[Jords]

Originally Posted by Shasown

A good working example of the use of capital punishment as a deterrent to murder would be to look at the United States of America, Several states have the death penalty while other states dont. The murder rate in states that do not have the death penalty is consistently lower than in states with the death penalty. The South, which carries out over 80% of the executions in the U. S., has the highest murder rate of the four regions. The obvious conclusion is then, it is no deterrent.

There is also an effect that doesnt gain much publicity, if someone was on the jury where the death penalty could be applied, most people would be more reluctant to convict knowing that once the person was dead, they couldnt later be made undead if further evidence came to light that proved their innocence, or simply called to question their conviction. Consequently you have the potential for real criminals to actually be found not guilty, in cases where the balance of evidence would have found them convicted if the punishment was a term of imprisonment.

There are also arguements against it on moral grounds, its retribution albeit state authorised.

Thanks for a really good reply Shasown. That sorta brings my point of it might reducing murder crimes to nearly unexistant!
Knowing that then, I guess its not really a good idea at all if it doesnt help stop anything and just relates to more death and money being wasted. Although what happens in the US may differ in Britain, with it being a lot smaller and therefore people knowing they have more chance of being found if they were on the run.

Very true and I stated that point in the OP, it should only be used if they were definitely guilty of the crime. But the methods used are also very cruel and I dont like that about it either. If it was just a button and they died it would be more humane, but its not and its almost like torturing them which is horrible.

[Shasown]

Originally Posted by Jords

Thanks for a really good reply Shasown. That sorta brings my point of it might reducing murder crimes to nearly unexistant!
Knowing that then, I guess its not really a good idea at all if it doesnt help stop anything and just relates to more death and money being wasted. Although what happens in the US may differ in Britain, with it being a lot smaller and therefore people knowing they have more chance of being found if they were on the run.

Very true and I stated that point in the OP, it should only be used if they were definitely guilty of the crime. But the methods used are also very cruel and I dont like that about it either. If it was just a button and they died it would be more humane, but its not and its almost like torturing them which is horrible.

There are a few methods of terminating life for legal reasons, lethal injection, electrocution, gas chamber, hanging, firing squad, or even decapitation, (not necessarily by the sword - the guillotine) some are more reliable than others, some are of course more painful but if done correctly most are fairly quick.