"Imagine you were the relative/friend of someone who was brutally murdered. Let's say stabbed 20 times (yeah, some people survive long enough to feel all that pain) and left to bleed to death. Would YOU want to personally stab every inch of the murderer's body you can get at, and [violently morbid stuff here]? I don't know if you are as sadistic as me, but I would, and yes, I am terribly morbid. No, no one i know has ever been murdered, but I'm just imagining myself in someone else's shoes.
Do you REALLY believe that a mass murderer could turn over a new leaf? I doubt so. What, you think a criminal mastermind could turn over a new leaf? Actually, I agree. If he is smart and cunning enough to mastermind a bank robbery, if his genius is put to good use, then he could be a really good leader. Have you watched the latest Batman movie? My first reaction when I watched the scene of the bank robbery was "wah, pro". If you haven't watched it, do. The Joker backstabbed every single one of his robber-buddies by manipulating them into backstabbing each other, and finally betraying the guy who thought he was the joker's right hand man by putting a bullet into his brain. He made off with all the loot (I'm not sure if Batman stopped him). This is pure genius. Another example could be a book by Terry Pratchett, Going Postal. Sorry for my unsupportiveness of the Yellow Ribbon Project, but I don't like all these mass-crime committing people.
Firstly, 'Would YOU want to personally stab every inch of the murderer's body you can get at, and [violently morbid stuff here]? I don't know if you are as sadistic as me, but I would, and yes, I am terribly morbid' is too strong. No one is as sadistic as that, and then the victim’s family member would only want to get his revenge, not personally administer the killing. I think that the family member would not be sadistic enough to stab every inch of the murderer’s body, instead he would want him to die by hanging. There is a difference.
Secondly, I do believe that murderers, even mass-murderers, can turn over a new leaf. Exceptions have to be made for those on drugs/have psychological problems, because those are factors beyond our control.
Most murderers have a motive when they kill. Those murderers who kill just for the fun of it are, in my opinion, beyond hope. Of course therapy might work, but…
Those ‘normal’ murderers usually have a motive. They operate under greed, lust, spite, and many other sub-reasons. Again, you cannot compare the Joker to criminals, as the Joker is in a movie, and I’m sure you will agree that the Joker isn’t ‘all there’. I mean, someone that laughs maniacally isn’t very representative of most murderers.
Treatment for the ‘normal’ murderers is relatively simple, and with some therapy and rehabilitation, this might of course be possible.
(Here I would like to point out something: I never said that all murderers would be able to turn over a new leaf. However, it doesn’t mean that even those who are serial killers shouldn’t be punished by DEATH.)
"The victim [ offender ] might suffer intense psychological torture after knowing that he/she is going to be executed." You think a man without a conscience feels that kind of psychological torture?
Yes, I do. A man without a conscience still has the sense of self-preservation, and sitting there, being able to do nothing to control his own death while knowing of it is torture indeed.
"This sadism, and 'reverse happiness' might have future negative effects and cause psychotic traits in some, especially if the family member/close friend has been deeply grieved about the murder of the said family member." Of course. He'll never be the same again, especially after the death of a really really really really really loved one."
Perhaps I should have made my meaning clearer – the difference is, without capital punishment, the family member is deeply grieved about the victim’s death but does not experience sadism and gratification about the offender’s death. With capital punishment, the family member does, and that is very unhealthy.