Crime & Law Enforcement Issues & Death Penalty/capital punishment

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Expert: Commander Chris Wagoner - 12/11/2007


Question
does death penalty help america to improve the quality of life in there?
what do you think the best way to do to the criminals?
thanks

Answer
Hi Anthony,

Well your question ask more for my opinion than any hard evidence. And this question has been debated for many many years here in the US.

Personally I think that any form of punishment is designed to make a person think before they act. If people knew that there would be no punishment for their actions, then they would not worry about what they were doing would have consequences. The only thing then that would prevent people from doing things that would harm others would be their moral character. In todays world, and not just in the US, but all over the world, a great number of people seem to have no moral guidance as to what is right and what it wrong.

So by having a punishment, it gives that person pause to think, 'if I do this, I will be punished' then the consequences of the act are having an effect on the crime rate.

The same I feel holds true for the death penalty. If a person knows in the back of their mind that if they commit this act, that they may in turn lose their own life, they may pause and think about it. If they pause and think about it then I think there may be those that decide it is not worth that risk of them losing their own lives.

If the Death Penalty saves one persons life is it worth it? Maybe. Having to put to death a person for a crime they committed, is that right? It really depends on the crime they committed. In my moral character world, my beliefs and feelings, yes there are those times that the death penalty would be justified. And in my personal opinion I think it works as a deterrent, how good of a deterrent is it? I do not know, but if it saves one life, then I think it has served its purpose.

Has it improved the quality of life in the US? I think so. I think that the US is a very safe place compared to many places I have visited in the world. There are many places that are much more dangerous than the US and those that are safer. Do we have the perfect system? No, but I do not think there is such a thing as a perfect system. Ours has been working and doing a fair job for the last 200+ years, so I think its a good one.

I hope that answers your question. if you have more questions please feel free to ask them.

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Commander Chris Wagoner

Expertise

I have been a police officer for 30+ years and still going! I am the Police Academy Commander at the Santa Fe College, Institute of Public Safety in Gainesville Florida It is a full service Law Enforcement and Corrections training facility. I can answer most questions concerning law enforcement procedures, law enforcement training and general questions about law enforcment. I can also answer questions about becoming a law enfocement officer. I have a booklet I have written that answers many questions about how to become a police officer called "So you want to be a cop?", which is free. All you have to do is ask. I teach the following subjects: RADAR/LASER, Law Enforcement Driving, Law Enforcement Firearms and Patrol Techniques, Officer Safety, WMD's for Patrol Officers, Application of Law, Communications skills, Dealing with the Mentally and physically handicapped, and many more subjects. I have worked as a subject matter expert for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and helped to write the police curriculum for the State of Florida. I like answering questions about how to become a police officer, and questions about why did an officer do this or that type questions. I also like answering any questions you may have about police work in general. I do not mind helping with homework questions or trying to answer your questions about legal subjects that I have knowledge of. You will never know the answer until you ask! If you do ask a question, PLEASE take the time to at least rate the answer. I do not get paid to answer these questions and do it on my own time. If you ask, please rate it when I answer. Thanks!!!

Experience

I am a 26 year veteran police officer, I am currently the Police Academy Commander of an Academy in North FLorida. I have been training police officers since 1993 and have trained them in all aspects of law enforcement, including firearms, Driving and legal subjects including patrol techniques and others. Ihave served on Road Patrol, Traffic Homicide, Dive Rescue and other units.

Publications
I am a published author in Accident Investigation from the University of North Florida, Institute of Police Technology and Management.

Education/Credentials
I have 2 degrees, an AAS in Criminal Justice Technology from Santa Fe Community College, and a AA from Santa Fe Community College in Criminal Justice Programs.

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