Originally Posted by Taunton

The only problem there is that our justice system is screwed up. You can get out of jail if you survive your 25 year sentence. I'm sorry, but a murderer should never be allowed back into society.

I agree, I would like to see multiple life sentences be implemented instead of capital punishment.

Originally Posted by katie_batt

Honestly, I think that if I were faced with having to live my whole life in a jail cell with no rights, I would RATHER die. It'd be the easy way out. Think about it, imagine knowing that you were going to spend the next 60-70 years in a little gray box, doing only what you were told. I'd rather just die.

Another thing to consider is that often times the people who commit these heinous crimes are sociopaths. They have an urge to kill. I am not AT ALL defending them, but my point is that I dont think that the fear of capital punishment deters them. They do what they do because they want to, and I think the best thing is to lock them up for life.

It's not 60-70 years in Canada. You are fed. You get to go outside. You receive an education. Canada has a HUGE focus on rehabilitation.

Originally Posted by lawleypop

The question is whether or not it should be instilled in Canada. As long as there is no evidence to prove or disprove me (not that I've done the research - feel free to educate me! ), I will continue to believe that capital punishment would act as a humongous deterrant in Canada.

The US is a lost cause - all they know is violence and fear. They're accustomed to it.

As opposed to Canada, for the next 300 years... I think it'd work pretty well. xD

Canada had capital punishment until 1976. The reasons for the removal of capital punishment here were:

- fears about wrongful convictions
- concerns about the state taking the lives of individuals
- uncertainty about the death penalty's role as a deterrent for crime

Originally Posted by Taunton

The only problem there is that our justice system is screwed up. You can get out of jail if you survive your 25 year sentence. I'm sorry, but a murderer should never be allowed back into society.

I agree, I think they need to be locked up for life, until they rot and die. Our justice system is totally screwed up, but the DP wont fix it either.

Originally Posted by lawleypop

It's not 60-70 years in Canada. You are fed. You get to go outside. You receive an education. Canada has a HUGE focus on rehabilitation.

I know, and I think that's wrong. I think they should suffer, and they should not be let out. But I dont think that they should be put to death. Eye for an eye is barbaric, and it doesnt help society.

Yes for capital punishment. Who cares if it doesnt work to deter crime. Going to jail is too good for some crimes. Would you want a murder, pedophile or a rapist out after his sentence is over, no. Besides its better if the guy is dead instead getting free health care and food after our tax dollars. I for one dont want to be paying for their needs.

I disagree with it.

Capital punishment doesn't deter crime. But, there needs to be judicial system reform to the current system. In many cases, people who commit atrocious crimes don't serve their entire term and end up re-offending.

Originally Posted by Taunton

Canada had capital punishment until 1976. The reasons for the removal of capital punishment here were:

- fears about wrongful convictions
- concerns about the state taking the lives of individuals
- uncertainty about the death penalty's role as a deterrent for crime

Hmm, didn't know the 1976 thing. Question though.. how often was it used?

Maybe this is because I long for the extinction of humanity, but I think that the first two points are justified if it protects the greater good.

If capital punishment would be implemented, then obviously the whole process of conviction or proving innocence should/would be modified. Juries fail. People are never impartial.

Originally Posted by syaseen

Going to jail is too good for some crimes. Would you want a murder, pedophile or a rapist out after his sentence is over, no. Besides its better if the guy is dead instead getting free health care and food after our tax dollars. I for one dont want to be paying for their needs.

If we had a decent justice system, people wouldn't be out after crimes like that because they would be sentenced to life which means in jail until you die.

Killing people is fundamentally wrong, and the government needs to take the moral high ground by not murdering citizens.

Originally Posted by lawleypop

Hmm, didn't know the 1976 thing. Question though.. how often was it used?

Maybe this is because I long for the extinction of humanity, but I think that the first two points are justified if it protects the greater good.

If capital punishment would be implemented, then obviously the whole process of conviction or proving innocence should/would be modified. Juries fail. People are never impartial.

You think the chance of killing a wrongfully convicted person is ok? What if that person was you? I'm sure it wouldn't be ok then....

Originally Posted by lawleypop

Hmm, didn't know the 1976 thing. Question though.. how often was it used?

Until the death penalty was abolished, 1 481 people were sentenced to death, and 710 were executed.

That's 6.5 people executed per year.

BTW my source for these numbers is Wikipedia... I'm not going to pretend that I'm using something else for this right now... they have sources to back up the claims.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital...uted_in_Canada

Originally Posted by Taunton

If we had a decent justice system, people wouldn't be out after crimes like that because they would be sentenced to life which means in jail until you die.

Killing people is fundamentally wrong, and the government needs to take the moral high ground by not murdering citizens.

I agree. A life sentence should mean in jail until death.

Also jails shouldn't be so nice. None of this free education crap. Bare minimum and no intentionally cruelty (even though most serving life would deserve it). Edible food, enough to meet requirements to live. Water. That's it. Screw rehabilitation, it's a waste of time and money. You do the crime that's it, you've lost your chance at living in society. You've proven you are unable to live with civilized human beings and you don't deserve to be around them ever again. Go rot in jail and live with what you've done (if you even have a concise or feelings) for the rest of your pathetic, disgusting life.

Rehabilitation is for street kids and people who commit theft, or just mess up bad. It's not for crimes where a person was killed, tortured, raped or a child was killed, tortured, raped etc. The bottom line is if you ruin or take another person's life that's your last chance.

Originally Posted by katie_batt

You think the chance of killing a wrongfully convicted person is ok? What if that person was you? I'm sure it wouldn't be ok then....

If Canada had a better justice system and didn't have so much bias when convicting people (just as the state does), I don't think there'd be so many mistakes. Not that I know how many mistakes are made.

Asking me if that person was me does not help your argument, so I won't answer it.

My brain cannot possibly comprehend how going to jail in Canada for killing someone is justice. That's not fair. It's a goshdarn slap on the wrist. Honestly, a jail term for killing someone is basically telling me that killing someone isn't that big a deal. Why not do it? It's not like my life will be ruined. Again, karla homalka.

Unfortunately, I don't share your empathy. Fairness, to me, is an eye for an eye. Taking out all the "evil" in society and risking the possibility of an innocent death is a whole lot more justified than making sure all the innocent people stay innocent and letting criminals run free.

Once someone knows they can get away with something, they WILL do it again.

Edit: I am also willing to say that if we had serious consequences for these criminals and they actually STAYED in jail and weren't more well off than some of our own innocent citizens, then I agree that capital punishment wouldn't be necessary. But that's unfortunately not the case.

Thanks for this awesome discussion... I'll be checking back tomorrow, but since I must be up at 4 for work, it's bed time!

Originally Posted by lawleypop

If Canada had a better justice system and didn't have so much bias when convicting people (just as the state does), I don't think there'd be so many mistakes. Not that I know how many mistakes are made.

Asking me if that person was me does not help your argument, so I won't answer it.

My brain cannot possibly comprehend how going to jail in Canada for killing someone is justice. That's not fair. It's a goshdarn slap on the wrist. Honestly, a jail term for killing someone is basically telling me that killing someone isn't that big a deal. Why not do it? It's not like my life will be ruined. Again, karla homalka.

Unfortunately, I don't share your empathy. Fairness, to me, is an eye for an eye. Taking out all the "evil" in society and risking the possibility of an innocent death is a whole lot more justified than making sure all the innocent people stay innocent and letting criminals run free.

Once someone knows they can get away with something, they WILL do it again.

Let me just say, you could either be a very successful leader, or a hitler-esque leader... there's not much grey area with you, is there.