Should Prisoners With Full Life Sentences Be Given The Chance To End Their Life Rather Than Live Out Their Days Locked Up?

[Nameless14]

Why or why not? Explain.

[New Judge]

No.

Prisoners should not be permitted to pick and choose how they serve their sentences.

[dannyk13]

No.

[ummmm]

Yes.

[anneasquith]

No.

[New Judge]

So presumably you're amenable to the idea of euthanasia for someone with a debilitating disease, ummm.

If legislation was to be considered for one or the other I would go for the latter. There's no reason why somebody sentenced to a "whole life" sentence should have the opportunity to opt out of it. The only offence for which such a sentence would be imposed is murder and the perpetrator would have given his victim no choice whether he lives or dies. Why should the luxury of such a choice be afforded to the murderer?

[Pete65]

No.

[Rockrose]

No, they are in prison as a punishment, that would be given them an easy get out

[ummmm]

Yes...I think it should be their choice.

My aunt committed suicide and my 12 year old cousin found her dead on the sofa. That has played with her mind ever since. If they want to die...let them do it. Don't inflict memories on people that love you.

[aelmpvw]

i doubt if many of the seventy odd prisoners serving full life sentences would opt for the death sentence ...

[ummmm]

It's a choice.`

[New Judge]

"My aunt committed suicide and my 12 year old cousin found her dead on the sofa. That has played with her mind ever since. If they want to die...let them do it. Don't inflict memories on people that love you."

Not the same thing at all, ummm.

People in prison and subject to a "whole life" sentence are there because they have committed the most serious of all crimes. They have been sentenced in accordance with the law and the sentencing guidelines which say they should be incarcerated until they die. Allowing them to artificially cut that sentence short is providing them with the means to thwart their sentence. It is not at all the same as choosing to take your life for other reasons. If murderers are inflicting unpleasantness on their loved ones by their incarceration that is unfortunate. But they should have thought about that before committing the deed and they should not have the privilege of cutting their sentence short. After all, their victim's loved ones are also suffering, but their victim had no say in the matter.

[dannyk13]

They would have to supplied with the means to commit suicide which is an offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

[Jackdaw33]

If a murder is so serious as to attract a whole-life tariff then in my opinion the only appropriate sentence is the noose.

[TonyV]

I'm yes and no let them do 10 years of reflection, then let them end their life if they want to. With the cost of keeping a person in jail around £40k per year, a cost saving + free up some prison space.

[andres]

Yes. Keeping someone locked up for life is torture. I for one don't condone torture .Better to give them a quick send off into oblivion. However ,to give them the choice to end their life might be considered assisted suicide and a new law would probably have to be passed . It could relieve some of the overcrowding in our prisons.

[anneasquith]

It would be interesting to hear the views of the family/friends who may have been "murdered" by the prisoner ?

[andres]

^^^^^I'd bet a lot of them would choose the noose .

[bainbrig]

"an easy get out"??? Death is an easy get out?

Barmy.

And for all the legalistic blather, the moral answer is YES of course.

BB

[dannyk13]

I repeat assisting suicide is a crime.

[bainbrig]

In some circumstances, Danny, forcing someone to LIVE might be considered a crime.

B