Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to ask whether the death penalty should apply for certain crimes in the UK?

664 replies

PenelopeJoanSterling · 13/07/2026 23:04

Because the topics got mixed up on my previous thread i thought id ask here, for certain types of crime in the uk, would you be either for or against the death penalty for certain crimes and why ?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 01:18

Elliania · 14/07/2026 01:17

Ah so you're just trolling then, no worries.

its a logical response to a question being asked how is that trolling ? or did you want me to lie and not be logical ?

OP posts:
MissFancyDay · 14/07/2026 01:17

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 01:16

then thats a risk of their decisions

Well if I was on a jury I would not find anyone guilty if the death penalty was on the table because I am morally opposed to it.

Elliania · 14/07/2026 01:17

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 01:16

then thats a risk of their decisions

Ah so you're just trolling then, no worries.

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 01:16

Elliania · 14/07/2026 01:13

But no jury is infallible because people are not infallible. What if they get it wrong and an innocent person is executed?

then thats a risk of their decisions

OP posts:
Elliania · 14/07/2026 01:13

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 01:09

then thats down to the juries to study the case and come to the correct decisions and analysis ?

But no jury is infallible because people are not infallible. What if they get it wrong and an innocent person is executed?

Topseyt123 · 14/07/2026 01:12

No. Never.

  1. Miscarriages of justice do happen and the death penalty is irreversible once an innocent life has been taken.

  2. The state should never have the right to murder its own citizens. I certainly wouldn't trust them with that.

I can't imagine anything you could say or do that would change my mind on that.

MissFancyDay · 14/07/2026 01:12

For many people, and I'm one, the "mistake" aspect is irrelevant. I'm morally opposed to killing people. Killing people is murder and we have laws against murder therefore we shouldn't do it. It's just wrong.

We don't live in the medieval period. We are, in this country anyway, civilised.

OverTheWater28 · 14/07/2026 01:11

PenelopeJoanSterling · 13/07/2026 23:08

that i understand but with better tech and forensics today, the errors should be min ?

Even one error is too many. And if someone has been executed then what?

GarlicEverywhere · 14/07/2026 01:10

PenelopeJoanSterling · 13/07/2026 23:16

ok what about using closed cities for them then it keeps them apart from society ?

That's a big prison!

I sympathise with the desire to 'get rid of' especially harmful individuals. However, we're actually talking about murdering them. I don't feel I want to be part of a society that ritually murders people it doesn't like - and that's without the extremely persuasive factor of incorrect convictions.

People are sometimes sentenced with 'no reprieve', which seems good enough to me. I'd like us to spend more on prisons and prison services, taking into account all the recommendations HMP keeps making despite knowing they'll be shelved.

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 01:09

Elliania · 14/07/2026 01:05

So what's an acceptable level of innocent people being killed then? 1 in 10? 1 in 100? Or do you just not care? Given there is absolutely no way to make sure every single jury in every single case comes to the correct decision around guilt & innocent.

then thats down to the juries to study the case and come to the correct decisions and analysis ?

OP posts:
Elliania · 14/07/2026 01:05

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 00:54

thats down to the system not me, i only hope theres min errors made

Edited

So what's an acceptable level of innocent people being killed then? 1 in 10? 1 in 100? Or do you just not care? Given there is absolutely no way to make sure every single jury in every single case comes to the correct decision around guilt & innocent.

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 00:59

squirrelchops2 · 14/07/2026 00:57

Rather tone deaf given the pardon of Ruth Ellis in the last week.

firstly my apologiesi didnt know

OP posts:
squirrelchops2 · 14/07/2026 00:57

Rather tone deaf given the pardon of Ruth Ellis in the last week.

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 00:54

Searchingforliberty · 14/07/2026 00:47

"Min"? Are you serious? How many lives are "min" to you? One innocent person? Ten?

thats down to the system not me, i only hope theres min errors made

OP posts:
Searchingforliberty · 14/07/2026 00:47

PenelopeJoanSterling · 13/07/2026 23:08

that i understand but with better tech and forensics today, the errors should be min ?

"Min"? Are you serious? How many lives are "min" to you? One innocent person? Ten?

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 00:34

Frequency · 14/07/2026 00:33

Like Iran, you mean? Or Saudi Arabia?

id need to study them first before i can truly comment otherwise im only guessing

OP posts:
Frequency · 14/07/2026 00:33

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 00:31

im thinking more religious eye for an eye

Like Iran, you mean? Or Saudi Arabia?

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 00:31

Frequency · 14/07/2026 00:26

@PenelopeJoanSterling Name one country where the death penalty works to reduce violent crime and re-offending (recidivism)?

im thinking more religious eye for an eye

OP posts:
Frequency · 14/07/2026 00:26

@PenelopeJoanSterling Name one country where the death penalty works to reduce violent crime and re-offending (recidivism)?

mrsmalcolmreynolds · 14/07/2026 00:24

PenelopeJoanSterling · 13/07/2026 23:09

yet the victims would disagree about the criminals

Well my DSis was murdered and I still vehemently oppose the death penalty.

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 00:24

Frequency · 14/07/2026 00:23

I wasn't aware democracy and idiocy were the same thing now. Did I miss the memo again?

democracy is the ability to say things even if its daft

OP posts:
Frequency · 14/07/2026 00:23

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 00:22

well thats one way to be respectful of your democracy, i think north korea would welcome you with open arms

I wasn't aware democracy and idiocy were the same thing now. Did I miss the memo again?

TicklishReader · 14/07/2026 00:23

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 00:20

then thats a question for the jury

Jury: Oh bother, shall we execute ourselves? I mean, it's only fair!

PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 00:22

Propagandalf · 14/07/2026 00:16

149 votes.

25% are for you.
75% are against you.

I am one of the ones against you.

as as part of democracy thank you for your vote, in making society better

OP posts:
PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 00:22

TicklishReader · 14/07/2026 00:17

Remember we used to derail stupid threads like this and have a laugh?

I miss old MN.

well thats one way to be respectful of your democracy, i think north korea would welcome you with open arms

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread