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Post by erictheblue on Jun 19, 2010 8:48:32 GMT -5
This thread is a thought experiment. Please do not let it devolve immediately into a debate on the death penalty itself. We've had those discussions and they go nowhere...
One argument often made against the death penalty is that it isn't actually a deterrent. However, executions are held behind prison walls, in the middle of the night, with only a small number of people admitted to the viewing room. If executions were held at more accessible locations (like the middle of town at noon), would that be more of a deterrent?
I was thinking about this this morning, and admit I just don't know. On one hand, the death penalty could become more than a nebulous threat. Everyone would know the reality of it because people could actually witness one. On the other hand, if a person is determined to commit a capital crime, would knowing the possible end result actually stop them?
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Post by m52nickerson on Jun 19, 2010 9:10:21 GMT -5
....or firing squad like in Utah.
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Post by Art Vandelay on Jun 19, 2010 9:18:04 GMT -5
I doubt it would be much of a deterrant, but it would certainly make for interesting viewing (assuming the method is lively enough, pun intended). Hell, I'd probably pay to see it, it would certainly be more interesting than sport or 99% of what's at the movies.
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Post by dasfuchs on Jun 19, 2010 10:04:02 GMT -5
This thread is a thought experiment. Please do not let it devolve immediately into a debate on the death penalty itself. We've had those discussions and they go nowhere... One argument often made against the death penalty is that it isn't actually a deterrent. However, executions are held behind prison walls, in the middle of the night, with only a small number of people admitted to the viewing room. If executions were held at more accessible locations (like the middle of town at noon), would that be more of a deterrent? I was thinking about this this morning, and admit I just don't know. On one hand, the death penalty could become more than a nebulous threat. Everyone would know the reality of it because people could actually witness one. On the other hand, if a person is determined to commit a capital crime, would knowing the possible end result actually stop them? Hangings were near always a public event back in the day...it never stopped nor slowed the amount of crime
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Post by devilschaplain2 on Jun 19, 2010 10:38:37 GMT -5
It'd probably make the crazier breed of killers even more determined for attention. Serial killers are often narcissistic attention-whores.
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Post by kristine on Jun 19, 2010 10:40:57 GMT -5
I doubt it would be much of a deterrant, but it would certainly make for interesting viewing (assuming the method is lively enough, pun intended). Hell, I'd probably pay to see it, it would certainly be more interesting than sport or 99% of what's at the movies. and this is exactly why most people reject having public executions - they are not supposed to be a form of entertainment. The fact that Faces of Death is at the video stores, and rented often, proves death (real death not just the movie type) only makes murder more fascinating to some people. The kind of people who would be deterred by public executions are not the ones more likely to commit a capital crimes.
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Post by Dragon Zachski on Jun 19, 2010 11:06:51 GMT -5
I doubt it would be much of a deterrant, but it would certainly make for interesting viewing (assuming the method is lively enough, pun intended). Hell, I'd probably pay to see it, it would certainly be more interesting than sport or 99% of what's at the movies. You scare me. I mean, LITERALLY scare me. You remind me of the fundies who laughed and joked around about the public hangings of gays in Iraq. Would you go to see those too for entertainment? On-topic: Public executions didn't work back then, and they won't work right now. I would argue further, but the TC specifically requested that this not devolve into a topic about the death penalty period.
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Post by aboveathletics on Jun 19, 2010 11:07:58 GMT -5
I think if there are going to be executions, they should be public. People who support capital punishment need to understand what it is they stand for. I believe that if people actually saw capital punishment, it would be banned way faster.
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Post by Dragon Zachski on Jun 19, 2010 11:13:17 GMT -5
I think if there are going to be executions, they should be public. People who support capital punishment need to understand what it is they stand for. I believe that if people actually saw capital punishment, it would be banned way faster. People who support capital punishment already know exactly what it is they stand for. Don't be so condescending.
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Post by Vene on Jun 19, 2010 11:17:32 GMT -5
This thread is a thought experiment. Please do not let it devolve immediately into a debate on the death penalty itself. We've had those discussions and they go nowhere... One argument often made against the death penalty is that it isn't actually a deterrent. However, executions are held behind prison walls, in the middle of the night, with only a small number of people admitted to the viewing room. If executions were held at more accessible locations (like the middle of town at noon), would that be more of a deterrent? I was thinking about this this morning, and admit I just don't know. On one hand, the death penalty could become more than a nebulous threat. Everyone would know the reality of it because people could actually witness one. On the other hand, if a person is determined to commit a capital crime, would knowing the possible end result actually stop them? Hangings were near always a public event back in the day...it never stopped nor slowed the amount of crime Another place to look at is the middle east, where they behead murderers and chop the hands off of thieves.
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Post by the sandman on Jun 19, 2010 11:31:01 GMT -5
One of the reasons people dismiss the death penalty as a deterrent is because when people commit a crime, they generally do no think they are going to be caught. If they do not believe they are going to be caught, then why worry about the potential penalty?
As for public executions? I personally do not want to live in a society that promotes death and execution as public entertainment.
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Post by worlder on Jun 19, 2010 12:32:47 GMT -5
I bet if there were more public executions, some people would start doing crimes in the name of
FFFFFFRRRREEEEEDDOMMMMM.
PS: Yes, I just had to ham up that word.
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Post by Professor Cold Heart on Jun 19, 2010 12:33:57 GMT -5
A public lethal injection would be kind of dull. If they bring back public executions then they'd have to be something cool, like hanging or decapitation. I doubt it would be much of a deterrant, but it would certainly make for interesting viewing (assuming the method is lively enough, pun intended). Hell, I'd probably pay to see it, it would certainly be more interesting than sport or 99% of what's at the movies. You people scare me. I mean, LITERALLY scare me. You remind me of the fundies who laughed and joked around about the public hangings of gays in Iraq. Would you go to see those too for entertainment? On-topic: Public executions didn't work back then, and they won't work right now. I would argue further, but the TC specifically requested that this not devolve into a topic about the death penalty period. I meant my post as a joke, but yes, it wasn't in the best taste (bear in mind that, where I come from, the death penalty was abolished decades ago - it's something of an abstract issue to me). I've deleted it now.
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Post by devilschaplain2 on Jun 19, 2010 12:33:58 GMT -5
A public lethal injection would be kind of dull. If they bring back public executions then they'd have to be something cool, like hanging or decapitation. I doubt it would be much of a deterrant, but it would certainly make for interesting viewing (assuming the method is lively enough, pun intended). Hell, I'd probably pay to see it, it would certainly be more interesting than sport or 99% of what's at the movies. You people scare me. I mean, LITERALLY scare me. You remind me of the fundies who laughed and joked around about the public hangings of gays in Iraq. Would you go to see those too for entertainment? On-topic: Public executions didn't work back then, and they won't work right now. I would argue further, but the TC specifically requested that this not devolve into a topic about the death penalty period. robotchicken.wikia.com/wiki/Atta_ToyWish I knew how to just put the video up. Oh well.
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Post by Dragon Zachski on Jun 19, 2010 13:08:00 GMT -5
You people scare me. I mean, LITERALLY scare me. You remind me of the fundies who laughed and joked around about the public hangings of gays in Iraq. Would you go to see those too for entertainment? On-topic: Public executions didn't work back then, and they won't work right now. I would argue further, but the TC specifically requested that this not devolve into a topic about the death penalty period. I meant my post as a joke, but yes, it wasn't in the best taste (bear in mind that, where I come from, the death penalty was abolished decades ago - it's something of an abstract issue to me). I've deleted it now. My post is edited in response. Actually, it was more the other person than you.
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