Should pedophiles and other sexual predators be sentenced to death for their crimes?

[Chocoholic]

I believe they should be sentenced to death. Violent sexual predators have proven time and again that they can NOT be rehabilitated. They should not be allowed another chance to hurt someone. I'm so tired of hearing about convicted offenders going out and raping or even killing another innocent woman or child. It's about time we start protecting our children from these monsters. :mad:

[JamesG]

I am against the death penalty period.

I don't believe that governments should have the right to play God and decide who lives and who dies. You don't treat violent actions with more violence; it seems like a paradox to me.

Incarcerate these people for life I say. About rehabilitation, I think it should be looked at on a case by case basis. Not everyone is the same and everyone does what they do for a reason.


Also to note, let's just say the death penalty gets passed for sex offenders and pedophiles. Now this doesn't leave a reason to keep the victim alive. They rape and kill them they get death. They rape them but let them live they still get death. They will now have a reason to make sure the victim is dead.

[Hollow]

it's a nice idea but i don't think it should be instated. psychologists have pointed out that children are likely to endure even more psychological damage with the knowledge that their offenders were put to death for what they did. they may not mourn the loss, but they wouldn't be relieved about it like an adult or teenager would. child rapists would also be more likely to kill their victims. i'd say life in prison is probably the best sentence for them.

also, i think it should be noted that not all pedophiles harm children or have the desire to. pedophilia is a clinical illness that always gets grouped in with child molestation due to stereotypes.

[JamesG]

it's a nice idea but i don't think it should be instated. psychologists have pointed out that children are likely to endure even more psychological damage with the knowledge that their offenders were put to death for what they did.

I'm interested.. what is the reasoning behind that?

[Zoneboy]

If a child of mine became the victim of a sexual predator the son-of-a-bitch will wish he was dead if I ever get a hold of him. :mad:

[MrCleveland]

Dunno.

Because in Levitical times, a pedophile gets stoned!

[Hollow]

I'm interested.. what is the reasoning behind that?
it's because their minds are too fragile to feel fine and go on with the rest of their lives normally (with the exception of trauma from the incident itself, of course) and not be scarred by the knowledge that a person died because of something that involved them. it's normal for young victims of sexual abuse to feel responsible for what happened, and feeling responsibility for someone's death would make it worse. therapy doesn't always cure feelings like this. the guilt could grow immensely if the child grows up to oppose the death penalty. this is especially true when the offender is a relative or friend of the child's family, which happens in the majority of cases. the child would likely be traumatized by the fact that someone dear to their family had to die because of something that involved them. no matter how much the family may love the child and detest abuse, it would be unrealistic to think that there would be nothing but joy and celebration for the execution. normally it would change their lives and they would grieve for years to come, even they felt it was the right thing. it's not that they would grieve the loss of a child molester, but rather, someone who was once very special to them. i know if my best friend ever went on a killing spree, i'd probably support the death penalty but i'd still love him and be forever scarred by the negative emotions the execution would bring on me. children just don't want to see people go through such a hardship over something that happened to them, no matter how innocent they are.

[Janice]

No. I favor the death penalty only for certain murders. I know sexual abuse is horrific, but I think only murderers should die for their crimes. Also, JamesG makes a solid argument regarding the determent factor. If the scum knows they're going to get death anyway, many may kill their victims.

[dawsongirl]

I'm wicked I guess; I'm all for the death penalty. Soooo many of these freaks don't rehabilitate...rehabilitation is such a ****ing joke sometimes. Why feed these worthless humans when all they do is harm society??

[littlebelle]

No. I am pro-life so I believe in the sanctity of life from womb to tomb.

[catlover79]

I may be on my own here, but I favor castration for male sex offenders. It's been done to adulterers in ancient times, but I think that would be a suitable punishment for molesters.

[Marvo301]

I may be on my own here, but I favor castration for male sex offenders. It's been done to adulterers in ancient times, but I think that would be a suitable punishment for molesters.
No Monika, you're not on your own. I feel the same way.

[catlover79]

No Monika, you're not on your own. I feel the same way.
Hey, they'd never do it again, right??

[Stuck In The '70's]

I may be on my own here, but I favor castration for male sex offenders. It's been done to adulterers in ancient times, but I think that would be a suitable punishment for molesters.
Make it their choice. If you want to get out of prison, then get castrated. :D Otherwise I'm for life in prison. These people can't stop what they're doing.

