Capital Punishment

I think there are only very, very few who are or have served the rest of their life in prison.

A life sentence now seems to be around 15 years.

In 2020/21, the average cost of a prison place in England and Wales was 48,162 British pounds a year, compared with 44,640 British pounds in the previous reporting year. Since 2015/16, the annual cost of one prison place in England and Wales has increased by almost 13,000 British pounds.

Totally opposed to death sentence. It is barbaric. The thought just crossed my mind what if those convicted were allowed to choose assisted dying, then I thought again but there would be no punishment and who would want to administer this to a healthy person. No we have to stick with jail.

I thought that a whole life sentence was just that. Does not mean that the rest of that life is spent incarcerated, they may come out, but on very controlled and strict licence -which will remain in force for the rest of their lives.

I am really undecided on this, although, if there was a referendum on the death penalty, I feel the views expressed here will be the minority.
I think people would vote to bring it back.
I add the above is just my opinion.

Yes, I think there is a place for the death penalty.
Only in the very extreme cases, but I would support it.

Farzanah

The consensus of views so far is interesting. It’s a common belief that if there was a referendum on Capital Punishment the majority would vote for reinstatement!

They're likely to be the same people who voted for Brexit - old, Northern, less well-educated, in the main.

There used to be debates in Parliament about whether to restore the death penalty.
I believe it never got as far as a referendum (the House was so clearly against it)
I think thank goodness. The public may very well vote to have it again .

Chocolatelovinggran

Farzanah, that was the case in the past, I believe. More recent surveys suggest that most people, now, are opposed to the death penalty.

That’s interesting Chocolate.
The YouGov poll I saw 2022 found
40% support DP
50% opposed
10% unsure

Tory voters 50% support
34% opposed
Labour 23% support
62% against

Over 65s
54% support 22% against

There is a clear majority in support of DP for certain murders. Murder of a child. Terrorism Act and multiple murder.

What bothers me is that the last hangings took place in 1964 and finally hanging was abolished in 1969. Why would any politician think to revisit this in 2023?

There are many more important current problems facing us so to me, it shows a lack of political judgment.

Some people do not deserve to live - if no remorse, reincident crimes, ...

For some cases, I say yes

Farzanah, that was the case in the past, I believe. More recent surveys suggest that most people, now, are opposed to the death penalty.

The consensus of views so far is interesting. It’s a common belief that if there was a referendum on Capital Punishment the majority would vote for reinstatement!

I don’t draw a line. I’d be happy for someone else to explain their opinion on that situation though.

I think that's a "Case by Case", Grey.

I don’t agree with capital punishment, and do agree that life should mean life, but the dilemma comes where there are those who premeditatively kill for whom having to spend a whole life in prison would mean from well under the age of majority until their death, like the killers of James Boulger. Where do you draw that line?

Never.

No. I agree about life sentence being for life, not because I think it would stop the crimes being committed, but because if you’ve taken someone’s life, and ruined the lives of the victim’s family, why should you have a life?
I couldn’t vote for capital punishment when on a jury, and I couldn’t perform the capital punishment.

TerriBull

Oh my God absolutely not! it's so horribly premeditated and cold blooded having seen films about Timothy Evans, Derek Bentley and Ruth Ellis just horrible sending people to the gallows. I think most people would like to feel that truly awful crimes receive the appropriate custodial sentences and in some cases that means LIFE!

Yes, I agree that life should mean life in some cases.

grandtanteJE65
Consecutive sentences are given in the UK.

Anniebach

Timothy Evans. Derek Bentley and many others , innocent but
hanged

Yes!

No, I don't think it is ever acceptable. After it was finally repealed, and for some time afterwards, the thinking was that in a referendum, the vote would be for restoration. I wonder if that is still true, or if society has, in fact, moved on.

Oh my God absolutely not! it's so horribly premeditated and cold blooded having seen films about Timothy Evans, Derek Bentley and Ruth Ellis just horrible sending people to the gallows. I think most people would like to feel that truly awful crimes receive the appropriate custodial sentences and in some cases that means LIFE!

Callistemon21

No, it's not. Miscarriages of justice are not unknown.

I do sometimes wonder, though, if someone is convicted of more than one heinous crime, why their sentence should be current.
A consecutive sentence of sufficient length would mean they will not be released and cause terror again.

Rapist Metropolitan Police officer David Carrick has been handed 36 life sentences, with a minimum term of 32 years, after committing “violent and brutal sexual offences” against a dozen women.
They are to run concurrently.

Consecutive sentences are a feature of American justice, but I don't believe they prevent people from committing crimes.

I have always been and still am opposed to capital punishment, and I find it hard to believe that if you risk the death penalty for having murdered someone the temptation to do away with any potential witness won't be very strong.

Longer sentences would of course increase public expense. Whether they would work as a deterrent, I have no way of judging, but I suspect they would not.

Perhaps murders and rapists should like the criminally insane be kept in prison until a board of psycologists is willing to certify that they will not repeat the crime.

This too will cost money, but surely it is more important to protect people against those that commit violent crimes than to cut the costs of public expenditure?

Great quotation LadyH.

I do have sympathy with your sentiment, child murder is so horrific.

Well spotted Cs783. Don’t think it was noticed 😀.

I agree that some need to be locked up, often for a long time for the safety of society, but I don’t believe the death penalty can ever be justified.

I would like to think that it may be possible to rehabilitate some offenders depending on circumstance, but accept this is a more contentious issue.

Many in prison have mental health and/or drug problems, and rehabilitation doesn’t seem to be the priority in many prisons. I’m not saying that it is possible to rehabilitate those convicted of same of the worst crimes before everyone starts jumping on me.