The Rare Psychological Disorder That Only Affects Death Row Inmates

io9 ^ | 10/26/14 | Esther Inglis-Arkell

[Malone LaVeigh]

Imagine being told you are going to die in a month. Then it's a few hours. Then another month. You may be set free or you may be killed, and it all depends on events that are completely out of your control. How long could you stand it?

[Malone LaVeigh]

Regardless of the legality or morality of the death penalty, the process of sitting on death row, waiting to be executed, is incredibly painful. Some now argue that the protracted uncertainty, the rapidly changing execution dates, and the terrible isolation of death row, induces a form of insanity. People lose their minds, they commit suicide, and most importantly, they stop using the legal system to appeal their executions. It's called death row syndrome.

I don't know, it all seems appropriate for someone who callously ended someone else's life to suffer for it.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Any ISIS captive undergoes a similar experience, with less justification and less predictability.

[Pietro]

Simple solution is to execute the guilty w/I a 6 month period.

[GraceG]

[ Regardless of the legality or morality of the death penalty, the process of sitting on death row, waiting to be executed, is incredibly painful. Some now argue that the protracted uncertainty, the rapidly changing execution dates, and the terrible isolation of death row, induces a form of insanity. People lose their minds, they commit suicide, and most importantly, they stop using the legal system to appeal their executions. It’s called death row syndrome.

I don’t know, it all seems appropriate for someone who callously ended someone else’s life to suffer for it. ]

It is suffering for these scumbags, i say we end their suffeeing and get on with the execution that much faster...

[DiogenesLamp]

I know how to solve this problem. Let’s just execute them immediately after sentencing!

Wouldn’t want the poor dears to worry or anything.

[BarbM]

What about the innocent who were falsely convicted?

I say, do away with the death penalty and these human beings wouldn’t get this psychological disorder.

[GraceG]

[ Simple solution is to execute the guilty w/I a 6 month period. ]

Maybe give them ONE appeal, just ONE of them, and then if it fails then send them to old sparky.

Death row should only be given to someone whi is beyound a resonable doubt guilty with collaborating evidence.

Also Lifers with no parole should be given the option to voluntarily go visit old sparky if they so desire.

[Paul46360]

I AGREE.
Is it NOT in-humane treatment to make them wait??
A horse breaks a leg you don't wait to see if it gets better..you off them right there on the race track!!!!!!!

[Responsibility2nd]

Then to end all the “Death Row” turmoil and trauma; you cap things off perfectly with a “botched execution”.

Talk about a Happy Ending, eh?

[CharleysPride]

Pretty scary stuff.

Seems like a good reason not to get caught murdering

[goldstategop]

You can thank liberal judges and the anti-death penalty crowd for inflicting wanton cruelty upon them.

On second thought, they should be executed for putting them through hell.

[G Larry]

The concept of consequence can be elusive for a sociopath.

[skinkinthegrass]

in Japan; inmates on death row, are never told when they die.

[Sans-Culotte]

I don't know, it all seems appropriate for someone who callously ended someone else's life to suffer for it.

They rape and murder without batting an eye, but life becomes precious when it's their sorry asses about to be snuffed out. If they don't want to go insane with all the delays, stays, etc, they should wave their appeals and die like men.

[BenLurkin]

Bump!

[Responsibility2nd]

I say, do away with the death penalty and these human beings wouldn’t get this psychological disorder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wrong. Look at the thousands of studies of being a lifer. Look at the psychological disorders of being in lock-up for the rest of your life.

Now THOSE are some seriously messed up individuals. I could almost argue for abandoning the death penalty and committing these scumbags to life in prison if only for the added severe mental and psychological damages they endure.

I think the Death Penalty is a blessed releif for many of these scumbags.

[tired&retired]

I work with terminal cancer patients and see the same pattern. Those who have led a pure life tend to have no problem facing death.

Those who are afraid of God’s Love fear the death process with a passion.

As long as a person is in the physical body, the soul can learn and grow. Just as the vineyard workers, the reward is the same no matter when you arrive. Thus I am personally against the death penalty as we are taking away the opportunity for redemption and the soul to grow. Growth comes from accepting God’s Love, not from punishment. The worst punishment for a murderer is to make them live with the turmoil in their soul. That’s why solitary is the worst punishment.

Me, I would welcome solitary for a few weeks as that is the best time for communing with our Father.

[Robert357]

There are other countries who are even more random about executions, such as Japan. While it may create a death row mental condition, you have to ask how the person got to death row and why the condition exists. The reason that the changes in execution date and lack of control are present are because of our legal system which allows for challenges to the death penalty for the most trivial of reasons.

If the choice is between society and the convicted murder's right to review/challenge the death penalty decision and the murder's right to a speedy execution, I opt for the right of society and don't care if the murderer is upset at his unpredictable fate.

[tired&retired]

I have pulled demonic attached spirits from men who have murdered. Should these men be executed for being so weak that they allowed their physical bodies to be taken over?

[Revelation 911]

by who’s authority and where did you put them?