Illinois becomes 16th state to ban death penalty

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by Princess Doreen

If life without parole is a reality, then I believe the death penalty should be done away with. Life behind bars without the prospect of freedom? To me, that's a fate worse than death.

The legal process before someone actually gets put to death costs many times more than it does to lock that person up and throw away the key.

Cost is an issue often raised, but should it be a factor in a moral decision? Insurance companies often use cost as their reason for denying treatment, Hitler found a cost effective method for exterminating millions etc.

[Princess Doreen]

Originally Posted by somerfrost

Cost is an issue often raised, but should it be a factor in a moral decision? Insurance companies often use cost as their reason for denying treatment, Hitler found a cost effective method for exterminating millions etc.

No, cost should not be an issue. I only brought it up because a lot of people think incarcerating someone for life costs more than executing them.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by Princess Doreen

No, cost should not be an issue. I only brought it up because a lot of people think incarcerating someone for life costs more than executing them.

That was the prevailing public opinion for years until research on cost factors revealed the truth. The irony is that this then led many pro death penalty folks to call for reduction in cost factors such as appeals etc....a slippery slope if ever there was one.

[Princess Doreen]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29552692...me_and_courts/

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by Princess Doreen

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29552692...me_and_courts/

Note the comments posted below the article...the common theme, limit the appeal process, kill them faster!

[Princess Doreen]

Originally Posted by somerfrost

Note the comments posted below the article...the common theme, limit the appeal process, kill them faster!

It may be what the pro-deathers want, but it's not going to happen. States are going for the cheaper way.

But, that was not my reasoning. Take someone like Robert Hanssen who is in max. security 23 hours a day for the rest of his life. He plea bargained to escape the death penalty. I wonder if he thinks he made the right decision. I just can't imagine what his life must be like, but maybe he thinks living longer is better than meeting his maker. Supposedly, he was a deeply religious man. LOL!

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by Princess Doreen

It may be what the pro-deathers want, but it's not going to happen. States are going for the cheaper way.

But, that was not my reasoning. Take someone like Robert Hanssen who is in max. security 23 hours a day for the rest of his life. He plea bargained to escape the death penalty. I wonder if he thinks he made the right decision. I just can't imagine what his life must be like, but maybe he thinks living longer is better than meeting his maker. Supposedly, he was a deeply religious man. LOL!

Yeah, there is no way of knowing which punishment is worse, I suspect that again it depends on the individual...some folks can probably adapt to being confined to a cell while others will quickly find themselves praying for death. I saw evidence of this in my years working in prisons. I wonder though, what does it say that folks who are against the death penalty feel obligated to argue that they are supporting a worse fate?