Indonesia to execute six drug offenders

[Neo-Scholastic]

The death penalty is barbaric and uncivilized - regardless of the crime. It is a legitimate thing to kill in order to prevent someone from committing an evil act but if they have already done so, what's the point? Better to make them do restitution and/or rehabilitate them.

I think the point is the ideal of ultimate justice. There are certain crimes that humanity views so grave that the punishment demands the highest penalty possible --- forfeiting one's own life. And perhaps the foreknowledge of such a severe consequence does sometimes serve as a prevention of the act.

I do not object to the death penalty on principle. However, in practice there are enough instances in which justice has been miscarried to warrant a ban for fear of executing the innocent.

[Mudhammam]

I think the point is the ideal of ultimate justice. There are certain crimes that humanity views so grave that the punishment demands the highest penalty possible --- forfeiting one's own life. And perhaps the foreknowledge of such a severe consequence does sometimes serve as a prevention of the act.

I do not object to the death penalty on principle. However, in practice there are enough instances in which justice has been miscarried to warrant a ban for fear of executing the innocent.

I agree. It should be preserved for the worst offenders whose guilt is completely certain. There are over 3,000 people on death row right now. I think there should only be a number of slots, say 100, or 10 per year or something, and these only filled with serial killers, terrorists, and the sort.