Unit 1012 Cover Photo

Unit 1012 Cover Photo

Friday, February 22, 2013

DO VICTIMS’ FAMILIES FEEL JUSTICE WITH THE DEATH PENALTY [THE DEBATE OF THE FORTNIGHT ~ SUNDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2013 TO SATURDAY 2 MARCH 2013]



NOTE: I will post a debate on a topic of this blog every fortnight. It will be twice in a month.


Families of the victims of the Ultras Al-Ahli, football supporters react in court with joy after the issuance of the death penalty for 21 accused in last years Port Said football violence, in Cairo, Egypt. (Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/egypt-court-sentences-21-death-stadium-disaster-article-1.1248449)

Do families of victims feel justice with the death penalty?

NO
47% of members

·         Murder is always wrong.

I have a personal belief that murder is always wrong. The most important right of a human being is the right to life. No one, even the state, has the right to take someone´s life. It's morally wrong. How can you have a law that says "If you kill, we will kill you"? Who will kill us then? It doesn't make sense to me. So many innocent people have died and will die due to the capital punishment. It's not justice. Discrimination, due to race, skin color or gender, is also common. By the way; the death penalty is also more expensive than life in prison without parole. All the appeals costs more money than to keep a criminal in prison. In California, for example, it cost 130 million dollars more than life in prison. Just so you know. Don't you think that supporting capital punishment is to say that you approve of murdering someone? Doesn't that make you a part of the murder and a criminal as well?
Posted By: Anonymous

·         Death penalty unfair

Although you may think that the death penalty fits whatever the crime may be, prison actually causes death row prisoners to suffer just as much, if not more than the families of victims. The death penalty is the easy way out for criminals, and they are taking advantage of this opportunity which should not be allowed. There are no crimes worthy of the death penalty
Posted By: Anonymous

·         No one deserves the death penalty.

A family may be devastated at the loss of a loved one but at the end of the day they will see that no one deserves the death penalty. Murder is murder despite the circumstances. Why do criminals punished for murder when we go and murder them. What gives us the right to decide how another person dies and if that person deserves to die? Everyone deserves our help, not the death row; even criminals. Families should mourn, not wish for the death of someone. Two wrongs do not make a right. Prisons are built to hold criminals and to protect people. Prisons are not meant for murder to be committed. People are being set free due to DNA testing but they were on death row. They lost their life unnecessarily. They could have been put in jail without the death penalty. They were isolated for nothing. OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM IS SCREWED UP!
Posted By: Anonymous

·         i disagree with the death penalty

i understand that it is hard to lose a loved one but at the end of the day in my opinion, the death penalty is not justice. Spending your whole life in prison is justice, knowing you can never see your family whenever you want to, you cant eat what you want to eat, you will never be free, that to me is suffering not getting the easy way out of the death penalty and at the end of the day they will die but your loved one will never come back and you will still feel the same anger adn hurt that you felt before.
Posted By: Anonymous

·         25 innocent people

25 innocent people. 17 which are free from death row and 8 that have died because of a system that is at the very least, lax and the very worst corrupt. 25 people who have either spent decades on death row to be freed into a world that hold no care and 8 people who's souls are free but will never see their loved ones again. 25 innocent people.
Posted By: kmclawson70

·         I disagree with the death penalty, it does not give a source of justice.

Families of the victim would want to see the accused punished. Death is not a punishment, it is an escape for ones sins. Death is an easy option and the guilty would suffer more in a prison, living with their wrong doing and guilt. Families and close friends of the victim are encouraging death and wishing suffering on the accused families. Not only having to come to the terms that someone close to them had commited an awful crime but the defendants familied would never see them again. It is cruel to put more people through that. Surely the families of victims will feel a lot more guilt and remorse rather than justice or so called revenge.
Posted By: belle13

·         Justice for grave crimes cannot be achieved or believed when the punishment is death.

Families of victims may feel momentary relief following the administration of the death penalty, but no true sense of justice. Justice can also mean fairness or moral rightness, but requiring the death of an individual is neither fair nor right. In general, I believe that families of victims feel more guilt and torment following the death penalty rather than feeling as if justice were served.
Posted By: VampireShu

·         Although victims' families may profess a sense of justice, with the imposition of the death penalty, I doubt that it is real.

Out of a sense of revenge, I imagine that many families of victims feel justified with the death penalty. But, I still believe it is an illusion. The taking of another life does not in itself atone for a previous crime. To actively wish for someone to die in that circumstance is just as murderous as the original crime, in my opinion.
Posted By: BrownDustin82

·         Although the death penalty promises vindication for the families of crime victims, in reality, the decades of waiting and need for constant court appearances rarely results in a satisfying outcome.

