IMO Whilst there is any possibility of a miscarriage of justice there is no room for capital punishment.
Over the years there have been many cases in the news of people that would have received the death penalty (had there been one) being set free because they were innocent, had they been put to death there would have been no way to reverse that.
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I would like a 'life sentence' to mean something more than it does now, though.
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Originally Posted by welshsprout Whilst there is any possibility of a miscarriage of justice there is no room for capital punishment.
This is the most usual argument against a capital penalty, but I think that it actually argues in principle for the death penalty, rather than against it. What I mean is that the "but they might get it wrong" argument intrinsically means, it has to, that if "they are 100% certain of getting it right", then you would agree with its application.
To me, the idea of the death penalty is abhorrent, and I cannot overcome my emotional/psychological (whatever) repulsion at an execution any more than I can overcome my emotional/psychological (whatever) repulsion at certain crimes. I find I simultaneously want to see some criminals strung up, AND want no-one to be executed judicially ever again.
The issues are so emotive, which is the main problem, that I clearly cannot judge it rationally enough to come to a reasoned or reasonable conclusion ... which is why justice systems exist, and were created, in the first place, of course
I cant decide or make a rational argument either way to be honest. What I will say is that in the case of say Ian Huntley, then I believe he should die. The reasons being 1. He admits he killed those girls. 2. He obviously wants to die and has tried to commit suicide. 3. He is costing alot mre than a usual prisoner in extra protection etc etc. 4. There was/is such a media circus surrounding him that he has almost become a celebrity. I cant imagine how the parents must feel seeing him in the papers all the time.
I lived in Singapore and they are renowned for being one of the strictest countries in the world. They have the death penalty but not very many are executed because the crime rate is so low...and the reason, IMO, is that they are so damn strict on smaller, less serious crimes that young people think twice before commiting a crime. Spray paint a car you get lashed, mug someone you get jailed in a "proper" jail...etc etc.
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I personally don't think the British legal system is reliable to incorporate Capital punishment for the reasons others have already stated. ( People origionally found guilty later found to be innocent) I do however feel that prison should not be the cushy number it is and that prisoners should feel like they're being punished whilst they serve their sentence, maybe like the prison in America (America's toughest Jail) where they still have the chain gangs and the prisoners sleep in tents outside in the fierce sun. Maybe if things were made a bit harder they would think twice before commiting a crime in the first place.
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I am against it, but do feel that life in prison should mean just that in certain circumstances and that on the whole the punishment should fit the crime and act as a deterrent.
I dont understand why someone who robs, without firearms, a bank gets 20 years and a killer gets out after 5 ?...........
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Property crime has always carried a disproportionate penalty in the UK. History, I guess
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