Life in prison vs. Death Penalty

mangochavez

So let's say you were arrested on a couple of real charges, like murder/home invasion/felony murder or something of the sort. And let's say this happened in a death-penalty state in America. And I know this wouldn't be likely to happen but let's just say you were given these two options:

*Taking a plea deal with life/no-parole sentence

*Not taking a plea deal and trying to get the death penalty for your crimes

Note: I know that there's all kinds of appeal processes and other things that you can undertake to try to get your sentence reduced or whatever, but let's just say that in this hypothetical situation your only two options are as I described above. So no appeals, no pardons from the governor, no letters to the President or your congressman. Life in prison or the needle.

My take on this: I personally think that taking the death penalty would be a much better alternative. Here's how I see this. Once you become condemned or placed on death row, not only do you get more respect in the criminal underworld, you also get separately housed and you're likely to get your own cell. Most condemned inmates spend 5-10 years on death row after which they execute you. The execution itself is quite painless. They sedate you and then administer 3 different toxins, so you pretty much just fall asleep and never wake up.

On the other hand, taking a life-no-parole sentence would mean spending the rest of your days incarcerated, regretting what you did and lusting after a normal civilian life. There'd be more stability for you in that you'd get a place to sleep and 3 meals a day. For good behaviour and staying on the administration's good side you could score some neat jobs in prison or maybe some rehabilitation and classes or what not. However, most lifers get placed in general population with all the other inmates and that's where all the difficulties and implications associated with prison emerge. On every yard there's gangs, politics, racial tensions and all kinds of pitfalls. Staying by yourself and not joining a gang would instantly get you preyed upon, while cliquing up with some faction could get you caught up in all kinds of bull****. To make your bones you would definitely have to do some dirt, possibly even kill or stab someone. Blood in, blood out.

What most people think on this: Oh no! Death penalty means they kill you! (D'uh)
You're crazy! Life is so precious! How can you pick death over life?
Life in jail wouldn't be too bad! Some joints have TV's, cigarettes, conjugal visits. etc. etc.

What do you guys think? Is life in prison worth living? Is a ****ty life worth living? Would you rather pick the death penalty over life in prison?

galwayrush

In which country?

mangochavez

galwayrush wrote: »

In which country?

Can't you read, dumb dumb?:

mangochavez wrote: »

So let's say you were arrested on a couple of real charges, like murder/home invasion/felony murder or something of the sort. And let's say this happened in a death-penalty state in America. And I know this wouldn't be likely to happen but let's just say you were given these two options:

Sir Osis of Liver.

I"ll give the lifetime of salad tossing option a miss.
Yeah ,its lethal injection all the way thanks warden.

mangochavez

Sir Osis of Liver. wrote: »

I"ll give the lifetime of salad tossing option a miss.
Yeah ,its lethal injection all the way thanks warden.

What's salad tossing?

Meritocracy Wins

Life in Prison until I am old, then execution. Gives me time to find God.

hfallada

If it was one of those prisons in America where everyone is in a gang and smoking meth. I would take the death penalty. You cant have a good life living in a cell 23 hours day with no human contact accept for a hour in an exercise cage.

mangochavez

Meritocracy Wins wrote: »

Life in Prison until I am old, then execution. Gives me time to find God.

Good luck. Humanity's taken 50,000+ years, and nada. What makes you think you could do it while practically locked in a cage?

antodeco

Meritocracy Wins wrote: »

Life in Prison until I am old, then execution. Gives me time to find God.

He was behind the couch.

Watching you.

Judging you.

Watching you masturbate.

Hownowcow

Instant death.

For some reason I don't like the idea of all them conjugal visits from my prison husbands.

donvito99

The prisons in Ireland are quite cushy by all accounts.

And life in Ireland is 14 years with good behaviour, innit.

Sir Osis of Liver.

mangochavez wrote: »

What's salad tossing?

Its nothing to do with working in the prison canteen.:D

Prodigious

mangochavez wrote: »

Can't you read, dumb dumb?:

No need to be a prick.

Meritocracy Wins

mangochavez wrote: »

Good luck. Humanity's taken 50,000+ years, and nada. What makes you think you could do it while practically locked in a cage?

The idea of death might focus the mind, 50K years isn't long in terms of infinity.
2k years a go a man walked among us, might have been him. He might visit.

antodeco wrote: »

He was behind the couch.

Watching you.

Judging you.

Watching you masturbate.

I always check first.

callaway92

mangochavez wrote: »

Good luck. Humanity's taken 50,000+ years, and nada. What makes you think you could do it while practically locked in a cage?

this post

IM0

death penalty. its a no brainer, in fact in some ways they should take it away as that punishment is too easy. some things are worse than death, and life in prison is one of them things

mangochavez

IM0 wrote: »

death penalty. its a no brainer, in fact in some ways they should take it away as that punishment is too easy. some things are worse than death, and life in prison is one of them things

We say that now, but I'm sure you'd adapt to life in prison over the years, and be satisfied with it. The only thing that should be illegal are religious delusions. I'm sure any Christian would choose death, thinking they'd go to heaven. Religious people should at least be officially considered mentally unsound.

kasper

hang them all let god judge them after that

mangochavez

kasper wrote: »

hang them all let god judge them after that

:rolleyes:

That is all.

Prodigious

Life in prison cos YOLO

kingcobra

hfallada wrote: »

If it was one of those prisons in America where everyone is in a gang and smoking meth. I would take the death penalty. You cant have a good life living in a cell 23 hours day with no human contact accept for a hour in an exercise cage.

But sure you'll be living the good life in jail if you're smoking meth all the time :cool:

Skylinehead

mangochavez wrote: »

Can't you read, dumb dumb?:

America isn't a country, dumb dumb.

Meritocracy Wins

callaway92 wrote: »

this post

Why?

Seachmall

If you pick the death penalty do you get the option of confession?

Don't want to be executed with making good with the big man.

mangochavez

mangochavez wrote: »

Most condemned inmates spend 5-10 years on death row after which they execute you.

Only because their appeals take that long to process, an eventuality you have already discounted.

Killer Wench

You would have the opportunity to consult with a spiritual adviser and you could have an opportunity to talk to loved ones (or those you harmed) before you were put to death.

This may be interesting to some of you:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90935&page=2#.UbScs0DVDgd

thefasteriwalk

Skylinehead wrote: »

America isn't a country, dumb dumb.

The United States of America - commonly known as America - is a country.

BrokenArrows

id take life in prison.

You never know you might actually like it.

On the other hand after a few years of being locked up and you wanted out you could always pick a few ill advised fights and get killed.

Meritocracy Wins

Skylinehead wrote: »

America isn't a country, dumb dumb.

I always thought it was.

elfy4eva

I'd take a life sentence.

I'd try be productive in the little that
I could do. Such as write an account of my life
and where I felt I went wrong just as a way of
leaving my mark however small.

If it didnt suit me after some time had passed I could
always go down the other route.
(Though admittidly not as cushily)

Seachmall

Meritocracy Wins wrote: »

I always thought it was.

Technically America is the North and South American continents (i.e. The Americas).

The country is the United States of America.