In the current U.S. system of justice, the death penalty can take as long as 20 years between conviction and the actual death of the convict. Statistics consistently demonstrate that it is more expensive to the public for the long legal road of appeals and court hearings, rather than to house a prisoner for a life sentence without parole. Although many families of the victims initially want retribution by death, by the time of the actual killing of the inmate, they have changed their mind, as the long journey to death has kept the tragedy omnipresent in their lives and made recovery difficult.
Posted By: P3nrIin

·         The families of victims in death penalty cases rarely have justice on their minds, but rather revenge and retribution.

The families of victims in death penalty cases have lost a loved one. They are usually blinded by rage and loss. They think the only salve for their wounds is revenge, an eye for an eye. They usually ignore any mitigating factors and focus solely on punishment. There is no justice in taking yet another life. Often, the aggrieved families feel remorse at the outcome of a judgment of death rendered in a death penalty case and they should.
Posted By: TickoNaII

·         No, I believe most families feel the death penalty is too easy.

I believe most families feel the death penalty is the easy way out. Families believe that the murderer should get life in prison with no parole. The families want the murderer to sit in their cell and contemplate the fact that they took a person off of this earth and suffer for having done so.
Posted By: 53r3n3Isaac

·         I don't think families feel justice with the death penalty.

I honestly do not believe that I would feel justice unless I was the one who killed them. I know that sounds insane but its my opinion. I don't think them dying is justification for what they did since they do not feel the pain in which their victims did to the fullest.
Posted By: LorenaH

·         Families do not feel justice with the death penalty.

The person responsible for your loved ones death is now dead. Does this bring you loved one back? No, it doesn't. I believe a person should pay for their crimes, and sometimes, that means paying with their lives. However, it still doesn't change what has already happened. Nothing can bring back the dead after they are gone. Yes, you can get a felling of closure, maybe. You will still never hug, talk or be with the person you loved again.
Posted By: R0m4nticSam

·         Families of victims do not feel justice with the death penalty.

The death penalty will only end another life. Families of victims know that taking the life of the criminal is not giving back their loved one. Only one more family will suffer. In addition the criminal has to pay while he is alive, for example serving at prison. I know that some families prefer the death penalty, but they still will feel some guilt in supporting the killing of a person, even if that person was a criminal.
Posted By: l0olllooi

·         There is no justice in the implementation of the death penalty.

There is no justice because it does not bring that person back, it does not end the grief process and it does not mean that the family will be able to move on or forgive the crime or the criminal. There is no justification for murder, but on exactly the same note, there is no justification for state murder, the death penalty - they are both the same thing.
Posted By: MentM4j3r3

·         I do not believe that families feel justice with the death penalty.

I believe that families do not get the proper feeling of justice with the death penalty. Those who have lost loved ones from criminals will not get them back after the criminals have been executed. There is also a belief that two wrongs do not make a right. That is to say, killing a criminal because he or she has taken the life of someone you cared for does not make it right. If families go through with an execution, it is possible that they are affecting the lives of another family, that of the criminal's, as well.
Posted By: Maximus Walton

·         Capital punishment can be good for the families of victims, but ultimately it does nothing to negate the crime.

Capital punishment can be good for the families of victims, but ultimately it does nothing to negate the crime. Especially in the case of a murder, capital punishment does not bring the deceased back. Therefore, even if the death penalty is the verdict brought down on a defendant, it is a bittersweet ending. Some may say the defendant got what he or she deserved, but it doesn't bring back to life the dead person.
Posted By: SandDari

·         The death penalty is incomparable to the death of a victim at someone else's hands.

I've never seen a family jump up and down with joy after seeing the person that victimized their family put to death. It could be because that person deserved it, unlike their family member. Or, because the criminal's family had time to prepare for their death, unlike the family of the victim. And, probably because no matter what is done to the bad guy, it won't bring back their loved one. No, it's not justice. But, for some it's as close as they will get in this lifetime.
Posted By: MohaI0v35

People hold a placard and pictures of Mohammad Ajmal Kasab, as they celebrate in Ahmedabad November 21, 2012.
REUTERS/Amit Dave 

YES
53% of members

·         Sure beats spending years at the parole board

Here's another argument: Do you think that the victim/victim's family really wants to keep going time after time to the parole board, begging the board to not grant early parole to the criminal/criminals in question? And even with life without parole, there's always some risk of early release (such as overcrowding). The death penalty would not allow that cycle to begin, and taxpayers would have one less criminal/criminals to support with taxpayer dollars. I understand that the death penalty can't always be granted, but when it can be, unless there's some overriding factor (such as doubts about guilt or a botched trial), please select it and give victims, families and taxpayers closure.
Posted By: Anonymous

·         Murder is murder is murder, capital punishment is punishment is punishment.

