Why do people kill people to prove that killing people is wrong?

Valid point, but look at it this way. The government is already spending way over budget on its prison facilities. And who has to pay for these facilities? You and I and everyone else reading this. It costs a lot of money to shelter and feed someone for 60+ years.

Not that I completely agree with the death penalty, it has its faults. But where do you expect all of that money to come from?

No one kills to prove that killing is wrong. That killing is wrong is already believed, and killing the killer is for some people a way of exacting justice. The wage of sin is death, as they say. Anything less would not teach how serious murder is, according to this view. I suppose that you have to ask what justice demands. Do you think that it is just to kill a murderer? Has his act warranted death by the entire society (through a socially approved organ, like the police or the penal system)? You also have to consider the political ramifications. A society should be able to maintain its unity and stability. Does the death penalty strengthen or weaken society? Also, does social usefulness matter over all concerns? Are we to be utilitarians at all costs? Or are there things that should never be done, regardless of the consequences? Is the death penalty one of them? Remember that there are many ethical and political questions involved in this issue. Don't short change the discussion or your opponents. It's very hard, indeed.

The only viable option is to have "working" prisons like they used to, but because of organizations like the ACLU and liberal-minded sympathizers, prisoners have access to weights, porn, conjugal visits, 3 square meals a day, libraries etc etc ETC.

"Chain gangs" aren't what I'm talking about either.

I would like to see working prison farms. They grow and make their own supplies. Nothing new either; hand-me-downs and donations should be fine.

No tv nor media of any kind. They shun society, so why do they need to keep up with it? Let their visitors get them caught up.

I would like to see more road work done (litter, potholes etc), urban cleanup (graffiti, slum removal/demolition), disaster cleanup (like New Orleans..shoveling, scrubbing, rebuilding etc). Too bad that is ALL considered cruel and unusual punishment.

They used to make big rocks into little rocks, now they do nothing.

In my dream world, I'd let serious offenders (murder, rape, pedophiles) remain in jail for life and I'd brand/tattoo the rest with a scarlet letter naming their crime (hand or forehead).

REPEAT, I say REPEAT, offenders would lose ALL rights and have to scrounge a living as best they could. Bleeding hearts like yourself could feed them and house them and people like me could see them coming a mile away and avoid them like the plague they are.

That should appease all peoples involved including the criminals as they CHOOSE that lifestyle. Everyone's happy, right? Criminals are free, I'm not paying for it and you feel better that they're not dead. It's all good, right?

Here in the real world though, the death penalty is supposed to be a deterrent. In other words: Don't do _______ or you'll be put to death. There's a choice made in the process somewhere and it starts with the guy BEFORE a crime is committed.

It's NOT a punishment and it's NOT some sort of payback for victims nor their families. Life is hard, death is easy..no punishment there, especially with the amount of atheists I see on here, that should be acceptable. Those of us that Believe, know better. Those people left behind aren't filled with anything. There might be a little relief in knowing that the BAD GUY is gone and won't do it again..no way, no how, NOW that they're dead. No loopholes, probation, bail-jumping, halfway house, work-release program there, just dead and DONE.

You know that if you kill someone, you'll probably be on death row if you're caught, right? People CHOOSE to break laws that they KNOW they could be put to death for..you WANT that person on the streets? People who KNOW and CHOOSE to IGNORE the law? Or you'd rather pay for that cushy (NOT IDEAL, but yes, cushy VS. being homeless) life sentence? Then I suggest you vote it into law that: ONLY PEOPLE, who DON'T WANT the DEATH PENALTY, PAY for those sentenced with it.

I'd gladly let you.

Until then, get em off the books ASAP.

the theory is, you wont kill someone else if, you know that the end result is that you, yourself will be killed. problem is, most killers either do it spur of the moment, without thinking about the consequences or, figure they wont get caught.

This law is "an eye for an eye...." Exodus 21:23-27 Otherwise your and our tax money will pay for the imprisoned scum.

They arent trying to prove anything. They are removing scum from society.

They feel that their job is to make the family of the victim feel better and the only way to make them feel better is by killing the killer, but it's wrong!