[Marvo301]

Hey, they'd never do it again, right??
which is what makes it an effective and appropriate punishment!

[catlover79]

Make it their choice. If you want to get out of prison, then get castrated. :D Otherwise I'm for life in prison. These people can't stop what they're doing.
Good call, Sonny! :nod:

[OH Nuts!]

I think it depends on the nature of the crime. Any kind of violent sxl abuse of a child should be life in prison or a very very long prison sentence (like 35+ yrs). If murder was involved I'm for the death penalty. Here I'm mostly thinking of Level 3 offenders.

I think the violent predators should be put on some sort of medication that destroys their prurient urges (maybe something like Thorazine) or other drugs, to be determined by a psychiatrist. Personally I think the right drugs might be more effective than castration - I need to look into what research has been done into how effective castration is as a deterrent - does it lower the sex drive enough? Just not sure.

I don't think Level 3s can be rehabilitated. Maybe a few of the 2's and perhaps some of the 1's.

[beautifuldreamer]

No. I am pro-life so I believe in the sanctity of life from womb to tomb.

I very much agree. I'm strictly against the death penalty. I think what it basically is is legalized murder. So, if a person murders someone, you're allowed to murder them?!? It just doesn't make sense to me. I would be all for them having life in prison though.:mad:

[catlover79]

I think it depends on the nature of the crime. Any kind of violent sxl abuse of a child should be life in prison or a very very long prison sentence (like 35+ yrs). If murder was involved I'm for the death penalty. Here I'm mostly thinking of Level 3 offenders.

I think the violent predators should be put on some sort of medication that destroys their prurient urges (maybe something like Thorazine) or other drugs, to be determined by a psychiatrist. Personally I think the right drugs might be more effective than castration - I need to look into what research has been done into how effective castration is as a deterrent - does it lower the sex drive enough? Just not sure.

I don't think Level 3s can be rehabilitated. Maybe a few of the 2's and perhaps some of the 1's.
That would be very interesting to find out. Get back to us on this one, Rich!

[JamesG]

I may be on my own here, but I favor castration for male sex offenders. It's been done to adulterers in ancient times, but I think that would be a suitable punishment for molesters.

Do you mean actually removing the penis or making the chemical castration process mandatory (that some sex offenders have volunteered to have gone through)?

[OH Nuts!]

That would be very interesting to find out. Get back to us on this one, Rich!


I'm actually quite curious & don't know the ans. & am going to look it up on that electronic genie we so lovingly call the Internet.

To me, these acts are more characterized as acts of VIOLENCE than as sxl acts, per se. Perhaps that's why I'm not sure.

[catlover79]

Do you mean actually removing the penis or making the chemical castration process mandatory (that some sex offenders have volunteered to have gone through)?
Both!

[OH Nuts!]

That would be very interesting to find out. Get back to us on this one, Rich!

I did look up a few things and it seems we're pretty much on the same page. What I was thinking of seems to be referred to as chemical castration, and if laws were carefully written and administered, perhaps it might hold promise for the most egregious offenders. (I guess in my mind I thought of castration as strictly referring to a surgical procedure)

[catlover79]

I did look up a few things and it seems we're pretty much on the same page. What I was thinking of seems to be referred to as chemical castration, and if laws were carefully written and administered, perhaps it might hold promise for the most egregious offenders. (I guess in my mind I thought of castration as strictly referring to a surgical procedure)
Like I said before, cutting off the offending organ would ensure they wouldn't do it again!!

[Marvo301]

Like I said before, cutting off the offending organ would ensure they wouldn't do it again!!
:yeahthat

[JamesG]

About the whole castration of sex offenders, I think we have to look at it realistically. There's lots of things that were done in ancient times that are not done today, some for very good reason. They are not practical.

Castration, whether physical or chemical, might mean that they might not use their penis for crimes but these people are still un-balanced and can be capable of a lot.

They can still commit many forms of sexual assault. They can use their fingers up someone's rectum; and lots of things that I am not going to desribe in detail.

Castration might prevent "sex" but the issue is not solved at all.


What about the offenders who did not use their penis in their crimes?