A murdered victim has been murdered, duh. In this stance, the victim did not deserve to be murdered. In capital punishment, the murderer has been convicted of a heinous crime, and a trial of his "peers" has deemed him deserving of receiving the death penalty. He has committed a crime against humanity. He deserves the death penalty because he unlawfully executed the death penalty on an innocent victim. I mean, there are anti-death extremist advocating "punishments" such as Norway's 21-year-max sentence. Really? For killing? For snuffing out a beautiful INNOCENT life of human? Really? would you give James Holmes or Adam Lanza that 21-year sentence? Really? Oh, by the way: by making our executions more and more humane, the manner of executing murderers is becoming more and more humane than the manner in which the murderer killed his victim.
Posted By: Anonymous

·         For Capital Punishment

Life in prison is not a worthy punishment for those guilty of violent murders. There are too many comforts nowadays. As long as there are fair juries, compelling evidence, etc. I am 100% for the death penalty. When a person takes someones life, they lose their own rights. They are subjected to whatever punishment is deemed worthy of that crime. Will life in prison ensure they will not kill again? NO. Will "life in prison" prevent a lawyer from finding a loophole to release them back in public? NO. Only the death penalty can assure that. It doesn't give victims justice? Well, It would be a start.
Posted By: bnross

·         For Capital Punishment

Life in prison is not a punishment. Not for people guilty of violent murders. They have access to way to many comforts that they do not deserve. Some adjustments on how the sentence is decided are needed. Fair juries, and only in cases with compelling evidence, for example. But when criminals kill, they lose their own rights. They are subjected to whatever punishment that crime is worthy of. In cases of heinous crimes or multiple murder is a life sentence enough? No. Will it guarantee they won't kill again? No. Only the Death Penalty can assure that.
Posted By: Anonymous

·         It is justice.

They deserve death penalty because they have hurt so many peoples life and they should go to jail instead of getting killed. But at the end some people don't realize what they had done to peoples life. Some people who got killed may be important to their family members and the killers who killed them don't realize that the poeple that they are killing are important to some people.
Posted By: Anonymous

·         It is justice.

They deserve death penalty because they have hurt so many peoples life and they should go to jail instead of getting killed. But at the end some people don't realize what they had done to peoples life. Some people who got killed may be important to their family members and the killers who killed them don't realize that the poeple that they are killing are important to some people.
Posted By: Anonymous

·         Murders need a taste of their own medicine

Murders kill therefore they should be killed. They should get the revenge for the wrong doing of there own crime. They shouldn't be sitting free in a cell for years free doing what they want after taking a life. They take alife there there life should be taken. The family will feel at ease when there betrayer is gone.
Posted By: Anonymous

·         Moments leading to the death chamber.

In researching this topic, many death row inmates have accepted their fate & are somewhat prepared for their execution. Seldom do they put up a fight at that last walk. Most request relaxers to calm the nerves beforehand. They're permitted last phone calls, a chaplain on hand, final meal requests, and more. The victims did not have such options. The person on death row has time to think about their ultimate fate. There are flaws that need to be addressed because innocent men have been killed at the state's hand, but that number is few & far between. Important nonetheless. However, an eye for an eye. It brings comfort & closure for the victim who is no longer able to advocate for themselves.
Posted By: Anonymous

·         My father was murdered and the man who did it should die.

My father was in a cafe when a stranger slit his throat from behind with a knife simply because he wanted to kill someone. This man deserves to die, and it should happen immediately and not at an absurd cost to tax payers. Every day this man continues to live is a slap in the face to my father and to my family. People who have never experienced anything like this should have no say in a question like this. My father's killer got life in prison and it is not justice. Justice will only be served when he is rotting in the ground.
Posted By: grievingSon

·         Yes

Capitol Punishment it a appropriate consequence for murdering someone. Death penalty serves justice. Justice. If you murder anyone you deserve to be on death row because you can feel like the person you murdered . I agree with the death penalty because it makes sure violent criminals will not commit crimes again. People who serve life sentences for crimes such as murder always have the chance to kill again in prison, get let out on parole, or escape. If violent offenders knew that the punishment was death, not three meals and shelter, less crimes would happen, and there would be less of a burden on our already weak economy in the states. Posted By: elinua
Posted By: Anonymous

·         It gives peace of mind to the family.

The devastation caused by the unthinkable that occurs everyday around us in this cruel world, can ruin families who lose loved ones from their lives. More often than not in Britain, the punishment for first degree murder is a menial 20 years or so, nothing compared to the lifetime of loss families feel when a vital member of their family is taken from them. However, in America the justice system provides families with the punishment which ensures that the heartless criminal will never kill again and inflict pain on more victims and their helpless families. The death penalty provides closure for the families, satisfaction that their loved one is being remembered by ending the life of their killer. It's seen as retribution, 'an eye for an eye'.
Posted By: RosyTrees

·         Justice for the victim is achieved only through the death penalty.

