Capital Punishment - Yay or Nay???

[medwayjon]

Looking at the state of affairs and all the evil in this country, made me think about this. What do we reckon???

I personally say YES! I have read today about a babysitter, somne young scrote who molested and battered a little boy to death, this poor child was not much older than my olivia. I know my views can be a bit extreme but if I were dishing out the punishments I would lock this vile fiend in a room with several members of the victimes family whom I would arm with a selction of black & deckers finest.

Of course there is the decision of which offences can be punishable by capital punishment and the possibility of a flawed conviction.

Personally I think any sex offences, terrorism and murder should be the offences warranting this punishment.

As for flawed convictions the sentence would be dependent on there being sufficient confidence in the guilty verdict.

I know that to the liberals it is draconian but thems my views.

 

[benny]

Its the only way mate - spot on.

 

[viscount17]

I think Attila the Hun was a wet!

and to reduce prison populations, if all sentences were hard labour (ie meant something!) then they could be halved

 

[shanker]

Obviously not many Guardian readers on this forum. I would remind you gents that in the UK we have hanged at least one innocent man (Tim Evans) and there are umpteen cases of dodgy convictions being overturned by the Appeal Court.

 

[medwayjon]

It can also be debated as to whether the penalty being in place would be a significant enough deterrent to help reduce said offences.

 

[benny]

Not interested mate. I don't read any paper, but based on my experience of living in working class/druggy unemployed class/ no class England I think there alot of people who could do with hanging and I'd do it for a living if they'd pay me. When I die I'm gonna come back as a law enforcer like batman or something and murder scum in their sleep, cleanse the streets haha.
To hell with dodgy convictions, let it be a lesson to those who even dabble with crime and end up court in the first place. Life isn't a Dr. Pepper commercial - the worst can happen so keep your nose clean.

 

[shanker]

Correct! It doesn't deter the killers in Texas.

 

[mick]

a whole hearted yes from me definately for nonces,terrorists,murderers,and i would add burgarlers to the list aswell.if i ever find out who broke into my garage and stole my clubs a year ago,i wont have to wait for the death penalty i'll do it myself.which will be ironic as i'll get sentenced to it myself

 

[toonarmy]

Absolutely not as it is totally unjustifiable from a civilised state.

I'd much rather we re-introduced a form of slavery for them and actually put them to use to do things that I currently am expected to pay for through taxes whilst simultaneously paying my taxes to keep them in prison.

 

[USER1999]

Only for Frenchies, and Chinese Visa clerks.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

I voted no.
I believe we have to have much tougher sentencing and if we have to build more/bigger jails, then so be it.
I also believe you should do hard labour and take away all home comforts such as TVs, pool tables etc.
When people come out of jail and meet up with their mates for a pint afterwards, I want them to tell them "Christ, that's the last time I'll steal a car, mug someone, shoplift,etc.
"Got a job lined up for tonight John, fancy a bit of it?"
"Bugger me Steve mate, No chance! it's bloody hellish in there, I'm on the straight and narrow from now on"

With regard to the serious crims that will never breath free air again and get hit with the old "Why should we pay to keep this scum alive?"
I would counter that this is the price we have to pay to live in a civilized nation that doesn't take lives as retribution.

So No.

 

[madandra]

Jon, is this because some fly wee bugger swiped your clubs?

 

[medwayjon]

That had been playing on my mind Andy, and that of the toe-rag who did the boot-lock on my Merc last sunday.

Seriously though, having read about the Jersey home and the nonce-case I mentioned, it just made me think about our society and the half-arsed sentences meeted out by judges.

Do these judges empathise with paedophiles or what???

 

[DCB]

Shanker,

Are you sure, he was posting on here until about a month ago!


Seriously, not a decision I'd like to make whilst on a jury.

 

[rgs]

I vote no--Have those in favour forgotten the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six--10 innocent men framed by British Justice. I wold rather see one guilty man go free than see innocent people jailed or executed.

As already stated crime is still rampant in Texas where George Bush executed more people than any other governor.

 

[haplesshacker]

Got to admit that I have 'fairly' right wing views. And I could argue either for or against with equal passion if I had to. However in a straw poll I would have to say yes. I too have a very young lad, 17 months old, and I cringe when ever I see or hear anything about kids in these situations. But as an example I believe that drink drivers who kill anyone in an accident, passengers, pedestrians or other drivers, are culpable for premeditated murder. Not under the current definition under the law, but they got in the car knowing that they'd drunk to much, hang 'em an'all!!

Oops there I go again. Apologies if I've offended anyone, but I care about my family, and regularly have nightmares about my wife and child dieing in a car accident caused by another driver.

 

[OldWindy]

I voted yes but would also advocate 'just operating' on the nonces and removing the appendages of thieves. Perhaps a bit harsh but there has to be a real unequivocal deterrent or two.

If I thought prison would work and offenders learnt their lesson then by all means process them that way.

 

[GB72]

I am going to have to sit on the fence a bit on this one. I too could advocate either choice but the simple fact is that we have to do something because out inner cities are going to hell pretty fast and the current approach is not working.

 

[Leftie]

but would also advocate 'just operating' on the nonces and removing the appendages of thieves.

Apparently surgically or chemically removing the dangly bits does not necessarily work as it is more a mental thing. The biggest problem with them is that they can't be persuaded that what they do is wrong (by our standards, not theirs).

Is it the Saudi's that remove the right hand of a convicted thief? Rightly or wrongly, they won't do it again.

imo life should mean life, harsh regime without TV, mobile phones, internet, etc. As it is, they get a "life" sentence, out in 5 - 12 years, are still able to run their scams from inside with us the taxpayer and victim keeping them warm and cosy at our expense.

I have spent some time in few prisons (purely in persuance of my employment, you understand). What I cannot understand is that on the occasions that I have been in the areas shared with the inmates there have been lovely brown eyed springer spaniels sniffing me and those around me for drugs. How come there is such a drug problem in the prisons and how the heck do the drugs get in there in the first place???????????????????

 

[evita4]

I am sitting on the fence too. I used to be very much against capital punishment , believing that it was not the way forward for a civilised society. However, as I am getting older and the general state of our country is degenerating so fast I am coming round to the opinion that the liberal leftist attitude may be wrong and the only way to stop the worst culprits of crime is the reintroduction of the death penalty.