Jump to content
HoboFactory

Death Penalty For The Mentally Disabled.

Recommended Posts

Had a discussion about this ealier today and thought I would ask what people here think?? If a mentally retarded individual commits a crime that could ordinarily be punishable by death, should they get the death penalty as anyone else or do they merit an exception because of the disability??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the first place, I am firmly against the death penalty, no matter hte circumstances.

 

And secondly, in countries that do have the death penalty, executing people who don't have the mental capacity to understand what they're doing is just barbaric. As much as they want their gun-toting, yee-hawing justice, some people need help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

controversy is media hype. laws are laws. if the law says you can't help someone kill themself, then you can't. whether you say you should be able to or not, is irrelevant. you can't. same goes for grillin' retards.

 

etc.

 

people just like to argue so they can use big words and 'pwn' people.

Edited by saturnine
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I support the DP and I'll tell you why.

Most people will argue that the primary goal of the justice system is to rehabiliate offenders, and I agree this is true to a point. However if this was the only reason, why not just put people under house arrest? It'd be a hell of a lot cheaper than prison. Well thats cause the MAIN reason like or not of incarserating people is not to rehabiliate them it is to protect society as a whole from further harm.

 

There are a FEW AND ONLY A FEW cases in which the crimes are so henious so vile that even having the person in jail negativly affects society as a whole. A really good example of this is Bernardo and his bitch (I dont know how to spell her name). There is no way that we will be able to rehabilitate that sicko, and there is no way that society will forgive him for what he did.

 

The only thing that is worse than being raped and murdered in a back alley of NYC while passerbyes ignored your screams, is to have those same people refuse to stand up and provide justice to your family.

 

Oh and for those of us Canadians who love the holier than thou motif against the Yanks we still do have the death penalty for 2 crimes.

1. High Treason during a time of war.

2. Air piracy.

 

*edit* opps to answer Hobo's question no, if you lack the mental faculties you shouldn't be held AS accountable as someone who does. That doesnt mean you shouldn't be punished.

 

But as a point just to be the devil's advocate. If a dog kills someone we put it down. So why wouldn't we do that for humans who are dumber than a dog.

Edited by calgarydave
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The death penalty is completely abolished in Canada for all intents and purposes. Even someone who comitted one of the two crimes that are still theoretically punishable by death would not be executed.

 

Is the world a better place when a guilty person is punished? Is that, in and of itself, justice? Is it desirable? I don't understand why.

 

It's been long proven that the death penalty is not an effective deterrent, is more expensive than life imprisonment.

 

But as a point just to be the devil's advocate. If a dog kills someone we put it down. So why wouldn't we do that for humans who are dumber than a dog.

 

That's sick. Humans have rights, and state-sanctioned murder devalues human life. What right does any government have to make these decisions?

 

Karla Homolka gets out of jail this summer, LOL. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's sick. Humans have rights, and state-sanctioned murder devalues human life. What right does any government have to make these decisions?

 

Karla Homolka gets out of jail this summer, LOL. ;)

lol I know it was sick comment I made it just to be an ass.

 

and I'd be carefull before referring to Homolka as human...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of course she's a sicko, but I really don't care that she's getting out if she won't re-offend.

You tell that to the families of the 2 girls.

 

"Ugh well its okay that Homolka gets her life back despite what they did to your daughters. We're fairly certian it wont happen again"

 

give me a break. People like that should be put to death, or locked in a room, and have the key destroyed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its not about revenge, its about society stepping up to the plate and doing whats right by the victims families. Frankly we as a society puts FAR too much empahsis on the rights of the offender.

 

How do you think the family of those 2 girls feel, knowing that in a few months Homolka is going to be out walking around. Can you imagine if one of them ran into her at the supermarket.

 

I can tell you this, if it had been my sister, or one of my really good friends, the Bernardo and Homolka wouldn't have made it to trial...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is isn't anyone's "right" to see that people who have wronged them are punished. That's revenge. I don't think the punishment of the guilty, in and of itself, makes the world a better place.

do you think letting them get away with it does?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It neither makes it worse nor better. "People should pay for their crimes" is not a criterion for what makes a society fair, in my opinion. "We should hold ourself to the highest ethical standards," however, is. When a democratically-elected government kills someone, its citizens must bear some of that responsibility, and to be honest I don't want that kind of black mark on my (for lack of a better word) soul. It's no more acceptable for a government to mete out that kind of justice than for an individual to take matters into their own hands. Besides not supporting the re-instatement of the death penalty, which would be a collossal step backwards, I do happen to be in favour of abolishing the prison system completely and finding alternate methods of rehabilitating criminals and helping them make restitution where that is possible, and while I accept that in many cases it isn't, and some criminals are in all probability beyond rehabilitation, they must still be treated humanely. In all cases we should strive to be enlightened beings. Enlightened beings do not act out of spite or revenge.

Edited by Bizud
Link to comment
Share on other sites

People like that should be put to death, or locked in a room, and have the key destroyed.

Nobody has been given or has the right to decide on other people's life... terrorists and killers don't have that right either, of course, but justice and law are in this world to decide on that

 

Nobody has given me (or anybody) the right to decide if a person must die or not

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh well excuse me for not being enlightened and wanting to ensure that my family and those close to me are safe. I tell ya what you can go live with the murderer's and rapists. I dont think I'll be joining you.

I don't see what safety has to do with treating unrehabilitatable prisoners humanely.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He's from Calagary alright.

What the fuck does that have to do with anything? SHUT THE FUCK UP if you're not going to say anything relevant

 

 

And Bizud you're not talking about treating humanily you're talking about abolishing prison. Therefore they have to be out and about in the general public

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.