SmallBall Sports Forums Archives

[jayie]

it's a slow day in the boardroom so i've been catching up on my news. so far one theme seems to dominate; how we deal with society's bad apples. i thought it might make a good topic of discussion for people here, something different. i've pasted links to just a few of the stories i read this morning below so you can see where i'm coming from.

australian drug smuggler executed in singapore
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200512/s1522539.htm

racist axe murderers get 20 years minimum
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4477156.stm

carlie brucia's killer recommended to execution
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10284274/

stanley tookie williams, founder of the crips to be executed
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10283433/

nations 1000th execution since 1977
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10283003/

karla homolka given all her freedoms
http://www.torontosun.com/News/2005/12/02/1334163.html

my question is this; how do you think we as a society (either domestically or globally) should handle our criminals? should convicted killers be allowed to roam free after they've served 15 years while the family(s) of their victims continue to live with the pain forever? should drug smugglers be executed to deter others? is it humane that a person spend twenty years on death row? why should we, as taxpayers have to foot the bill to keep these people locked up? maybe we should ship all prisoners off to antarctica and leave them fend for themselves like the british (sent them to australia) and french (sent to guyana) did in the 1800s? are you comfortable knowing that a convicted s*x offender can relocate to your neighbourhood and their identity be kept secret from you? should a life sentence mean life?

what's your position? how do you feel about how we treat prisoners?

please respect other people's opinions. we all come from different backgrounds and cultures so it's inevitable we disagree on some things. there is no right or wrong in this debate just an exchange of ideas.

[ALT]

I personally think that we are doing pretty good the way we are doing it now, but I like the idea of shipping convicts to a deserted island or something like that. Just my 2 cents.
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[redbirds33]

I have, and always will, have an open stance on capital punishment. I am generally opposed to it, but it should be reserved for certain instances.
First of all, it's totally wrong to use it as a deterrent to others. Seeing a drug trafficker get the death penalty is very upsetting to me, but that's Singapore. That trafficker knew he shouldn't be messing with drugs in Singapore. My parents went to Singapore years ago, and everyone on the plane was warned not to bring certain illegal drugs (including marijuana) through customs, or they could be executed on the spot. Singapore is a very strict nation, and they can do as they wish. It's their sovereignty.
The USA on the other hand, is the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. The government has the responsibility to treat all human beings humanely, regardless of their crimes. Innocent people have been killed by the government. That should never happen. 1,000 capital punishments since 1977 is sad. It has become a form of revenge, and that's just not right. It should be more like 50-100, only to prevent those who can't be constrained in prison from killing more. Never should someone be executed solely for an instance prior to being convicted.

[Durin]

I did some research on capital punishment last year, and personally, I think there's is absolutely no merit in taking a convict's life, no matter what they have done.

It is morally and fiscally wrong, and statistics say it doesn't even do its job.

First of all, an execution is permanent. If we lock someone up, we can always return their freedom and do what we can to repay our debt for the time they wrongfully spent in prison. If we execute someone, we can't just bring them back to life if we discover that they're innocent. The government has no right to take away what cannot be given back.

Second, capital punishment is not cheap. It may seem like offing a prisoner will save money in the long run, but in reality it is significantly more expensive. For one thing, executions are not carried out immediately after the verdict is issued. Prisoners can spend up to 20 years on death row before the actually execution is performed. Also, the amount of money spent in the judicial process of getting someone executed is flat-out ridiculous. In California (I think, I could be wrong), they were spending so much on their death row inmates that they had to cut back on public spending, such as education. Which is more important to you, killing our criminals in the hopes of deterring other to perform similar crimes, or making sure our children get good education, hopefully preventing them from turning to crime in the first place?

Finally, studies have shown that the death penalty may not even be at all effective in preventing capital crimes. In the U.S., the majority of the states that do not have the death penalty have an overall lower murder rate than the states that do. So are criminals really afraid of death when they carry out these crimes?

Personally, I find the idea of life in prison without possibility of parole much more frightening than death. Everybody dies, and while dieing sooner than I'd like is not in any way appealing, it sounds a hell of a lot better than spending the remainder of my life behind bars. Maybe I'm weird, but the choice seems clear to me.

My point is, capital punishment has no redeeming values. It's morally wrong, economically unsound, and a poor deterrent.
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[Big Hippie]

great topic ..very interesting indeed.
it is written in a very popular book that "thou shall not kill"
i dont remember seeing an asterik.
peace,

hip
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[yagadan05]

[pizzaguy]

[solipsta]

[pizzaguy]

I don't see arguing being any good, because usually, people don't change their minds. So I'm just going to say The Bible has the right answers. Read it to answer all questions you might have. And possibly try contacting a local pastor.

[ALT]

[yagadan05]

This conversation is headed way in the wrong direction.

The Bible should not be consulted. First off, we're not all Christians.

Some of you really need to realize this.

This topic is not about what the Bible says - I could not care less what the Bible says, it's about money, society, and current life. Let's get back on the right track - Secular views only.

[jayie]

[Wookie8662]

<Thread Hijack>

[jayie]

[yagadan05]

[ALT]

[yankee04]

I am completely respectful of all others opinions on this issue, but I think that the death penalty should never be used no matter what crime had been done. First and most important, some people will be executed and are really innocent. There is always a chance that new evidence could come up that says they didn't do it. The death penalty is not a deterrent. I know this because I did a 10 page term paper on this issue. Having the death penalty has not lowered crime in America (check the stats if you want to find out). Also, some people will argue that spending life in jail without parole is worse than the death penalty anyway. Just imagine sitting in your cell, 23 hours a day, for the rest of your life. You can argue with me if you want, but I won't change my position on the issue.
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[BP]

[pizzaguy]

[yankee04]

[Durin]

[yagadan05]

I don't see the big deal in paying taxes to ensure the safety of fellow Americans or any other Country - there are many other taxes that are more highly questionable