AIBU to think the death penalty should sometimes be used?

[Gide]

In cases such as mass murderers, paedophiles, rapists? Obviously only if there is absolutely no doubt at all about their guilt.

How very uncivilized.

Yabu

YABU

And how often can there be absolutely no doubt? Think about the people who have been wrongfully convicted in the past and nobody suspecting there was anything dodgy about the conviction until years or even decades later. Think about the lies told by the police in the De Menezes case.

Yanbu. You can't rehabilitate a paedophile, EVER. So why let them have the privilege to live?

Id prefer that we went back to hard labour tbh.

YABU

There was a debate about this sometime ago on here, your post won't go well. All I can say is if someone raped my child I would absolutely want them dead, I don't really care how uncivilised that is

How would you make sure there was no doubt of guilt? Plenty of people have been sent to prison or excited when there was no doubt of guilt only to be found innocent.

There are lots of reasons against the death penalty but why are you for it?

No, that is barbaric! Even if what they did was absolutely terrible, how on earth can you justify killing someone?

YABVU.

Jellybeam, you can't stop a paedophile from being attracted to children, but being attracted to them doesn't automatically mean that they're going to abuse them. Just the same as being heterosexual doesn't automatically mean that you will have a sexual relationship.

Oh nearly forgot

Longer, harsher sentencing. Life meaning life. Murder in the name of the state? Not in my name thank you.

Well one reason is because there's no greater penalty, so if I'll get executed for rape I may as well kill the victim (and less chance of getting caught), same if I'm a paedophile.

Read about Stefan Kiszko and then come back and say whether the death penalty should be used. That would be the classic case that you state (child-rape, murder). He was completely innocent but stitched up by the police. Then he very sadly died shortly after being released.

Also, the death penalty does not act as a deterrent as proved by the US.

YABU. Killing people is brutalizing for the people that do the killing. To become the people that do the killing would take society back several steps.

I understand why people support the death penalty but I could never support it myself. It can never be said that it is 100% certain that all those who would be 'eligible' for it are guilty and even if you could be sure 'a life for a life' is not something I subscribe to.

It is not about the rapist's right to live, it is about government's right to kill people. It is not only uncivilised but also dangerous to give governments that power.

you are wrong

Everyone saying you cannot ever be 100% certain, what about times where the crime has been caught on camera or there are many many witnesses? For example the Lee Rigby case. That's 100% certain the criminals did that.

Before we think about death penalty for rapists, we should first make sure that they all, or at least 50% instead of just 1% of them, go to prison.

Greater likelihood of punishment does act as deterrent.

Blue2014

Which is precisely why sentencing is the business of the judiciary and not grieving parents, who could not be trusted to be methodical and impartial.

The imposition of the death penalty is a sign that as a society you are out of ideas, and have no real interest in justice, order or a civilised and honourable state.

Gide who decides that something is proven without a shadow of a doubt?

Would you personally be prepared to carry out the execution?

To stand and watch someone die? Every day?

YABU

just on the paedophile comment upthread, that is terrifying if there are other people out there who are genuinely attracted to children as well - it's only that we hear about the ones that have acted on it. How horrible.

I agree with you OP.