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Original poster

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:
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Original poster
PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 00:20

travellinglighter · 14/07/2026 00:19

What’s the acceptable level of error? One in ten? One in a hundred? If the jury get it wrong are they at risk of execution.

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then thats a question for the jury

OP posts:
Original poster
PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 00:20

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 14/07/2026 00:14

Should have a bingo card for these threads.

We've already had "not wanting to execute people is "supporting" murderers" and now "more sympathy for the perpetrators than the victims" rolled up with a whine about "do gooders". Yes, not murdering people is "do-gooding". What on earth is the term for rabid, vindictive zeal for execution?

Edited

so why do we have a military ? why not just wave flags of peace ?

OP posts:
travellinglighter · 14/07/2026 00:19

PenelopeJoanSterling · 13/07/2026 23:08

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

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What’s the acceptable level of error? One in ten? One in a hundred? If the jury get it wrong are they at risk of execution.

TheSmallAssassin · 14/07/2026 00:17

PenelopeJoanSterling · 13/07/2026 23:16

which ever is the greater good, same way the military plans operations where sometimes theres collertial damage but the greater good overall

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What a disgusting thing to say.

TicklishReader · 14/07/2026 00:17

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

I miss old MN.

Propagandalf · 14/07/2026 00:16

PenelopeJoanSterling · 13/07/2026 23:14

25 votes so far and 8% im not unreasonable

149 votes.

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

I am one of the ones against you.

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 14/07/2026 00:14

Should have a bingo card for these threads.

We've already had "not wanting to execute people is "supporting" murderers" and now "more sympathy for the perpetrators than the victims" rolled up with a whine about "do gooders". Yes, not murdering people is "do-gooding". What on earth is the term for rabid, vindictive zeal for execution?

facepalm GIF
GoneWithTHeWindJammers · 14/07/2026 00:11

PointySlippers · 14/07/2026 00:06

Albert Camus also has some good thoughts on the death penalty: https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/albert-camus-reflections-on-the-guillotine

I have read l'étranger, doesn't say whether he gets chopped or not.

PointySlippers · 14/07/2026 00:06

Albert Camus also has some good thoughts on the death penalty: https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/albert-camus-reflections-on-the-guillotine

EverythingAIIAtOnce · 14/07/2026 00:04

IFancyABaconSarnie · 13/07/2026 23:57

Bring back hanging for those sick bastards. Why should the tax payer pay for them to languish in prison! They’re no good to society and never will be!

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Are you willing to be the hangperson?

Doubtanny · 14/07/2026 00:03

PenelopeJoanSterling · 13/07/2026 23:30

that one id say not yet, the whole case is fishy at best

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😂😂😂 so we're doing vibes based death penalty

ThatJadeLion · 14/07/2026 00:03

When there is no uncertainty of guilt absolutely yes for the most evil acts. Paedophilia and premeditated murder YES. Just get rid. Too many do-gooders in this country sadly. They have more sympathy for the perpetrator than the victim.

GoneWithTHeWindJammers · 14/07/2026 00:03

Slowly, the US is turning against the death penalty. Why would we want to go back there?

In recent years, New Mexico (2009), Illinois (2011), Connecticut (2012), Maryland (2013), New Hampshire (2019), Colorado (2020) and Virginia (2021) have legislatively abolished the death penalty, replacing it with a sentence of life imprisonment with no possibility for parole.

EverythingAIIAtOnce · 14/07/2026 00:03

PenelopeJoanSterling · 13/07/2026 23:40

but how can a god stand by and let his flock get destroyed by criminals ?

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You could ask that about anything that kills his flock. Disease, famine, pestilence, heatwaves, flood, war...the list is endless yet god stands by. No excuse for the death penalty.

Original poster
PenelopeJoanSterling · 14/07/2026 00:00

iwasboredinbed · 13/07/2026 23:53

She doesn’t know what it means!

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rude but true, ill need to google it

OP posts:
PointySlippers · 14/07/2026 00:00

François Mitterand's brilliant work towards abolition of the death penalty in France is worth looking at.

Frequency · 14/07/2026 00:00

IFancyABaconSarnie · 13/07/2026 23:57

Bring back hanging for those sick bastards. Why should the tax payer pay for them to languish in prison! They’re no good to society and never will be!

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The death penalty costs more than life in prison, unless you plan on also doing away with appeals, defence lawyers, forensics done on behalf of the defence... all things that have been used to overturn wrongful convictions in the past.

GerbilontheMike · 13/07/2026 23:58

No, because it’s not a deterrent, the police and courts sometimes get it wrong, and I think it sends the wrong message. Society doesn’t get less violent by adding in more state sanctioned violence.

Just this week, Ruth Ellis was given a conditional pardon, and there are many other examples of miscarriages of justice.

Don’t get me wrong, I feel the same anger as everyone when I read stories of child murderers and rapists, and the lowest of the low, but my anger and revulsion shouldn’t be a sound basis for the administration of justice.

PointySlippers · 13/07/2026 23:58

KateSixer · 13/07/2026 23:52

But my point was that in say Victorian times when they were simultaneously abolishing the slave trade and executing people for a variety of offences the people regarded themselves as very Christian (and they had the same Commandments).

Read up on the history of the Black church and also on Christianity among abolitionists?

Christ's own disciples behaved terribly some of the time. Calling oneself a Christian does not mean becoming perfect. It means we have an example of something in, and of, but also other than our fallen world's confusions and our often bad decisions. And the most loving Friend to help us do better if we choose to.

youvemadeyourpoint · 13/07/2026 23:58

PenelopeJoanSterling · 13/07/2026 23:40

but how can a god stand by and let his flock get destroyed by criminals ?

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He doesn’t interfere with free will.

IFancyABaconSarnie · 13/07/2026 23:57

iwasboredinbed · 13/07/2026 23:54

I wouldn’t. It would give him multiple more years in the limelight in court. I’d rather he was just locked up and forgotten about, while the money that would be spent on his appeals is spent on improving the social care system.

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Bring back hanging for those sick bastards. Why should the tax payer pay for them to languish in prison! They’re no good to society and never will be!

GoneWithTHeWindJammers · 13/07/2026 23:57

KateSixer · 13/07/2026 23:52

But my point was that in say Victorian times when they were simultaneously abolishing the slave trade and executing people for a variety of offences the people regarded themselves as very Christian (and they had the same Commandments).

There were plenty of people who wanted to abolish the death penalty in Victorian Britain. Charles Dickens campaigned to end public hangings. At the start of the Victorian period, there were 200 capital offences, by the end just 5. The Victorians were trying to rid themselves of the death penalty.

youvemadeyourpoint · 13/07/2026 23:56

PenelopeJoanSterling · 13/07/2026 23:40

but how can a god stand by and let his flock get destroyed by criminals ?

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He doesn’t interfere in free will.

Elliania · 13/07/2026 23:55

No. Because it's not enough of a deterrent, it's wrong to give the Government this kind of power and there is absolutely no way to prevent any innocent people being put to death. Even 1 would be too many. There are absolutely some people who commit heinous crimes & don't need to be here but then they should just be locked away and let the world forget about them.