What do you think the sentence should be for murder?

It's amazing how many Boden-wearing Prosecco-swilling yummy mummies turn up on these threads declaring that they'd "happily pull the lever". Course you would, Helen 😂 don't give up your day job just yet.

Agreed. Of course there are some people who should never be released but it would be dangerous to bang up every murderer and keep them incarcerated until they die.

Ooh, the evil bastard's killed someone and that is wrong. How shall we punish him? I know, let's kill him!

Does not compute in my mind.

Beyond reasonable doubt (BRD) is the standard in this country for them to be convicted of murder/serial rape/etc.

For a capital punishment sentence I would have the instructions to the judges with their years of experience not only do they have to have the jury obviously come back with a BRD guilty verdict that the judge themselves after listening to all the evidence in their mind they have weighed it up and judged that in their opinion the conviction is secure enough for a CP sentence.

We have judges for a reason, let them judge after a jury has also convicted or a guilty plea was entered and the judge judges the sentence is suitable.

Thank you @70isaLimitNotaTarget . I don't think I can have a reasonable discussion about this unfortunately. It's just too close to what my and my teenagers life is, day after day. But it's lovely to know there is some decent people out there

Brianna wasn't murdered for being trans, so the fact you are the mother of a trans teenager is neither here nor there

The news reports today said that Brianna was murdered for this reason.
I was watching BBC/ITV

Death Penalty if there is 100% no doubt and by that I mean if the person was seen commiting the act of murder . There has been many cases where a stabbing or a shooting has been carried out in public and witnessed /filmed .

Life to mean life in very sparse conditions .

And as this is a "What If" sort of question if the prisoner convicted of murder chose to take a lethal dose of a toxin and end there own life by choice without co-ersion from other prisoners or authorities then I would not lose much in the way of sleep.

Brianna wasn't murdered for being trans, so the fact you are the mother of a trans teenager is neither here nor there.

I'm completely against the death penalty. If murder is wrong, how can state sanctioned murder be right?

I agree that removing the prospect of release at some point just creates dangerous individuals. There are measures in place that should stop the most dangerous offenders getting parole. I realise the system frequently gets it wrong. To me it's more important to focus on ensuring mistakes aren't made than locking up people who no longer pose a significant threat.

Who do you think murders are? They are disproportionately black, disproportionately young, disproportionately abused, poor, disproportionately have learning disabilities, disproportionately low IQs, very often from the care system. They are the kids who waited five years for a camhs appt. I personally don't get off on wishing evil on abused kids with low IQs, and poor social skills from disadvantaged minority groups. But each to their own I suppose.

They should serve their entire sentence. I say this as a mother of a trans teenager who has been relentlessly bullied. And for all the gender critical folk, I used to agree with you, however as the saying goes, walk a mile in my shoes, then come and criticise me

If you are convicted of murder it should be a full life term with no chance of parole.

The opportunity for considering mitigating factors is when deciding on the distinction between manslaughter and murder.

If you are found guilty of murder you are the worse type of person and shouldn't get a second chance.

I now think this too.

Fine with how it is now and I will never support the death penalty. I don’t want society to stoop to the level of a murderer taking a life.

So you'd just kill them before you're sure?

Make prisoners 'work for their keep' how?

Prisoners do have jobs in prison already.... what else are you proposing?

Prison doesn’t work for rehabilitation. But when they’re inside it stops them doing it again.

I can’t see why that wouldn’t be enough.

Up the murder toll to 30 years. Unless the victim is very old (yes, of course that counts).

Make prisoners work for their keep - prison is horribly expensive for you and me, and they’re a lot better off in there than they would be on benefits.

No trial at all for mercy killings.

Make assisted suicide legal.

Quite happy with the death penalty for cases where a judge has ruled the minimum sentence should be say 20 yrs. I don't see why we should remove someone from society and yet now be paying for this to happen when removing them completely is far cheaper and frees up space in prison for others.

Far to many who commit low-level crime that is a major problem for those it is commited against get non-custody sentences because the prison system is over-full.

Also totally disagree with the US death penalty system where from sentencing to execution take 10+ years. There is no point having it in that case.

The girl seems innately troubled, I can't see her ever being safe. The boy I could see has potential to be rehabilitated. I do think the fact their minimum will be before they are even 40 is horrendous though

I think it depends on the circumstance.

Someone murdering a child? They should never see the light of day again.

A mother murdering her child's rapist? She should walk free.

I agree with this.

I don’t believe in rehab either.
In cases where guilt is absolutely irrefutable I don’t see the point in a custodial sentence. For the most heinous of crimes, vital organs should not go to waste…but really what’s the point in their existence. The cost to the public, their own mental well being. I mean we don’t kennel dogs for life do we?

"Many killers are just monsters who enjoy killing and have no remorse whatsoever."

So by definition will never get parole.

Would you give a life to an abuse escaping woman who couldn't find another way to put a stop to it ?
Definitely - no one size fits all. If a psycho murderer with no remorse - I can't see how it's worth to take up a space in prison, death penalty for such cases. 20 years for most - that should be enough. Everyone has a background and motive.

Why? These people were executed under ‘antiquated’ law yet are some of the most recent examples of the death penalty in the UK because it was quite rightly stopped in the last century.

Derek Bentley: Someone who was executed who had a mental disability.

Ruth Ellis: An abused woman.

Both at the time considered absolutely appropriate to be killed for their crimes. Our views have changed.

It is wrong to say now we know everything and always get it right. We simply don’t. History tells us that.

No you wouldn't.