Should we (the U.S.) increase the number executions?

[k-onmmunist]

No, you should be executing 0 people a year.

[k-onmmunist]

It would be far more of a punishment to give them a life sentence without parole anyway.

[k-onmmunist]

I would much rather die than face the prospect of never getting out of prison again.

This. Death is the easy way out for criminals.

[k-onmmunist]

Arguing for or against the death penalty on whatever merits you think it has is one thing, and in fact, legitimate to me, even if I dislike the death penalty. (No, abhor it.) But to actually favor a blanket increase in executions would make me seriously question your mental well-being.

Pretty much this. There's no point in executing people as a 'deterrent', because it doesn't work for the reasons I pointed out above.

[k-onmmunist]

Arguing for or against the death penalty on whatever merits you think it has is one thing, and in fact, legitimate to me, even if I dislike the death penalty. (No, abhor it.) But to actually favor a blanket increase in executions would make me seriously question your mental well-being.

Pretty much this. There's no point in executing people as a 'deterrent', because it doesn't work for the reasons I pointed out above.

And I addressed why that reason was utter garbage. Nobody would choose death over prison if push came to shove.

How would you know? You've never been faced with that situation as far as I know. And if given that choice, I'd rather die than spend decades in a cramped cell living a meaningless life and in constant risk of being raped by other prisoners.

[k-onmmunist]

Arguing for or against the death penalty on whatever merits you think it has is one thing, and in fact, legitimate to me, even if I dislike the death penalty. (No, abhor it.) But to actually favor a blanket increase in executions would make me seriously question your mental well-being.

Pretty much this. There's no point in executing people as a 'deterrent', because it doesn't work for the reasons I pointed out above.

And I addressed why that reason was utter garbage. Nobody would choose death over prison if push came to shove.

How would you know? You've never been faced with that situation as far as I know. And if given that choice, I'd rather die than spend decades in a cramped cell living a meaningless life and in constant risk of being raped by other prisoners.

How would I know? If death was so much better then prisoners would trying to commit suicide left and right. You are simply being dishonest in asserting otherwise.

Plenty of prisoners do commit suicide if they get the chance. Many don't get the chance. It's not like they have easy access to a bottle of cyanide you know.

[k-onmmunist]

Alot of people commit suicide for whatever reason. I don't know what rock you've been under, but clinical depression is on the increase and so is suicide as a result. People do not prefer a life of pain over death.

[k-onmmunist]

Alot of people commit suicide for whatever reason. I don't know what rock you've been under, but clinical depression is on the increase and so is suicide as a result. People do not prefer a life of pain over death.

And what does that fallacy have to do with this discussion? The fact that some people commit suicide does not mean that all prisoners want to commit suicide.

I didn't say ALL prisoners do. You're denying that people commit suicide because apparently most people would prefer to live a life of pain and despair rather than kill themselves.

[k-onmmunist]

This discussion has beautifully diverted itself into a sidetrack about prison suicide.  It's a dead end, though.

The ideal situation with the prison system is that it needs to be far, far harsher than it is currently.  Thus making it a fate worse than death; thereby instilling a desire among prisoners to seek death rather than continue living under those circumstances.

Just executing them is giving them an easy way out instead.

I agree with this more or less. No more PlayStations or phones in gaols and other ridiculous luxuries. Prisons ought to be hell.

[k-onmmunist]

The idea of prison as some type of pleasant relaxing resort is largely a myth. Can anyone cite an actual example of a prison that allows PlayStations?

Does this sound like a fun getaway?

http://news.spong.com/article/10249/PS2s-Banned-from-UK-Prison

Welcome to Britain!