http://www.bahamasb2b.com/news/wmview.php?ArtID=4272

This says the cold blooded murderer of a young woman will get 25 years in jail instead of the death penalty. What would be the right way to handle criminals like this?

1) Death Penalty (as is - never happens)
2) Death Penalty (Hang them in rawson court for all to see)
2) Long Life Sentence (they get out again and can do it all over again)
3) Who Cares?
4) Other

http://www.bahamasb2b.com/news/wmview.php?ArtID=4272

This says the cold blooded murderer of a young woman will get 25 years in jail instead of the death penalty. What would be the right way to handle criminals like this?

1) Death Penalty (as is - never happens)
2) Death Penalty (Hang them in rawson court for all to see)
2) Long Life Sentence (they get out again and can do it all over again)
3) Who Cares?
4) Other

Some crimes are so heinous that they cry out for the death penalty. Some do not. Yet, whom is to say which is which?

I would be for the death penalty if you could give me a 100% guarantee that the accused was guilty. We know that mistakes are made in court all the time. In the U.S the DNA tests are showing that some "guilty" men are innocent. Some men have spent years on Death Row only to discover (with DNA) they were not guilty.

I shudder to think of someone being murdered. I shudder even more to think that an innocent man has been sent to the gallows.

you went too shallow cg
i would be for the death penalty if it actualy proved it detered murder!
which to me...it does not!

Some crimes are so heinous that they cry out for the death penalty. Some do not. Yet, whom is to say which is which?

I would be for the death penalty if you could give me a 100% guarantee that the accused was guilty. We know that mistakes are made in court all the time. In the U.S the DNA tests are showing that some "guilty" men are innocent. Some men have spent years on Death Row only to discover (with DNA) they were not guilty.

I shudder to think of someone being murdered. I shudder even more to think that an innocent man has been sent to the gallows.


I would rather be dead, then to spend 30 years (or any time for that matter) in Fox Hill Prison!

It has been proven that the dealth penalty does not deter crime, look at Canada, they have one of the lowest violent crime rates in the world. Look at its neigbour the US its a different story. I think our justice system needs major revamping, as well we need a major revampimg of our police and rehibilitation systems in this country, because they are whack.

Okay let me reword this, reply to it in a moral way, example, forget what it deters or doesnt deter, think of which is the best way to deal with the criminal, pay to house them for 30 years, they come back out and do it again, family members will never forget their loved ones that were slaughtered, but the criminal is walking, OR get rid of them now, save some money, and get payback for the family, they will never commit another murder.

Something like this ....

Rory you should've set up a poll man...I'm in favor of the death penalty..one that is actually put to use.

you went too shallow cg
i would be for the death penalty if it actualy proved it detered murder!
which to me...it does not!

As I see it, the deterrent factor in the death penalty as not the main reason for executions.

As religion is my field let me give you an explanation I heard. A Christian Pastor said that God instituted the Death Penalty. His reason was to show us that human life is valuable. It cannot be taken from a person "at the drop of a hat!" In Bible times when a person stole something he had to repay the owner its value, sometimes twice its value. If you killed someone's cow, or ox - you had to make restitution. When you murder someone, you have destroyed something of value on which no money price can be fixed. How can you repay when there is not enough money in the world to make reparations? The only thing of equal value is your life - The only "coin" that you can use it your life! God has given the "sword" the right to execute, to a governing power. Sound reasonable to me - on paper!

In older times one could be hung for stealing a loaf of bread. Pickpockets were hung in public, and as they swung on the end of a rope, other pickpockets were picking the pockets of the audience. No deterrent factors there! Yet, the death penalty has been used as a deterrent, for revenge, for political reasons but seldom for the reasons that Pastor mentioned.

What do you think of the Pastors' remarks?

My cousin was murdered in 1994 and we never found out who did it. He went into his office on a Sunday and some people had broken in...they stabbed him 17 times, and he died of blood loss even after someone had found him and taken him to hospital. I was so upset that it seemed like the police weren't even trying to find out who murdered him, but later my mother said it was probably for the best since even if we caught them, they'd have been back out on the street in 5 years' time. Sometimes you just have to believe in Universal Justice and that bad people's karma will eventually catch up with them. That's the only way we've found peace with this.

As I see it, the deterrent factor in the death penalty as not the main reason for executions.

As religion is my field let me give you an explanation I heard. A Christian Pastor said that God instituted the Death Penalty. His reason was to show us that human life is valuable. It cannot be taken from a person "at the drop of a hat!" In Bible times when a person stole something he had to repay the owner its value, sometimes twice its value. If you killed someone's cow, or ox - you had to make restitution. When you murder someone, you have destroyed something of value on which no money price can be fixed. How can you repay when there is not enough money in the world to make reparations? The only thing of equal value is your life - The only "coin" that you can use it your life! God has given the "sword" the right to execute, to a governing power. Sound reasonable to me - on paper!

In older times one could be hung for stealing a loaf of bread. Pickpockets were hung in public, and as they swung on the end of a rope, other pickpockets were picking the pockets of the audience. No deterrent factors there! Yet, the death penalty has been used as a deterrent, for revenge, for political reasons but seldom for the reasons that Pastor mentioned.

What do you think of the Pastors' remarks?


CG, a pastor once said that you can use the Bible to argue in favour of the death penalty or against it, and both arguments would be just about equally strong!

