Death.
For me it depends on the crime. If I was convicted of something “tame” like a drug crime or vehicular manslaughter, I would choose life. If I was convicted of child molestation or rape, something that would get me a lot of flack from other prisoners, I would be the coward and choose death by lethal injection.
I wouldn’t get caught.
just to round up, of 16 votes half goes to each choice.
imprisonment 8
death 8
Life.
I’ve spent plenty of days stuck in places I don’t want to be and somehow managed to survive with my sanity intact. I think I could handle it for extended periods of time as well.
Plus, there’s always the chance of escape.
I’d choose death. Why burden the taxpayers with feeding & housing me? I wouldn’t be doing anything worthwhile, and I’d be useless.
If caught, I’d take imprisonment. I’ll always have that chance to escape. 
Assuming I was guilty of the deed.
Death please. I would not do well trapped inside a box day in, and day out. Plus I would be terrified of the people in prison. The thought of being raped by a guard or becoming someone’s “wife” just does not appeal to me.
It depends on how bad I feel about the crime I committed.
If it’s something that I felt completely remorseless about—like, say, killing a guy who murdered my wife and kids—I might take life imprisonment, provided I could stay in isolation. (I could stand living in a metal closet, as long as I had books.) There’s always the chance that I might get paroled, or that I could escape.
However, if I’d done something I did feel remorse about—say, I got drunk, and ran over a bunch of orphans and their sick puppy—I’d probably feel so bad about it that I’d kill myself, if I had the chance. (That, or slip into hysterical catatonia.) I certainly wouldn’t mind being executed at that point.
But if I were sentenced to death, I would prefer that it not be lethal injection. What a wimpy way to die…I’d want a firing squad, or a guillotine, or something. That, or something that’d let my organs and tissues be harvested to save the lives of others. (Waste not, want not.)
I think I’d rather choose death. Prison would be such hell to me that if the state didn’t do me in I’d probably be driven crazy enough to kill myself instead. I’m assuming worst-case scenario (convicted of child molestation, being prison-raped and hated by even the serial murderers, etc.)
Lethal injection may be painful? Isn’t it like animal euthanesia, like an overdose of anesthetic?
At first I thought death, but I thought I could just give imprisonment a try and commit suicide if I have to. So, I choose life, at least at first.
Life…I could at least try to escape…It might not be so bad maybe its like a very strict and permanent school that has no grading system…yeah I’m being stupid.
Death, unless I can get a decent deal. You know, access to books, a computer, the SDMB, not having to meet any scumbags. Stuff like that. Lacking that, it’s death all the way.
is there a ‘good’ way (and stabbing yourself with a fork is not a good way) to commit suicide/die in prison? i have posted the op with the assumption that life imprisonment would be just that - being forced to live out the rest of your miserable life behind bars. i cannot even comprehend what it would take to make dying by fork a consideration…
with regards to escape, yes, there is always hope. hope, a picture of marilyn monroe and a good spoon.
btw, the poll thus far is still half imprisonment (12), half death (12) and 8 abstains.
Looks painless enough to me.
While we’re at it.
Understand, I do oppose capital punishment, but not on grounds that it is “inhumane.” And while I do apologize for the hijack, this information may be useful in making the decision at hand.
hmm, is morphine better? if so, why isn’t it used instead? on the other hand, if it’s untrained technicians that are the cause of problems…
I agree 100% with Ranchoth.
For example if I killed my twin sister in a jealous rage, I’d choose death. If, OTOH, I killed the guy who murdered my sister, I’d probably choose life.
The woman received ONE of the injections, which probably would be painful. If she were getting the real deal, and recieved them in the correct order, she would’ve died painlessly.
The claim on that website is that lethal injections really are painful to those getting the death penalty. I doubt it. The fact that one injection with out the rest may very well be painful, but when all three are used it’s ok. Just like when you get knocked out and get your rib cage split open for heart surgery. Do you feel that? Sorry for the hi-jack, but the claims that injections are painful to those getting death, is ridiculous.