You said YES to my question and now I am asking you why you believe in the death penalty. Why are you being so difficult?
I know I wrote it elsewhere but the short of it is that a number of years ago, maybe the 80’s, China put a dozen or so rapists and murders in the middle of a sports field during a break in the sports event and with the stands full and totally televised and then executed the criminals for everyone to see. The idea being that if the people knew what would happen by being fully exposed to the punishment then it would curb much of the violence. From what I understand, it worked fairly well. I can’t say whether I can ever agree with that type of death penalty but it apparently made people think twice before being foolish.
Did this post get merged into a pre-existing thread, or am I hallucinating again? Damn weekend hallucinagenics. (jk) Solitary confinement may be more of a punishment, but there's the expense to consider of keeping someone caged, fed, medically treated, and whatever else gives the veneer of civilized punishment, in perpetuity. Then the government and tax payer become both perpetrator and victim of that kind of "endless justice". And you have to ask whether solitary truly is cruel if not unusual, thus violating some legal standard even if satisfying some moral outrage equivalent. At least that's the argument in my head against perpetual imprisonment. So in theory, I'm in favor of the death penalty. Surely there are sufficiently heinous crimes for which one deserves to be executed. People argue about whether the death penalty is a deterrent, but I think that's not the point. A death for a premeditated death, and definitely death for the plethora of mass killings, is the point. No mental illness excuses, no Twinkie defenses, no sob stories about how the killer was raised, etc. I'm not even sure a trial is necessary when the killer is caught indisputably red handed. BTW, I'm in favor of surgical removal of the genitals for rapists, too. One provable rape and you're not only in prison without possibility of parole, your sex life is over. Provable being the operative word. BUT -- the state has to have air tight evidence, and there in lies the rub. In other words, it's complicated.
The expense of housing someone in solitary can be controlled easily. All reports from those that have been in solitary confinement attest that it's trully punishing. I think if Solitary Confinement with no chance for parole was the standard maximum sentence it would deter some crimes more than the death penalty. I have been experiencing like many others during this COVID mess a form of isolation and it's punishment for sure.