Should death row inmates be militarized instead?

[Immoren]

No give them death.

Militarization is a really bad idea because murderers cannot be trusted on the battlefield. I'm sure more civilians would get killed overseas.

Who says they will be trusted with weapons? We could use the murderers to walk across deserts, fields and other surfaces to find hidden bombs and place them out in the open to find snipers.

[Distruzio]

I don't support this. I'd rather they be executed.

It is execution......with a cause.

There was a cause. The danger to society posed by them.

Slavery is no boon to society. Even a condemned man deserves better.

[Confederate People of the United States]

Lethal Injection on death row inmates is wrong. Humans are good as a resource. So why waste one by simply killing them for their terrible crimes? The answer is this.
We get these men strapped on with IED's on the battlefield and have them to simply just die to scare off whatever enemy in whatever bloody conflict we're getting our noses in these days These inmates make good cannon fodder. You can't waste good resources like this. Capital Punishment must be like this for now on. I think using inmates as pawns will save more honorable lives of soldiers. Lethal Injection is a waste.

Ethical? Not quite. Reasonable? Yes.

Would you support this?

Hand murderers weapons and a slight taste of freedom. YEah gov. ain't gunna do dat.

[Luveria]

I suspect OP got the idea of penal battalions from Warhammer 40k.

[Imperia Eterna]

No; instead they should be used as an inexhaustible power source. I have more details if anyone is interested.

[Equusia]

Give a serial killer with nothing else to lose a bunch of explosives... yeah... not a good idea. I think slave labor would be a better use for them.

[Arabic Spain]

What could POSSIBLY go wrong with letting murderers and other psychopaths loose with IEDs attatched? Give it about ten seconds worth of thought and you'll soon realise why this counts as a really dumb idea.

I found out why in 3 seconds top that.

[Luveria]

Give a serial killer with nothing else to lose a bunch of explosives... yeah... not a good idea. I think slave labor would be a better use for them.

Penal labour is a better term.

[Regnum Dominae]

No; instead they should be used as an inexhaustible power source. I have more details if anyone is interested.

Do tell.

[Saint Kitten]

No, just go ahead and get it over with.

[Distruzio]

I suspect OP got the idea of penal battalions from Warhammer 40k.

Or the Terran Race in Starcraft.

[Imperia Eterna]

No; instead they should be used as an inexhaustible power source. I have more details if anyone is interested.

Do tell.

Basically, we reserve a part of the planet to them; this may sound dangerous, but here's what it'll be like. If any dissent is detected, guards will haul them to the Soylent chambers, where they will be used as nourishment. For those who co-operate, they will run on treadmills - by using kinetic energy, the turbine will start turning, therefore generating energy. And since it would be inexhaustible, we could also import death row criminals or any criminals doing equally horrific crimes, and keep them herded. Together they could provide for the world. While doing this, we will ensure that they will exercise to stay fit enough to try to escape. Not only will this mean they will be fit enough to make the turbine turn faster and for longer, but if they escape, we can bring another inmate in.

[New Frenco Empire]

If we can find a way to scramble their brains and turn them into mindless killing drones, sure. Sounds cool.

[Ifreann]

Do tell.

Basically, we reserve a part of the planet to them; this may sound dangerous, but here's what it'll be like. If any dissent is detected, guards will haul them to the Soylent chambers, where they will be used as nourishment. For those who co-operate, they will run on treadmills - by using kinetic energy, the turbine will start turning, therefore generating energy. And since it would be inexhaustible, we could also import death row criminals or any criminals doing equally horrific crimes, and keep them herded. Together they could provide for the world. While doing this, we will ensure that they will exercise to stay fit enough to try to escape. Not only will this mean they will be fit enough to make the turbine turn faster and for longer, but if they escape, we can bring another inmate in.

Sounds like an awful lot of effort for shit all energy.

[Vladovaskia]

My theory on punishment is that the most severe criminals (people spending an excess of 15-20 years in prison) should be put to work doing labor or some skill job if they know what they're doing. Why should we be sending money to a black hole where nothing will ever come back out of it? At least this way they help repay society. And death row members could be put to the same punishment. However, if they're trusted I wouldn't mind using them in the military as sort of a zerg rush. Also give them incentive by letting them cut down on their years in prison if they do good. But also I would make sure those who were sent to these kinds of punishments were absolutely guilty.

[Regnum Dominae]

Do tell.