Then some would say that even though Christ himself was subjected to the death penalty, He would be against it -- it would not square with His command to "forgive your brother 70 x 7 times..."

Rory has beaten me to the punch with this thread. I was just thinking of starting one like it today, as it was strongly mentioned in a talk show. And some of you may have read my recent post# 62 under a thread started by Vicky titled "Re: prove the Bible is the word of the creator", in which I gave my views on why I am against the death penalty, which once ago I used to be in favour of. [CG has responded very commendably to what I said]. But my views should have really been here, instead of in the mentioned thread.

What I think is required is serious brainstorming by house members or perhaps other groups to see if they can come up with proper punishment and rehabilitation. Say, for instance, if someone commits a cold blooded murder, sentence him / her to 25 years, take most of their money/property [if they have anything], and give it to the victim's family to help with funeral expenses, children's schooling, etc.

Make sure the murderer gets rehabilitated in prison and learn a decent trade or profession. If he is incorrigible and refuses to learn a trade and be rehabilitated, then he is kept in prison until he completes these requirements! Simple as that!

CG, a pastor once said that you can use the Bible to argue in favour of the death penalty or against it, and both arguments would be just about equally strong!
Sad, but true!

Then some would say that even though Christ himself was subjected to the death penalty, He would be against it -- it would not square with His command to "forgive your brother 70 x 7 times..."
When Christ returns, he will head an army! There will be no 7x70.

What I think is required is serious brainstorming by house members or perhaps other groups to see if they can come up with proper punishment and rehabilitation. Say, for instance, if someone commits a cold blooded murder, sentence him / her to 25 years, take most of their money/property [if they have anything], and give it to the victim's family to help with funeral expenses, children's schooling, etc.
Make sure the murderer gets rehabilitated in prison and learn a decent trade or profession. If he is incorrigible and refuses to learn a trade and be rehabilitated, then he is kept in prison until he completes these requirements! Simple as that!
The very first thing we need is a prison system that is not the worst in the world! As things stand now, our prison is just a warehouse run by people who are little better that those they guard.

As I see it, the deterrent factor in the death penalty as not the main reason for executions.

As religion is my field let me give you an explanation I heard. A Christian Pastor said that God instituted the Death Penalty. His reason was to show us that human life is valuable. It cannot be taken from a person "at the drop of a hat!" In Bible times when a person stole something he had to repay the owner its value, sometimes twice its value. If you killed someone's cow, or ox - you had to make restitution. When you murder someone, you have destroyed something of value on which no money price can be fixed. How can you repay when there is not enough money in the world to make reparations? The only thing of equal value is your life - The only "coin" that you can use it your life! God has given the "sword" the right to execute, to a governing power. Sound reasonable to me - on paper!

In older times one could be hung for stealing a loaf of bread. Pickpockets were hung in public, and as they swung on the end of a rope, other pickpockets were picking the pockets of the audience. No deterrent factors there! Yet, the death penalty has been used as a deterrent, for revenge, for political reasons but seldom for the reasons that Pastor mentioned.

What do you think of the Pastors' remarks?


exactly so cg....
i did a paper not too long ago on the effects of the death penalty on crime deterence...and it wasnt even a factor...i mean it was a non issue to the nth degree!!
but what was found, that the people who beleived in it the most, we die hard religious conservatives, who beleived in the rhetoric of eye for and eye and that sort of thing!
i wish i had my stuff with me here, so i can share some facts!

we are doing another in depth research analysis on the death penalty again...
i would be on it...but politics of the entire shema has me thinking twice about it..
it ought to be good research though...
:friday:

My cousin was murdered in 1994 and we never found out who did it. He went into his office on a Sunday and some people had broken in...they stabbed him 17 times, and he died of blood loss even after someone had found him and taken him to hospital. I was so upset that it seemed like the police weren't even trying to find out who murdered him, but later my mother said it was probably for the best since even if we caught them, they'd have been back out on the street in 5 years' time. Sometimes you just have to believe in Universal Justice and that bad people's karma will eventually catch up with them. That's the only way we've found peace with this.

As a Buddhist, I believe in Karma. Whoever killed your cousin will pay, if not in this life then in the next, be that "life" reincarnation or at God's judgement - whichever your religion teaches.

Make sure the murderer gets rehabilitated in prison and learn a decent trade or profession. If he is incorrigible and refuses to learn a trade and be rehabilitated, then he is kept in prison until he completes these requirements! Simple as that!


If it were a family member of mine, I just wouldnt sit still knowing the person that murdered them would get out in 25 years to live a normal life, while my family member no longer lives because of that person.

There is NO rehabilitation for a murderer, they are just that, a murderer, and always will be, they took a life (on purpose) and there is no bringing that life back. Question is, what to do with them? as it appears in the Bahamas some of them are getting off on 1 year sentences even, such as was a case where the murderer had aids and another where they were on drugs. Thats like saying its ok to kill someone if you are high or have a deadly illness, which is wrong.

But im sure Public hanging of them in Rawson Court will change some of their minds ...

just my 2 cents ..

I would rather be dead, then to spend 30 years (or any time for that matter) in Fox Hill Prison!


Considering the disease and abuse that are at epidemic levels, and the general welfare of the inmates, a 30 years sentence is a life term. For some, months in jail put them in a coffin.