Way to go New Jersey

If we eliminate the death penalty, then in it's place we should at least start up a Devil's Island penal colony. Dump the scourge somewhere else and remove them from society... have them fend for themselves.

Where's the disincentive to commit crimes anymore? Sentences, parole, etc have become such a joke.

And death penalty issue aside... it makes me cringe to read "Hopefully more states will follow [New Jersey's] lead." for any issue.
NJ is such a horrid example to follow for anything.   My favorite headline for 2nd half of 2007 is from the Trentonian: "Scumbag politicians steal $1 billion"
With it's major cities consistantly making the top list for crime/murder... ridiculously high taxes... and slew of corrupt criminals, errr... I mean politicians that the idiot citizens continue to elect in year after year... NJ is hardly an example for ANYone to follow, for anything. I keep hoping my family decides to move so I don't even have to bother going back so often. I know I surely won't ever move back there myself.

But back on topic... if the Death Penalty is to be removed... then something else needs to take it's place. The sentencing aspect of criminal justice should be as much a disincentive as a punishment. Right now it's hard for me to consider it being much of either.
At the very least... no death penalty should mean 4x6 cell, solitary confinement for life with no parole, no TV, no exercise, no contact with other inmates... nothing.

Benjichang wrote: I don't see how you can support the death penalty if the system is flawed and has failed in the past. The fact that wrongly-convicted people have been put to death, yet support for the capital punishment is so high in this country is mind blowing to me. Based on that alone should be enough reason to not support it. And also, the abortion argument really has no bearing in this thread. That's a separate issue that really can't be compared to capital punishment. I also find it fascinating that some many Christians out there are in favor of the death penalty. I figure since Jesus was a wrongful victim of capital punishment, you people would be against it. Also, what happened to "Thou shalt not kill"?

It's not me thats doing the killing, so I dont care, Death Penalty=win

No Death Penalty?= :(

If NJ is going to rid of the death penalty, why not let rapists go wild while they are at it? An eye for an eye should be implemented, if you kill somebody beyond question, you get killed. It should not even be a question, those convicted of murder should be killed, and there should be no 15 years in prison before you are executed, it should be maybe a year, to think about what they did, then execution.

Again a "Biblical" aspect ot our society, the "eye for an eye" concept, and we know how the current feeling is towards any "relgious" applications in our "new enlightened " society. The rub the belly it will be OK approach to the criminal surely deters crime, that is the new progressive approach.

Something tells me that if somebody killed one of your Family members your opinion on the Death Penalty would change.

Benjichang wrote: Da Hui wrote: Something tells me that if somebody killed one of your Family members your opinion on the Death Penalty would change. No, it wouldn't. I don't believe that more violence is the answer to violence.

Have you ever had anybody close to you Murdered?

hahaha, I love it when fetuses are compared to like, tenants paying
rent or something

This forum holds alot of hate for Jersey. Where did all the hate foster? Hell, we gave you Bruce Springsteen, what more do you want!

Da Hui wrote: Benjichang wrote: Da Hui wrote: Something tells me that if somebody killed one of your Family members your opinion on the Death Penalty would change. No, it wouldn't. I don't believe that more violence is the answer to violence. Have you ever had anybody close to you Murdered?

Ever had somebody close to you wrongly convicted, executed, and later found innocent?

I think your opinion on the death penalty would change also.

As fascinating as a discussion comparing abortion to the death penalty is, I suspect it is a little off center here... 

But as to the death penalty, I find that many supporters of the death panalty casually mix up various reasons.

Should we have the death penalty because it is a deterrant?  Or because the bible says "an eye for an eye"?  Is it "justice"?

If it were proven that the death penalty is not a particularly effective deterrant, would you change your position?

And are you not concerned about the innocent getting executed?

(And BTW, OS, if you think time outs are ineffective as a child-rearing tool, you are doing it wrong)