Basically, we reserve a part of the planet to them; this may sound dangerous, but here's what it'll be like. If any dissent is detected, guards will haul them to the Soylent chambers, where they will be used as nourishment. For those who co-operate, they will run on treadmills - by using kinetic energy, the turbine will start turning, therefore generating energy. And since it would be inexhaustible, we could also import death row criminals or any criminals doing equally horrific crimes, and keep them herded. Together they could provide for the world. While doing this, we will ensure that they will exercise to stay fit enough to try to escape. Not only will this mean they will be fit enough to make the turbine turn faster and for longer, but if they escape, we can bring another inmate in.

Pretty much what I guessed it would be, then.

Seems like an awful lot of effort for not that much energy output. Remember, the average human only outputs a few hundred watts of energy at peak exertion.

[Imperia Eterna]

Basically, we reserve a part of the planet to them; this may sound dangerous, but here's what it'll be like. If any dissent is detected, guards will haul them to the Soylent chambers, where they will be used as nourishment. For those who co-operate, they will run on treadmills - by using kinetic energy, the turbine will start turning, therefore generating energy. And since it would be inexhaustible, we could also import death row criminals or any criminals doing equally horrific crimes, and keep them herded. Together they could provide for the world. While doing this, we will ensure that they will exercise to stay fit enough to try to escape. Not only will this mean they will be fit enough to make the turbine turn faster and for longer, but if they escape, we can bring another inmate in.

Pretty much what I guessed it would be, then.

Seems like an awful lot of effort for not that much energy output. Remember, the average human only outputs a few hundred watts of energy at peak exertion.

Hmm. I guess you do have a point. Oh well, then I'll just make one big Soylent chamber and throw 'em all in there.

[Ifreann]

My theory on punishment is that the most severe criminals (people spending an excess of 15-20 years in prison) should be put to work doing labor or some skill job if they know what they're doing. Why should we be sending money to a black hole where nothing will ever come back out of it?

Because otherwise the prisons would have no guards. Or doors. Or walls. Or any kind of real existence.

[Ifreann]

Pretty much what I guessed it would be, then.

Seems like an awful lot of effort for not that much energy output. Remember, the average human only outputs a few hundred watts of energy at peak exertion.

Hmm. I guess you do have a point. Oh well, then I'll just make one big Soylent chamber and throw 'em all in there.

You're not actually in charge of the penal system anywhere, though.

[Imperia Eterna]

Hmm. I guess you do have a point. Oh well, then I'll just make one big Soylent chamber and throw 'em all in there.

You're not actually in charge of the penal system anywhere, though.

Yet.

[Luveria]

I suspect OP got the idea of penal battalions from Warhammer 40k.

Or the Terran Race in Starcraft.

That's really not much of an improvement.

It would be more original if they took inspiration from the Soviet penal battalions, or any other multitude of historical penal military units.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penal_military_unit

[Blakk Metal]

I suspect OP got the idea of penal battalions from Warhammer 40k.

Or the Terran Race in Starcraft.

Or Soviet Russia.

[Dracoria]

Get them to run across fields and deserts to search for hidden bombs, or you could strap them to your tanks and other equipment to be used as human shields.

Human shields are only useful when the opponent has a reason to not shoot the shield. Otherwise, you'd be better served with a lighter composite shield or armor plate that isn't kicking and screaming the whole time to give your position away and weigh your forces down.

Get them to run across fields and deserts to search for hidden bombs, or you could strap them to your tanks and other equipment to be used as human shields.

Why not just cut out the middleman and call for them to be delivered in chains and gimp suits to your sex dungeon?

Hey, a new sentence for violent sex offenders. Let the punishment fit the crime, or at least the crime's orifices.

[Luveria]

Get them to run across fields and deserts to search for hidden bombs, or you could strap them to your tanks and other equipment to be used as human shields.

Human shields are only useful when the opponent has a reason to not shoot the shield. Otherwise, you'd be better served with a lighter composite shield or armor plate that isn't kicking and screaming the whole time to give your position away and weigh your forces down.

Why not just cut out the middleman and call for them to be delivered in chains and gimp suits to your sex dungeon?

Hey, a new sentence for violent sex offenders. Let the punishment fit the crime, or at least the crime's orifices.

Cruel and unusual punishment is illegal.

[The Emerald Legion]

Human shields are only useful when the opponent has a reason to not shoot the shield. Otherwise, you'd be better served with a lighter composite shield or armor plate that isn't kicking and screaming the whole time to give your position away and weigh your forces down.



Hey, a new sentence for violent sex offenders. Let the punishment fit the crime, or at least the crime's orifices.

Cruel and unusual punishment is illegal.

Not everywhere.