When a victim’s murderer is still alive the family of the said victim will never feel at ease. While a murderer is in prison he/she is still breathing and living, the victim’s life was ended brutally. With the life sentence the criminal somehow still gets back on the streets and then might kill again. If a murderer is convicted with a capital crime and gets a life sentence he/she is living for free and the victims’ families are practically are paying for the murderers’ expenses.
Posted By: Anonymous

·         A safe feeling.

The death penalty is a just punishment in my eyes. It might not bring back the victim but it does stop the accused from killing again. A life sentence would be nice if we knew for sure it would stay that way and a lot of times it doesn't. If that victim can't be brought back what right does the judicial system have to lift a life sentence and let someone out who committed murder. With the death penalty we know that person can NEVER attempt to kill again and can't get off easy years later down the road. This seems to be a great deal more fair than how the life in prison can be.
Posted By: Halvy

·         are some lives worth more than others

One of my main reasons is that life sentence does not work out; the judicial system gives a person life sentence but somehow they get back on the streets and statistics show that nearly 30 convicted killers released from jail over the past 10 years have gone on to kill again thanks to the “fair” judicial system. For the murder victims’ family members, the death penalty stabilises the hierarchy of victims where some lives are valued more than others In addition the death penalty is fair from an eye for an eye perspective for example if a crime was an intentional murder it obviously be fair to kill him it also brings relief to the family and most importantly the criminal will never commit a crime again. In spite of people saying that their religion says that it is immoral to kill people many cultures include honour killings in their punishments and in the catholic religion, the bible: in Exodus 21:12 it says whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. Even God is saying that murders should be put to death, now who are we to question God?
Posted By: Anonymous

·         Probably

If people are convicted of capital crimes and still allowed to stay alive, our tax money pays for them to live for free until they die. Innocent until proving guilty, true, but there's no other alternative, really. Let them live free in the world or pay for their imprisonment.
Posted By: Anonymous

·         I agree with the death penalty because it makes sure violent criminals will not commit crimes again.

People who serve life sentences for crimes such as murder always have the chance to kill again in prison, get let out on parole, or escape. If violent offenders knew that the punishment was death, not three meals and shelter, less crimes would happen, and there would be less of a burden on our already weak economy in the states.
Posted By: elinua

·         Families of victims would rather see the perpetrator dead.

In more serious crimes, the person who commits the crime is usually sent to jail. The victim's family feels traumatized knowing that the perpetrator is still alive. In addition, they feel that housing bad guys in jail is a waste of government money. Sentencing the perpetrator to death saves the government money.
Posted By: FeIBuddy

·         I think that families of victims feel justice with the death penalty; it helps them be more at peace.

I believe that families of victims do feel justice more-so with the death penalty because it's the "an eye for an eye" concept. People feel more at ease when they think that people get what they deserve or when people have the same done to them as what they did onto another. If someone kills a family member of yours, it makes sense that although it may not bring your loved one back, the perpetrator gets the same punishment that was unjustly brought upon your loved one.
Posted By: boobop

·         When a killer is put to death by capital punishment the victims family feels a sense of relief.

When a killer is put to death by capital punishment the victims family feels like it is getting a little bit of its power back. They had no way to save their family member when the murder took place and there are a lot of questions left unanswered. When a murderer is put to death the family feels like they get what they deserved.
Posted By: B3rkIffy

·         I feel families of victims feel justice with the death penalty because it avenges the death of a loved one for them.

When someone close to a person dies by murder the people close to that person always want justice. They want this person to feel the same pain as their friend who died. These people feel that the death of the murder will be able to suffice for the damage done. This may not be true, but this is indeed what these families feel. Interestingly enough there are families who have felt the opposite and forgiven murderers and offered a gift of life back to these men. These are interesting situations, but generally people feel that the death of the murderer avenges the void they feel from the death of their loved one.
Posted By: T Richmond

2 comments:

  1. What gives us the right to play god, the saying i believe goes when you condemn someone, there are three people condemning you, why is executing or abortion, or killing in war not considered as murder, but if you kill someone outside of war, it is murder, what about all the people that have been killed in death chambers. I understand we should execute serial killers, only because they will never stop killing in most cases, but i think that is the only example where the death penalty should be used

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  2. I might be late to this, but if someone were to take my daughter's life cold-heartedly, I am not gonna be happy or feel any kind of relief from knowing my money is being used to feed and take care of my daughter's killer in a cell away from danger free from redicule and most importantly my punishement which i will gladly ask God to grant me the permission in this life and the hereafter.

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