Is the Death Penalty a Form of Justice'discuss

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES ESSAY - TOMMY TRUONG 12D

DEATH PENALTY

'IS THE DEATH PENALTY A FORM OF JUSTICE'DISCUSS.

Introduction:

The death penalty is a subject that has become very big in the 21st century. Many centuries ago the death penalty is something that was widely practiced in almost all cultures. This revenge sort of action was the only way some old civilizations felt could really prevent criminals from breaking the law. The USA today is almost left alone among nations when it comes to the death penalty and the U.S. government does not have a problem with that.

Arguments for the death penalty:

Capital punishment permanently removes the worst criminals from society and should prove much cheaper and safer for the rest of us than long term. It is self evident that dead criminals cannot commit any further crimes, either within prison or after escaping or being released from it. Another argument for the death penalty is the cost factor. The state may very well better spend our resources on the elderly, young and the sick rather than the long-term imprisonment of murderers. Execution is a very real punishment rather than some form of treatment. The criminal is made to suffer in proportion to the offence. Although whether there is a place in a modern society, is a matter of personal opinion.

There are many arguments why abolishing the death penalty should be done. Some argue the costs are too high, others think it is simply inhumane. I personally could not discount the value of human life because it costs less to kill someone rather that to keep them in jail. I do agree that all human life should be valued equally but that has not happened ever and I don't think it is going to start now. Even in a communist society, people are not equal. It is just the nature that there is going to be favouring when it comes to people. Many want to change this but it is a lot easier said than done.

Arguments against the death penalty:

The death penalty has a lot of problems. What if someone was executed one day, and then a year later, thanks to new technology; they find that the person executed was in fact innocent! They cannot then just release him from jail because he is dead. This is not a fictional scenario either because we all know that in today's changing world, technological advancements are not uncommon. What would they then say to the family of victims, the murdered and wrongly murdered? Another problem is that it is not doing what it was intended to, stop crime. The U.S. should look to European nations whom have been operating for much longer than the U.S. to get some insight. Crime and murder rates are far less in those countries than they are in America. Shouldn't this be taken into consideration by the U.S. government? I think they should adopt successful approaches to problems from other countries. I think at least giving it a shot would not hurt, just to see if the numbers decrease or increase. The reality is that the death penalty is not something that is going to change in the U.S. overnight, but if they elect a non-violent leader, they should see some changes.

Examples around world:

- During 2005, at least 2,148 people were executed in 22 countries (approx).

- In 2005, 94 per cent of all known executions took place in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the USA.

- Based on public reports available, Amnesty International estimated that at least 1,770 people were executed in China during the year.

- Iran executed at least 94 people, and Saudi Arabia at least 86. There were 60 executions in the USA.

- In Singapore, Australia citizen Tuong Van Nguyen was sentenced to death for drug trafficking.

Different world/religious views

The Hindu and the Buddhist believe that the taking of life cannot be condoned, and capital punishment is barbaric because punishment should be aimed at restoring the proper social order, rather than being p based upon revenge.

Judaism view of capital punishment is, that although the Torah supports the death penalty in principle, religious institutions within Israel and Jewish communities around the world have felt that life imprisonment serves the same purposes as capital punishment without the practical disadvantages and inhumanity of its actual practice.

Catholic Church's point of view:

Catholics make up a large part of this nation and the Bishops want to send the message that Christians should work to abolish the death penalty. I think the Bishops do have a lot of power and that this issue is one that presidents in the future can use as bait. Politics and religion have always been intertwined. The death penalty is something I feel will always be practiced somewhere in the world.

I do agree with the U.S. Catholic bishops that the death penalty is inhumane and we should work to abolish it. A large part of why I agree is because of the way it is practiced. I came to the conclusion that the death penalty is a discriminate form of punishment. The statistics on the death penalty, from races of victims, to races of murderers, to social status of killers and victims, all play a huge part in if someone will be given the death penalty for