[Ruth]

I don't agree with the death penalty...it's not so much that I don't think people like Ian Huntley for example deserves to die for what he has done - more that I think, what right has anybody else to make that decision about his life? By administering the death penalty, it's like saying, "you can't kill people on your terms, but it's okay for us to kill people on our terms." I'm sorry, I just don't agree with the death penalty, and I can't make exceptions.

Regarding the financial issue - I often hear people say "why should we pay to keep these people in prison?" The fact is that if the death penalty were reintroduced to Britain, anyone sentenced to it, would have appeal after appeal after appeal after appeal. Those appeals would run into 10s of thousands of pounds, if not 100s of thousands of pounds, and it would be the taxpayers paying for it. We would probably end up paying more than it would cost to keep them in prison for the rest of their life.

Don't get me wrong, if Ian Huntley (again, as an example) decided to kill himself, I wouldn't shed any tears; but I don't think that you or I have the right to make the decision for him. Just as he had no right to make the decision for Holly and Jessica. The death penalty is people saying, "killing is wrong unless we decide to do it."

And to be honest - I pay my taxes partly in order to keep these scum off the streets. No - I don't mind contributing towards keeping the streets safe and keeping these people in prison. I have a problem with how lenient our sentences in Britain are, but that's a different issue entirely.

[ttw]

NO death penalty....

How does this make the criminal pay for their actions?

I'd rather a criminal suffer for his actions and if he is dead he ain't gna care is he.

Let him stay in prison and get bummed in the showers is what i say!!!

[GiRTh]

I've onlt just noticed this thread so I thought I'd put in my two pen 'orth.

In my opinion. Killing is wrong whether it's done by you, me or the state.

One question to everybody but mostly to the pro-capitalist - What is the point of prison? Is it to punish or re-habilitate? I reckon, a bit of both.

In America the death penalty is a very contentious issue. In the states where it's law there are few convictions. Because as soon as the death penalty becomes a factor most cases turns into a farce. Lawyers trying to make a name for themselves usually take on the cases and the media eakes out every ounce of popr publicity that it can. I'd hate for that to happen in this country.

[Sunny_01]

As an ex prison officer - we were taught during our basic training that we were not there to punish, their sentence and resitriction of liberty is the punishment, the prison is purely there so that their sentence is served safely.

[GiRTh]

Originally posted by Sunny_01
As an ex prison officer - we were taught during our basic training that we were not there to punish, their sentence and resitriction of liberty is the punishment, the prison is purely there so that their sentence is served safely.

Abnsoutely. I agree. I can't believe people who think that prisoners should be horsewhipped daily. Many prisoners come out reformed characters and it would be sad for society to so easily give up on people due to mistakes that they may have made.

On the other hand we have career criminals and serial killers. We must not show leniency but where do you draw the line. In america a sixteen years old who's complicit to a murder can be charged with the death penalty if it's sufficiently horrendous crime. We should never be killing 16 year old kids. But that's just my own personal opinion.

[J.C.]

I have changed my view a few times over the years,and I think I have eventually come to the conclusion that its a very bad idea. If nothing else , there is an almost certain chance that there would be rare mistakes,and if 1 innocent person was executed out of even 200, I think we as a country would be as guilty as other 199 .However I feel strongly that proper life imprisonment should be applied far more often than it is. If they are going to apply human rights laws for the welfare of prisoners then they can damm well apply them for children and all other potential victims.