It's a different demographic, isn't it, darlings?

[hunkermunker]

DH put it slightly differently... Bunch of bobblehat-wearing wankers, he said.

Anyway, anyone up for a death penalty debate?

Yes, but hasn't a case just gone to EU courts making it difficult for DNA register to be kept?

Murder and rape dont mean death - perhaps having a bit of modification down under, but dont murder the perpetrators for me...

DH resents the money they cost. Have pointed out that today the cost of legal proceedings re the death penalty/appeals etc would exceed prison costs even for lifers. But he asks why should they live? What point is there to their existence?

Most ppl look at the USA for comparison but are there any other statistics re the death penalty in other countries or is the DP used only in 'regime-led' dictatorships?

Anyway, presumably in this country the DP would never be put to the vote in a referendum.

Haven't read all of this

I think whether or not the death penalty is a deterrent is completely irrelevant

The point is (or should be) that a civilised society should not kill its own citizens.

End of

I think it is better that violent rapists should become another (bigger & meaner) violent rapist's roommate in jail.

Another definite no for the re-introduction of the death penalty.

Murder is murder no matter who does it.
It is wrong to kill and it is wrong to ask anyone else to kill which is what the death penalty would necessitate.

DNA evidence is an amazing breakthrough in crime and justice but I do not believe that it is infallible.

It's the Sun's job to be controversial
I doubt even the journos who write this crap believe it
They just have a sensationalist agenda to fill.

Saying that, the general public are always strongly in favour of death penalty apparently

Don't get the bobble hat wearing comment tho'

I don't agree with it (death penalty) either. I would rather they lived to regret their crimes, one way or another. ian Brady seems keen to die- I would keep the bastard alive for as many more miserable days as possible. I do resent the cost of prisons etc.

To me, in an ideal world, we would ship them all to an island, "Lost" style, and leave them. They would either kill each other or learn how to build a functional society- result either way, as far as I can see, but obviously a bit far-fetched.

ChipButty, DNA evidence is not irrefutable, is it, though? With the advent of LCN (low copy number) DNA analysis, ever smaller quantities of material can be analysed and matched to an individual. Trouble is, though, that the smaller the quantity of material (skin, hair, blood, saliva, body fluids, etc) the less can be the certainty that the presence of that material at the suspect site is not innocent.

Transfer of DNA goes on all the time and tiny quantities of your DNA could end up in places you have never been and on objects that you have never actually touched.

The idea of a universal DNA database fills me with absolute horror. Police state, anyone?

"Why do governments kill people to demonstrate that killing people is wrong? "

i'm against the death penalty aswell but you could use a similar argument for locking people up who have committed the crime of kidnapping.or taking away criminals rights who have infringed the rights of others.
i don't agree with the arguments but i also think that as we live in a democracy there should be debate on the issue,
i also firmly believe that prison should be about punishment more than rehabilitation as the rehabilitation approach is cleary not working for us in ireland, so i don't think personally agree that the only reason the govt. should not kill people is because killing in itself is wrong.
i just like to believe that soceity and our government are better than the scum that go out murdering, and i also think if life sentences meant life then that prison sentence is worse than death.