This make me mad!!!

[Arrrhalomynn]

Instead of doing things the hard way and going to school, getting a job and trying to be an asset to the community

I don't disagree these people are dipshits, because they are, but I find it way too easy to just say this. If you've grown up in a ghetto, with crime, drugs and violence around you every day, no father and a teenage mother on crack, it's not that easy to just step out of a life like that. You're shaped as a child. A lousy upbringing makes a lousy child and eventually a lousy adult. It's not genetic, and the same baby would probably have turned out as an asset to society if he was born into a better family in a better place.

You can keep imprisoning and killing these people when they commit crimes, but in the end that's not going to solve a thing. It's pretty obvious you won't scare off potential criminals and it costs a shitload of money.

However, more whites than blacks are on death row in this country, so that doesn't really appy to the death penalty.

A little over 40% of the population in death row is black, while a little over 10% of the whole population in the usa is black. So it does apply to the death penalty.

http://www.westernprisonp...ction_1/DeathPenalty.html

[Tynstar]

Cut down on the anount of appeals. That will save money. If they confess to the murder then they get NO appeals.

[Arrrhalomynn]

Cut down on the anount of appeals. That will save money. If they confess to the murder then they get NO appeals.

Unfortunately a confession doesn't always mean the suspect actually did it. People are weird and under a lot of pressure they might say crazy things. Especially considering most criminals aren't the brighterst bulbs.

[Tynstar]

They would still get a trial. So they would still have to be sentenced to death.

[Odonadon]

K, well, allow me to offer an opinion from a country that does not impose a death penalty (sorry Arrr, not sure about yours).

Facts:
-In Canada, the average cost of housing a male inmate for one year is more than $50,000 (women are about $10k more expensive)
-Some people just deserve to die.  And before you say "how can you be the judge of who lives and dies", allow me to answer that we live in a democracy.  Let's get crackin with this democracy thing.

Okay, so I'm like a very liberal person.  Call me left-wing Larry.  But I do believe, if used proplerly, the death penalty is a very good thing.  I'm talking you either have to have an admission of guild, some kind of major physical evidence (witnesses, video tape, whatever).  And you have to be 110% sure you got the right guy.  I don't care how a convicted murderer dies - humanely or not.  You skull fucked your victim - shut up and take it like a man.

What the US needs is a revamped legal system (among other systems).  It just plain sucks.  Money always wins, and that's unfortunate.  Get rid of high priced lawyers, multiple appeals, etc. etc.  I mean a lot of cases we hear about here are laughed at.  It doesn't need to be this way.  Settling out of court should be an admission of guilt.  Trials should not last for years and years.  Etc. etc.  It's ridiculous.

Anyway, you want to make sure this system works right.  Anti - you say now that a small margin of error is worth it, but you're dead wrong.  There can be NO margin of error.  Like Arr said - what if you were mistakenly thrown on death row?  I think you'd change your tune pretty damn quick.

OD

[Izret101]

Another reason why they tend to stay away from the death penalty is because it would cost more to house the guy in prison than kiling him.

I didn't understand how this was possible until it was explained that there are generally tons of appeals and such. So then it made a little sense but i stil think it can be cheaper to fry 'em.

[Lord Nepenthean]

Only if you do it right away with no appeals, but the whole point of appeals is to make sure somebody on death row isn't innocent.  Many times it can take 20 years or more before somebody on death row actually dies.  Cut out the appeals, and it's more likely that you'll kill an innocent man.  That's bullshit.

On the other hand, if you cut a lot of that, and put somebody in prison for life without appeals, it is probably cheaper, but you still have the problem that an innocent person could get life in prison without any reason....  which would suck just as much.

[Hydrobond]

No, it would suck worse.
I'd rather be dead than have to put up with the rest of the inmates for the rest of my days.

And it is unwise to fear death because we are unsure of what it holds.

[The Metamorphosing Leon]

^Amen to that.

The U.S. legal system definately needs a major do over. It's about as leak proof as air. (read Wiseguy and you'll know what I mean) But the truth is that a revamp of the system will probably not happen for a very very long time. So I came up with a solution. Every fith suspect brought in should be shot execution style.(the other four suspects can go through the system like normal) Bam! (literally) Fear factor would save the day. I know you all are going and I'll just assure you I could never be elected into any sort of office.