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Join Here. * About + How Answers Works + Points & Levels + Community Guidelines + Leaderboard + Suggestion Board + Answers Blog * Ask What would you like to ask? ____________________ Continue * Answer * Discover What are you looking for? ________________________________________ Search Yahoo Answers Advanced Search 1. Home > 2. All Categories > 3. Politics & Government > 4. Law & Ethics > 5. Resolved Question michael t michael t Member since: January 21, 2009 Total points: 121 (Level 1) * Add Contact * Block Resolved Question Show me another » What are your opinions on capital punishment/death penalty in the U.S.? Hey guys, I'm writing a paper about this topic and I'd like to hear some of your opinions about it. * 5 years ago * Report Abuse IFRAME: http://dmros.ysm.yahoo.com/ros/?c=d3c11d5b&w=498&h=250&ty=noscript&tt=W hat+are+your+opinions+on+capital+punishment%2Fdeath+penalty+in+the+U.S. %3F&r= Susan S by Susan S Member since: November 30, 2006 Total points: 111,150 (Level 7) * Add Contact * Block Best Answer - Chosen by Asker I've gone back and forth on this most of my life, and finally looked at the death penalty system in action. A lot of what I found surprised and disturbed me. Sources below. Most disturbing is that innocent people have been sentenced to death. Lots of them. 130 people wrongfully convicted people were sentenced to death and were lucky to be exonerated and released, eventually. DNA, available in less than 10% of all homicides, can’t guarantee we won’t execute innocent people. Obviously, if someone is convicted and later found innocent you can release him from prison, but not from the grave. A big surprise: The death penalty is much more expensive than life in prison, and it is well documented. The high costs of the death penalty are for the complicated legal process, and the largest costs come at the beginning, for the pre trial process and for the trial itself. The point is to avoid executing innocent people. Families of murder victims are far from unanimous about the death penalty. However, even families who have supported the death penalty in principal have testified that the drawn-out death penalty process is painful for them and that life without parole is an appropriate alternative. Life without parole, on the books in 48 states, also prevents reoffending. It means what it says, and spending 23 of 24 hours a day locked in a tiny cell is not a picnic. It costs less than the death penalty. The death penalty doesn't prevent others from committing murder. Homicide rates are actually higher in states and regions that have it than in those that don’t. There are serious risks with speeding up the process. Over 50 of the innocent people released from death row had already served over a decade. Speed up the process and we will execute innocent people. The death penalty isn't reserved for the worst crimes, but for defendants with the worst lawyers. It doesn't apply to people with money. When is the last time a wealthy person was on death row, let alone executed? Unless you ignore all these things, it is hard to support the death penalty. Sources: Death Penalty Information Center, www.deathpenaltyinfo.org, for stats on executions, reports on costs, deterrence studies, links to FBI crime stats and links to testimony (at state legislatures) of victims' family members. FBI http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2006/data/tab… The Innocence Project, www.innocenceproject.org http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/COcostte… page 3 and 4 on why the death penalty is so expensive And, for statements of victims’ families: http://www.nyadp.org/main/70308Statement… www.mvfhr.org and www.mvfr.org * 5 years ago * Report Abuse Asker's Rating: 2 out of 5 Asker's Comment: nice * 1 stars - mark this as Interesting! * Email * Comment (0) * Save + Add to My Yahoo + Add to Del.icio.us + RSS * There are currently no comments for this question. * You must be logged into Answers to add comments. Sign in or Register. Other Answers (4) Show: [All Answers____________] Go * Danny K by Danny K Member since: February 10, 2008 Total points: 441 (Level 2) + Add Contact + Block First of all, I think that our first concern should be that life should be protected for both the victims and those guilty of the crime. With that in mind, I believe that though the death penalty is a valid action of the state as a fitting punishment for heinous crimes and as a possible deterrence factor, but I think (from a Biblical perspective) that it is best to exercise grace whenever possible and that it should not just be an option we jump to whenever we are mad. It is a serious business in the taking of human life, and it should not be taken lightly. But, in the end, it is my opinion that the state has a right to exercise the death penalty in EXTREME cases. + 5 years ago + Report Abuse * Bushrod Isbister by Bushrod Isbister Member since: October 31, 2007 Total points: 20,181 (Level 6) + Add Contact + Block There are some people who deserve the death penalty. I'm not talking cases where there is a doubt or your "average" act of violence. People like Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffery Dahmer, for instance, who should be executed for their crimes. + 5 years ago + Report Abuse * 'Taker by 'Taker Member since: September 08, 2007 Total points: 29,354 (Level 7) + Add Contact + Block I'll save you alot of blabber about it not being a deterrent. It obviously is a deterrent:That particular savage is guaranteed never to hurt another soul again. In short: They should install an electric couch. That way we could off the animals three at a time! + 5 years ago + Report Abuse * Roboron by Roboron Member since: January 04, 2009 Total points: 10,999 (Level 6) + Add Contact + Block No question that the offender won't offend again if he is executed. Justice for the victims! + 5 years ago + Report Abuse Discover Questions in Law & Ethics * DUI causing problems in my relationship? * If your terminated from your job for stealing can they withhold your last paycheck? * Cashier gave me my change short 10 dollars... if there anything i can do now that the day is done? * Wanted to know if I could do anything since my car got towed in a fire lane from my complex? Ready to Participate? Get Started! Trending Now 1. 1JonBenet Ramsey 2. 2Shailene Woodley 3. 3Predictions for 2014 4. 4600 brawl 5. 5AARP 6. 6Kellie Pickler 7. 7Little black dresses 8. 8Veena Malik 9. 9Nokia Lumina 1020 10. 10Colors for 2014 Related Questions * Capital Punishment? What is your opinion do you agree or… * Opinions on capital punishment? * Capital Punishment. Opinions on the best and worst way...? * What is you opinion on capital punishment? * What is your opinion about the death penalty? 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