painless, or executing a person can be slow and painful. The method, and therefore the pain, of capital punishment is also subjective to society’s norms. Some cultures prefer suffering, others do not.

Violates Human Rights: Some groups of people deem death a violation of the person’s right to live. Other groups of people disagree that the death penalty is a cruel and unusual punishment. There is no clear definition of what human rights are, so there will always be disagreements with whether it violates human rights.

Wrongly Convicted: Some people executed were proven too late to be wrongly convicted of a crime that they did not commit.

Playing God: Some people believe that all deaths should be natural. Other people believe murder is a part of nature.

Salvation: Felons have less time and likelihood of finding spiritual salvation if they are executed. The obvious question for this reasoning is salvation a valid concern for the state?

Forgiveness: Criminals have less time and likelihood to seek forgiveness for their crimes if they are executed. Again, is forgiveness a valid concern for the government?

Amends: Executing someone decreases the time and likelihood for the criminal to repair any damage from the crime. Should the state be concerned over this too?

Family Hardship: If is often said that the family members of the executed needlessly suffer too, yet the crime itself has victims and family members too.

[Spiffing]

i think it should only be used for people like that guy who killed his wife and kids etc.

[Hazza]

i think it should only be used for people like that guy who killed his wife and kids etc.

I agree. Its hard because people might be killed for something they didn't do.

[lew!]

if guy A killed guy B then guy A should be executed
or if its something like kidnapping and the murdur or w.e then torture then executed
if its something less then it should be just prison

[N-Dubz]

Yes, seems to me people arn't scared of going to prision in the UK if the death sentence came back I reckon things would change..

[Dan2nd]

No, I think any country that claims to be civilised should totally get rid of the death penalty. The last person killed using the death penalty in the UK was later found to be innocent this is why I think it is wrong to many mistakes will be made...

[Virgin Mary]

Where is the logic in killing someone for killing someone else?

[PaintYourTarget]

No, for the one reason that they may be innocent.
And, should you execute the executioner?

[-Xiangu-]

Yes they should be executed but only for murder crimes.

[Browney]

Two wrongs do not equal a right.