The death penalty makes no sense.

[robvalue]

The non-revenge arguments I can see for the death penalty are the financial burden on society, the potential risk they pose while still alive, and the jail space they take up that has a knock-on effect. I do agree that being killed is somewhat getting off lightly, I'd rather be killed than spend my life in jail anyday.

I used to consider those arguments somewhat persuasive, but I don't anymore. I'm on the side of being against it now. I still think there are complex issues at play though.

Costs more to kill them than to jail them, if we were worried about the risk they pose to fellow inmates we wouldn't be killing inmates, and jails are hella profitable per sq foot - especially when they're wildly over cap.

I know, I know..just a rejoinder.

Oh really? I wasn't aware that killing would be more expensive. I have heard about jails being profitable, and that itself being an issue.

My concerns are more about dangerous people escaping, but I think that's probably too rare to justify an argument.

I hadn't put enough thought into the issues when I previously held my pro-penalty position. This forum was actually the catalyst to thinking it all through more carefully, maybe 3 years ago now, and I changed my mind. I was thinking of making a thread about what issues this forum has caused people to reconsider.