[browneyes106]

Like I said before, cutting off the offending organ would ensure they wouldn't do it again!!

I agree with you.

[browneyes106]

I think people convicted of sex crimes should be imprisioned for life.

[catlover79]

About the whole castration of sex offenders, I think we have to look at it realistically. There's lots of things that were done in ancient times that are not done today, some for very good reason. They are not practical.

Castration, whether physical or chemical, might mean that they might not use their penis for crimes but these people are still un-balanced and can be capable of a lot.

They can still commit many forms of sexual assault. They can use their fingers up someone's rectum; and lots of things that I am not going to desribe in detail.

Castration might prevent "sex" but the issue is not solved at all.


What about the offenders who did not use their penis in their crimes?
I admit that I haven't thought that part out yet. Good question.

[janet42]

I don't think think they should be sentenced to death unless they killed their victims. Like some of you said they might kill the victim so the victim won't talk. Anyway the prison system has their own justice system and pedophiles don't usually last too long in prison among the other prisoners. There are 2 things prisoners will not tolerate: People who kill children and pedophiles.

[beautifuldreamer]

I admit that I haven't thought that part out yet. Good question.

Keep the wheels turning, Monika. You'll get there.:D
I don't know, myself. I'll think on it.

[Hollow]

About the whole castration of sex offenders, I think we have to look at it realistically. There's lots of things that were done in ancient times that are not done today, some for very good reason. They are not practical.

Castration, whether physical or chemical, might mean that they might not use their penis for crimes but these people are still un-balanced and can be capable of a lot.

They can still commit many forms of sexual assault. They can use their fingers up someone's rectum; and lots of things that I am not going to desribe in detail.

Castration might prevent "sex" but the issue is not solved at all.


What about the offenders who did not use their penis in their crimes?
yeah, unfortunately there are some sickos who get gratification merely from seeing someone get sexually assaulted, even if they aren't getting any physical pleasure from it. we've also got to remember that there are some female sex offenders and it would be difficult to physically disable them from repeating their crimes.

i think locking them up is the best way to protect the rest of society from them. i'd say a harsh sentence (maybe a minimum of 20 years, depending on the severity of the crime) for first time offenders and life for repeat offenders. one chance to rehabilitate should be enough.

[Marvo301]

I did some research on this subject and here is what I found out.

Castration is used to greatly reduce or eliminate sexual drives, obsessions, or behaviors, or any combination of these that may be considered deviant.

It sounds like this would be a very appropriate punishment for sex offenders.

As Monika mentioned this practice was used as a punishment in a number of ancient cultures. There is at least one country were this punishment is still practiced. That country is the Czech Republic where 94 sex offenders were castrated between 1998 and 2008. The Czech Republic defends this practice as voluntary and effective.

A German research study by A. Langeluddeke backs this up. 1036 sex offenders were studied. Those who were castrated had a 20-year re-offend rate of 2.3% compared to an 80% re-offend rate in the untreated group.

So it seems castration is an appropriate and effective punishment for sex offenders. Of course it would be even more effective in combination with other punishments such as counselling, incarceration etc.

[Lee]

If their victim survives-life in prison, no parole
If their victim dies-death

[OH Nuts!]

About the whole castration of sex offenders, I think we have to look at it realistically. There's lots of things that were done in ancient times that are not done today, some for very good reason. They are not practical.

Castration, whether physical or chemical, might mean that they might not use their penis for crimes but these people are still un-balanced and can be capable of a lot.

They can still commit many forms of sexual assault. They can use their fingers up someone's rectum; and lots of things that I am not going to desribe in detail.

Castration might prevent "sex" but the issue is not solved at all.


What about the offenders who did not use their penis in their crimes?

I was thinking this too; violent sxl assault is really an act of violence more than anything else. And this population, even if surg. castrated, might still manifest violent tendencies against others. This is why chemical intervention might be more (or also) effective. Coupled with stringent prison sentences and monitoring.

[beautifuldreamer]

If their victim survives-life in prison, no parole
If their victim dies-death

Do you not find the concept of murder horrible? If you believe that murder is a horrible act that should stop, I don't think you're helping the situation by murdering the criminal yourself.
IMO, there is nothing that a human being can do on this earth that justifies another human being killing him or her.
If you abide by the "eye for an eye" rule.... when will the violence stop?:(