Norway Killer gets 21-Years

[eppie]

I still say that 150 bucks for a gun and ammo solves the problem a lot better than giving someone a 3 room bungalo for the rest of their natural life. Someone commented ealier that it was like putting down a rabid dog. I agree.

While I'm not a "huge" fan of the death penalty, having the death penalty as an option is always better than not having the option. I would rather have the option, and not use it, than not have the option, and be in a position where it is the best option.

You make it sound too simple.
Let's take the case Breivik; maybe 99% of the Norwegian people would be in favor of giving him the death penalty. But what about other murders, and where do you draw the line? 95 % agreement? 75 %? or just a simple 'more than 50%? And who makes the decision where to draw the line?

You are making a choice between revenge on a single person and throwing away all ethics of a whole society. Because that is what it is all about; revenge. I mean giving death penalty's in such cases is not putting other nutcases of committing such a crime right? Of course it is indeed also a lot cheaper just to kill this guy.....very true....but do you want to make this choice based on money?

Of course besides ethics there is another disadvantage of a very severe punishment system. The prison system in the US for example makes big criminals from small criminals. And makes small criminals from people put away for smoking some weed. Further getting a death penalty is far more dependent on the type of lawyer you can afford than on the crime you committed.

Here there is of course a big difference in thinking between the USA and Europe, something that we will not solve here on the lounge.