It's time we act civilized and stop executing people

[Medius]

[The Dharma Bum]

[The Dharma Bum]

[Divinity11]

Well, I'm all for the death penalty. The only problem I have with it is we don't use it enough.

With forensic science and DNA analysis becoming more and more reliable, there should enough concrete evidence and certainty to nullify wrongful deaths.

I have what I've coined as the "Pit Bull Rule," and that is the code I personally use to determine whether or not a candidate is worthy of the death sentence. Did the guy from Ohio deserve what he got? You betcha. Should it have taken 25 minutes? No. Electric chair? Definitely not, as it qualifies as cruel and unusual. Firing squad? No. Death from lethal injection? Yep, but a formula that works quicker than that.

[Dylan]

Why do you assume there will be forensic evidence in every conviction?

[Divinity11]

[Dylan]

So it's more minimizing wrongful executions than eliminating them.

[Divinity11]

[Dylan]

Why increase? Are you just bloodthirsty or have you seen an increase in certain types of crimes that would warrant increased use of the death penalty?

[Professor]

As for the OP, the death penalty never really takes up much of my thought-time. I can see both sides of the argument. But, it's used so infrequently (43 times last year), that it really is very low on my list of things that could/should be changed.

Now, if we're talking about reforming the prison system, there are ways to do that. I like Philly's idea of tiered prisons. For most crimes that carry 20 year sentences or less (or perhaps a few years more), send them to places that truly focus on rehab. Train them for a job. Get them to produce things (why can't a prison have a manufacturing line?). And, then for the truly hardcore guys (and the ones that cause problems in the above prison), send them to work camps in Alaska to drill for oil (American, capitalistic equivalent of Siberian work camps).

But, as I was saying, there are ways to do that. Probably the worst is to try to tackle it head-on - by trying to change government and public opinion. The easiest way is to start/join a company that runs a jail. When you are the warden/administrator, you can run it as you see fit. While administering it, make the changes unilaterally. Then, when they work, export your idea to other states and systems.