A Perfect Argument in Favor of the Death Penalty.

No. It makes me happy that solitary confinement would drive cold blooded murderers insane.

You're a fucking psychopath and nothing makes me happier than the fact that you will never be near any position of power.

That makes you as bad the killer.

I was about to say that you can't compare in that way, then I remembered that Dayton is a big proponent of all evil being equally bad in the eyes of Jesus.

Anything whatsoever, regardless of human desire, is evil if it contradicts the will of the Infinite.

Why? Eliminating a threat to innocent people is allowed in the Bible.

Evil people are destroyed of their own accord and not because you or I decided they must be destroyed. It is not something to take pleasure in. Don't be like @Amaris

This assumes every person convicted of murder actually committed the crime. History is quite clear that this is not always the case. What do you do with an innocent person who has been driven mad by a punishment that they did not deserve?

They should of thought of that before they signed away their right to appeals to avoid death.

-Dayton3, a complete nutcase.

Surely you aren't reverting to the Old Testament?

At base level, what do you see as the function of a justice system?

Protection of the innocent.

How does causing suffering promote that?

deterrence

and I should not have to apologize in the least for having a low regard for the well being of those who harm innocent people.

I've not asked you to apologise, just explain.

Now, supposing there was scant reliable evidence that the severity of treatment whilst detained in any way acted as a deterrent?

Supposing I could even show you data which suggested that the death penalty may be less effective as a deterrent than incarceration?

How would that affect your position?

I'm referring to harsh punishments in general being a deterrent. Not necessarily the death penalty in particular.

I would have to examine the evidence closely and make sure it was made by unbiased persons, collected in an unbiased manner, and analyzed by unbiased experts in a fair manner.

And if verified, how would that affect your position?

I might reconsider it. But remember that deterrence is not the only reason to advocate harsh punishments.

What are the other reasons?

For starters, societal validation of the seriousness of the crime committed in a solidly physical and enduring way.

How can you say you "respect life" if you refuse to demand the ultimate sanction against those who do not?

What exactly does "societal validation of the seriousness of the crime" mean? Surely that is reflected in the length of sentencing?

As long as prisoners have life they have hope. I want those who commit murders that merit the death penalty to have no hope whatsoever. At all.

Either because their life is going to be ended while they are utterly vulnerable and helpless or that they face living out the rest of their life even decades completely without any human contact.

I want them to feel the utter helplessness and infinite vulnerability knowing that their lives are over and there is utterly nothing they can do to change that.

Does that answer your question?

Yes it does.

You do realise having no hope also means having nothing to lose and thus no reason to comply with authority?

Just a thought from someone who works in a volatile environment. Any thoughts on how that affects prison dynamics @Zombie?

So, we're back to "revenge".

Which is another justification for the death penalty. The only other alternative is something like Governor Michael Dukakis's notorious furlough program for inmates serving life in prison without parole in Massachusetts that helped sink his presidential campaign in 1988.

One of Dukakis's prison officials told a group of victims family members that "the state of Massachusetts assumes that EVERY prisoner will one day go free. Through pardons, sentence being reduced because of prison overcrowding, and so forth".

the official went on to say that inmates with no hope of ever getting out of prison would be too dangerous to deal with while incarcerated. When one of the family members asked how the governor expected average civilians to deal with killers that the state said would be too dangerous for prison officials they were basically blown off and told to take their gripes to the ballot box.