There are different reasons why people kill. Some may kill because they see a profit motive in it, such as killing someone during a robbery or to avoid alimony payments. These types of murders may be deterred by the death penalty in some cases, as potential murders weight the consequences of what they are considering. Even then, a larger percentage of these people don't plan on getting caught so the punishment for the crime won't enter into it in a large way. But I think that most people murder for other reasons, which may include a number of strong emotions, such as rage or whatever it is that produces a serial killer, and I don't think that very many of these will be deterred by the death penalty because they are not rational murders. Others, including most mass shooters, don't plan on surviving long enough to be arrested, anyhow.
Yes, it would. So would a life sentence. Like my statement about referring to it as administering the death penalty, I like to call things what they are. For the most part, I believe that the idea of the death penalty as a deterrent is a myth. Rather, it is revenge. We don't like to think of it as revenge because avenging a death by taking a life isn't so far removed from what the killer might think that he is doing, and we like to be at least a couple of clicks above that.
Nope. If they get a life sentence, they will eventually be eligible for parole. The some bleeding heart liberal governor will turn them loose.
Maine doesn't have parole. If you are sentenced to life imprisonment, you will be in prison for the rest of your life. If you are sentenced to twenty-five years, you will serve twenty-five years unless the governor commutes your sentence, but that is rarely done, despite the fact that Maine nearly always has liberal governors. In states that do have parole, how often are murderers paroled at an age where they are likely to be a continued threat?
@Fred Sanoica I'm not politically savvy enough to take on anything. LOL. I do like the idea of individual state rights though. That way, if you don't like the laws in one state, you can just move to a state that better suits you. Florida is always up for grabs, but trying to force the same laws in Alabama that they have in New York, just doesn't work. The people are too different. Not saying either is right or wrong, just saying one group shouldn't try so hard to change the other. So, in Texas you fry, in California you float. It's all good.
Just read the Supreme Court is going to start using the death penalty more, thanks to Trump and Jeff Sessions. Five are schuleded to happen soon with more to follow. I favor the death penalty, not out if revenge, but there has to be punishment for crimes, especially horrendous crimes. Why should John Q Public,house, feed,school, and give all the other benefits criminals recieve at our expense? Also years on death row is a cop out. Exacutions need to be done at a more reasonable rate. I don't think the majority of the people are going to condemn death penalty for someone who raped a beat and cut up their child!
Just one correction Gloria. I believe it was AG Barr who reinstated the federal death penalty. I haven’t a doubt that the President gave him the nod of approval, but I haven’t read a whole lot coming from the Oval Office as of yet. To me, it would definitely be a nail in Trump’s tire if he expounded heavily on the death penalty especially prior to the 2020 elections.
https://news.yahoo.com/ag-barr-reinstates-federal-death-152434942.html Here’s one of many I came upon. Dunno but maybe the one you read might have been a typo. Stranger things have happened in today’s media.
You know what..can't copy and paste the url...it was from Yahoo news..but the two pieces are totally different . SMH..oh lwrll y'all get the idea.
I never look at the death penalty as a deterrent. I look at it as justice. Granted, not ALL murders deserve the death penalty, but some just do. Having to spend all those tax dollars to take someone like Charles Manson through his golden years is ridiculous. His life isn't worth the price of the bullet that should be used to get it over with.