Thread: Смертная казнь.

http://lenta.ru/news/2007/05/31/kill/

For those who finds the article in Russian too difficult to read: it's about Italien prisoners jailed for life who wrote a petition to the president asking to execute them instead.

I know that EU countries have no institution of death penalties but what do you think about it?

As a common citizen I could vote for the reintroduction of the death penalty. But I would surely specify crimes which carried the death sentence and which don't. I think that it is possible to divide those supporting the death penalty into the following groups. The first consists of common citizens and the second of prisoners. In relative terms, I think, there are more supporters of the death penalty among the second group. Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment often wish that they'd received a death sentence. Even though none of us, I suppose, have ever been jailed, we might imagine having to spend the rest of our life in a prison cell. As for those supporters among common people, I don't really think that their opinion should be paid particular attention to. Maybe, it would be a good idea to let prisoners decide for themselves whether they would like to spend the rest of their days in jail or they would prefer to receive a death sentence.

People who are too dangerous to be allowed back into society should be killed. Why should I pay to keep them alive for their whole life in prison? The problem is that our judicial system is not competent enough to decide who is guilty in all cases.
Prisoners should have no say in their future. If we want to keep them alive as punishment then, that is what they shall get.

I am for the reintroduction of the death penalty too, but what about cases of so called 'judical mistakes'? Even the holiest judge is just a man and can make a mistake. A fatal mistake sometimes. Errare humanum est, after all.

And... sometimes the crimes people commit are too terrible to just let them die quickly. I think that a lifetime imprisonment is far worse a punishment than a quick and easy death.

wow so far I am the only one to say no... OK NOW I WISH I COULD CHANGE MY ANSWER... no... I dont I think rapists are HORRIBLE and should die, but I think they should be locked away for life, so then they can sit and think. I think that is more cruel than putting them to death... Dang, I sound morbid.

Originally Posted by DDT

People who are too dangerous to be allowed back into society should be killed. Why should I pay to keep them alive for their whole life in prison? The problem is that our judicial system is not competent enough to decide who is guilty in all cases.
Prisoners should have no say in their future. If we want to keep them alive as punishment then, that is what they shall get.

Agree.

A few years ago I would say it's the only way out to re-introduce the death penalty. I changed my mind beacuse of shifts in my outlook that resulted in the value of life. Now I have to say 'no.'

Prisoners demanding death? They knew what they were going for when commited crimes, didn't they? Now do be good and think about your misbehaviour for the rest of your life. Death is simple and brings no wisdom.

that resulted in the value of life.

But some lives have no value.

Originally Posted by DDT

that resulted in the value of life.

But some lives have no value.

I'm speaking for life as a higher good, if to clarify.

"No value" is too pessimistic.

Yes I understood you! But there are occasionally some people who are so vile and who will continue to be vile. For instance, people who have mutilated and killed scores of children and then eaten their bodies. Their life is worthless. To say that their life is as valuable as anyone else's simply because it is "life" denigrates all life.

Point taken. But they have the same chances not to be vile as everybody has. Taking this into account we could say something of value. However their "archvileness" seriously decreases it. Like that, yeah.

Originally Posted by iamjames

wow so far I am the only one to say no... OK NOW I WISH I COULD CHANGE MY ANSWER... no... I dont I think rapists are HORRIBLE and should die, but I think they should be locked away for life, so then they can sit and think. I think that is more cruel than putting them to death... Dang, I sound morbid.

So you want to create a kingdom of race minorities. Fine.

Originally Posted by DDT

that resulted in the value of life.

But some lives have no value.

Shonuff. I wish they did not keep them for so long on the death row.

Originally Posted by DDT

People who are too dangerous to be allowed back into society should be killed. Why should I pay to keep them alive for their whole life in prison? The problem is that our judicial system is not competent enough to decide who is guilty in all cases.
Prisoners should have no say in their future. If we want to keep them alive as punishment then, that is what they shall get.

I think that none of us will ever see a judicial system which would judge correctly in all cases. It seems impossible to create anything like this.

Perhaps, you are right that there's absolutely no point in life imprisonment because you basically waste your money paying regular tax. The death penalty could be re-introduced but as Rtyom correctly pointed out, you never can tell whether someone is actually guilty or not. As I said above, it is just impossible to judge totally fairly all the time. Nowadays if you are sentenced to life imprisonment, you might be granted a pardon during your sentence. Still, it is beleived that people comitting capital offences cannot get back to normal life after getting out of jail.

Originally Posted by DDT

Yes I understood you! But there are occasionally some people who are so vile and who will continue to be vile. For instance, people who have mutilated and killed scores of children and then eaten their bodies. Their life is worthless. To say that their life is as valuable as anyone else's simply because it is "life" denigrates all life.

No, let them live and regret every single moment. Let them live in pain and misery with no hopes at all dreaming of death. Death is a simple and empty thing. They don't deserve death. I'd prolonged their lives so they could rot even longer.

Originally Posted by Ramil

Originally Posted by DDT

Yes I understood you! But there are occasionally some people who are so vile and who will continue to be vile. For instance, people who have mutilated and killed scores of children and then eaten their bodies. Their life is worthless. To say that their life is as valuable as anyone else's simply because it is "life" denigrates all life.

No, let them live and regret every single moment. Let them live in pain and misery with no hopes at all dreaming of death. Death is a simple and empty thing. They don't deserve death. I'd prolonged their lives so they could rot even longer.

The problem is that most of such people don't mind staying in prison: they get free housing, free meal, free medical care, TV, sports equipment, etc., and our taxes paying for all that! I think it takes ~$45,000 a year for each prisoner! Many hard-working, law-abiding people don't even make that much, and they still have to pay bills!

Well, you're lucky you haven't seen the inside of Russian jails. Especially those where prisoners are kept for life. I think the yearly budget for keeping an average lifetime prisoner is around $500 per year in Russia, so I can afford that.

Originally Posted by Ramil

Well, you're lucky you haven't seen the inside of Russian jails. Especially those where prisoners are kept for life. I think the yearly budget for keeping an average lifetime prisoner is around $500 per year in Russia, so I can afford that.

I have an idea: what if we send all criminals to serve time in Russia??? You said you can afford it

Originally Posted by charlestonian

Originally Posted by Ramil

Well, you're lucky you haven't seen the inside of Russian jails. Especially those where prisoners are kept for life. I think the yearly budget for keeping an average lifetime prisoner is around $500 per year in Russia, so I can afford that.

I have an idea: what if we send all criminals to serve time in Russia??? You said you can afford it

Well, technically, that would be a restoration of slavery. The hell with that, it's a profitable business, send away.

Originally Posted by Ramil

Originally Posted by charlestonian

Originally Posted by Ramil

Well, you're lucky you haven't seen the inside of Russian jails. Especially those where prisoners are kept for life. I think the yearly budget for keeping an average lifetime prisoner is around $500 per year in Russia, so I can afford that.

I have an idea: what if we send all criminals to serve time in Russia??? You said you can afford it

Well, technically, that would be a restoration of slavery. The hell with that, it's a profitable business, send away.

No problem.
The first shipment is coming