I just read an article suggesting that the death penalty might be falling out of style in America:

The death penalty | A lethal habit | Economist.com

Some interesting facts:

• America is the only western democracy in the world with a death penalty.
• Since I've been alive, Florida has let 22 people go free, after they'd been sentenced to die, because it was proven they were innocent. Nationally, it's more like 150 innocent people ( that we know of ) have been sentenced to die, and then let free.
• It costs about 3x as much to carry out the death penalty, compared to life without parole. The trials are longer and more detailed, plus there's an automatic appeal, because if you're going to kill somebody for something, you better be really sure he did it.

Thoughts?

I think they should just be sentenced to life without parole, like you said, because it is cheaper, you can let them go if they are proven innocent, and they have to suffer more.

There shouldn't be a death penalty.

The problem here is that people want justice. A scapegoat. With modern science, we can pretty sure of "whodunnit." However, I think many have been sentenced with insufficient evidence against them because the courts and families of the victoms want someone blamed. They want peace of mind. Should innocent people die along with the guilty because humanity is imperfect? However, as AJ said, life in jail results in suffering more. And the fact that it costs more to kill the person than to give them food and shelter the rest of their lives is disturbing. Can the US afford to kill these people? Also, if there was no death penalty, the innocent convicted of murder would suffer more than if they were killed. Then we look at the moral position we are in. Is it right to kill a murderer? Is it right to kill anyone while not in self defense? While in self defense? And how we define what is right to do? I'm undecided, but thought I would put my opinion here anyway, because it still involves the topic.

I support both sides. I agree with the death penalty only if there is 100%, indisputable evidence that the convicted commited the crime. I also think that 1st degree murder is the only charge worthy of the death penalty, because they were fully aware of what they were going to do, when, and why. I think they should be put in prison for some time beforehand, so they have time to think about what they have done, and all the pain they have caused. People say the death penalty is cruel, but think about all the torture they have put families through. And although they will be suffering in prison, they are still alive. Something that the person they killed will never be again. I also think the death penalty should stand because the prisons are overcrowded. And so what if the death penalty is expensive? there should always be justice no matter how expensive. And justice should show no mercy, because people wont think twice about killing somebody if they know they'll most likely get off with just a life sentance if they are even caught.

Um, T S L, I don't kno wwhat goes on the heads of these people, but I'm pretty sure nobody takes life in prison lightly. You say it like life is just a few years and then you get out. Again, I don't know if a lifetime in jail daunts these people like death would, but I have to disagree. I agree with most of the other stuff you said though. Especially that the death penalty would only be used if they are sure of the criminal. However, as I said, people look for a scapegoat. Watch Court TV, and you'll see at least a few cases of people convicted because they wanted someone blamed for it. And of course the dozens of cases in which the killer gets off because of fake stories of abuse from their victoms, which are proven fake but still believed.

yes well life is something that once taken away, can never be given back. If you decide to take someone's life away, they paid the ultimate price. And you should have to do the same. A life of suffering is still life. And I'm sure the person that was murdered would be willing to take a life of suffering over none at all. If you had a choice between dying and staying locked up in a cell for the rest of your life, which would you choose? When you think about it, time in jail doesnt seem so bad. you dont have to work [unless of course they make you], you dont have to pay for anything like food, bills, or taxes. [at least i dont think prisoners pay taxes]

it seems most of you brought up the cost of living for the prisoners, but you fail to realize that being put on death row is a very long process, it can take 20 years before he's actually killed anyway, so whats the point?

i disagree with the death penalty...but i dont feel too strongly about the subject, i just hate people who call abortion murder then turn around and support the death penalty

I'm against abortion but I'm undecided on the death penlty. Abortion kills unborn babies (see the abortion thread for my views). The death penalty kills murderers.

unborn babies who are not life forms yet, but now that comes down to the debate of when is life actually concived? is it at birth? is it at the moment of conception? i see nothing wrong with abortion, i'm pro-choice and i also think that stem cell research is a very intriguing new technology but that has nothing to do with this

as for death row killing killers, thats not always the truth...i know other people talked about sentances being over turned decades later because of forensic science, theres a man on death row right now named Mumia-Abu Jamal, he was put there because he was framed of the murder of a police officer and sentanced to death, however years after the fact a man confessed to the murder because the cop was crooked and it was an organized crime hit on the cop, yet Mumia stays on death row

its easy to point the finger at the sentance but we need to look at the one doing the sentancing sometimes as well

Grr, abortion.... *stay calm, breath in, breath out.*

I dont think the death penalty is right... It could take years, like Hatchet said, until DR. Also, another person in the above posts said that life is one of the few things that you cant get back, and yeah, totally true. Seriously, if you think about it, what has killing someone for killing someone really done? "I'll kill you for killing him!" That's like...whoa.