# What Crimes Should Be Punishable By the Death Penalty **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 28, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577 "2011-07-28T02:02:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/1 "2011-07-28T02:02:19Z")
Keep in mind that this only makes crimes punishable by the death penalty not necessarilly make it have to be punished by death. I would think the death penalty should be eligible for: First-Degree Murder Treason Espionage Desertion During Wartime ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/2 "2011-07-28T02:08:12Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Keep in mind that this only makes crimes punishable by the death penalty not necessarilly make it have to be punished by death. > > I would think the death penalty should be eligible for: > First-Degree Murder > Treason > Espionage > Desertion During Wartime Could you clarify your distinction? I still don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/3 "2011-07-28T02:09:01Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > Could you clarify your distinction? I still don’t get it. I mean that the crimes’ only possible punishment isn’t the death penalty especially if there are mitigating circumstances of one variety or the other. ---
**Author:** ![Gil-Martin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Gil-Martin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gil-Martin)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/4 "2011-07-28T02:21:22Z")
Rape? Certain forms of child abuse? ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/5 "2011-07-28T02:25:55Z")
none ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/6 "2011-07-28T02:33:28Z")
Repeated physical / sexual abuse of animals or people. Joe ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/7 "2011-07-28T02:38:12Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > none Agreed. I think anyone who commits those acts _deserves_ death, but I do not trust our legal system to dish out penalties rightly or fairly. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/8 "2011-07-28T02:44:34Z")
None. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/9 "2011-07-28T02:45:42Z")
None. ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/10 "2011-07-28T03:01:43Z")
Desertion? Are you Ned Stark? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/11 "2011-07-28T03:01:46Z")
Stupidity? 😉 Seriously though? For the most part none, except for genocide. (Like during the Nuremberg Trials.) And even then it would have to be particularly heinous. So only really in theory. > [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Keep in mind that this only makes crimes punishable by the death penalty not necessarilly make it have to be punished by death. > > I would think the death penalty should be eligible for: > First-Degree Murder > Treason > Espionage > Desertion During Wartime Aren’t those already eligible? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/12 "2011-07-28T03:10:50Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Stupidity? 😉 > > Seriously though? For the most part none, except for genocide. (Like during the Nuremberg Trials.) And even then it would have to be particularly heinous. So only really in theory. > > Aren’t those already eligible? I know. I was talking about one’s personal views. However this doesn’t mean that I’m satisfied with the current penal code-its stupid, illogical, and hypocritical. All people convicted of simply possessing drugs should be immediately released for starters. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/13 "2011-07-28T03:13:27Z")
Panda poaching. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/14 "2011-07-28T03:17:12Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > Panda poaching. I’m pretty sure that’s one of the 3457 offences punishable by death in the PRC. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/15 "2011-07-28T03:17:31Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > I think anyone who commits those acts _deserves_ death, but I do not trust our legal system to dish out penalties rightly or fairly. I always hear people say this. Why? Why don’t you trust the legal system? After all the appeals these people get - after years, sometimes _decades_ on death row - I think they are treated plenty fair. Sometimes I hear people say, “if even ONE person is ever wrongly executed, the whole system is evil.” Why? I’d say if only one person is wrongly executed, out of thousands, I’d say the system actually works pretty damn well. These people, by the way, never seem to give a damn about the thousands of people murdered by criminals, so I think their moral compass is a little fucked up. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/16 "2011-07-28T03:30:17Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > These people, by the way, never seem to give a damn about the thousands of people murdered by criminals, so I think their moral compass is a little fucked up. :rolleyes: Ah, the good old “if you don’t support the death penalty you’re pro-crime” bit. ---
**Author:** ![Implicit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Implicit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Implicit)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/17 "2011-07-28T03:35:07Z")
> [@Argent\_Towers](#): > > I always hear people say this. Why? Why don’t you trust the legal system? > > After all the appeals these people get - after years, sometimes _decades_ on death row - I think they are treated plenty fair. > > Sometimes I hear people say, “if even ONE person is ever wrongly executed, the whole system is evil.” Why? I’d say if only one person is wrongly executed, out of thousands, I’d say the system actually works pretty damn well. These people, by the way, never seem to give a damn about the thousands of people murdered by criminals, so I think their moral compass is a little fucked up. One? What if more than half those convicted weren’t guilty? > [@](#): > > Since 1976, Illinois has carried out 12 executions. In the same period, 20 inmates have been exonerated from the state’s death row, the second highest number in the United States. [link](http://pubrecord.org/nation/9039/illinois-ends-death-penalty/) Sure, those appeals worked, how many don’t? And at what cost? The death penalty isn’t punishment, it’s vengeance and unethical. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/18 "2011-07-28T03:42:57Z")
> [@Implicit](#): > > One? What if more than half those convicted weren’t guilty? > > [link](http://pubrecord.org/nation/9039/illinois-ends-death-penalty/) > > Sure, those appeals worked, how many don’t? And at what cost? The death penalty isn’t punishment, it’s vengeance and unethical. I don’t see how taking the life of a man who has taken the life of another is unethical. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/19 "2011-07-28T03:50:34Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I don’t see how taking the life of a man who has taken the life of another is unethical. And killing people who are innocent? That is after all what **Implicit** was talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577/20 "2011-07-28T03:54:34Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > And killing people who are innocent? That is after all what **Implicit** was talking about. No, he directly said it was “vengeful” which implies he just doesn’t mean those who might be wrongly convicted. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-crimes-should-be-punishable-by-the-death-penalty/590577.md?page=2)