05.23 topic2 _ The Death Penalty_Pro and Con.docx
The
Death Penalty: Pro and Con
Officially,
thousands of people are sentenced to death every year in countries where the
death penalty is practiced. The death penalty is still prevalent in many parts
of the world, especially in the Middle East, Asia, and North Africa, with
notable countries including Iraq, Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, and the
USA.
Given the prevalence of the death penalty in the
modern world, it is fair to assume that there are perhaps justifications for
it, though there are plenty of people who categorically oppose it. Without
going into the details of any given judicial system, there are number of
reasons to support both sides of the argument.
The Death Penalty: Pro
There
are a number of practical arguments made for the death penalty. Because the
death penalty is such a powerful construct, many argue that it decreases crime
rates through deterrence. While many believe that the death penalty is more of
a deterrent than a lengthy prison sentence, the very concept of ‘deterrence’ is
argued by many as inapplicable to criminal psychology, especially if mental
illness is involved. Criminals rarely think about the consequences of their
actions and this is especially true with crimes of passion.
By
killing felons, the death penalty removes the burden of housing them within the
penitentiary system. Prison overcrowding and overstretched resources are key
issues in prisons in many countries. Due to the severity of prisoners’ crimes
on death row, it costs much more to feed, house, and seclude these often
dangerous inmates than if they were simply put to death. And if they were
paroled, there is always the chance they could re-offend, which is completely
eliminated with the death penalty. The concept of retribution, that the
perpetrator is punished in a manner fitting to the crime, is also used to
support the death penalty.
The Death
Penalty: Con
There
are many arguments against the death penalty that are both practical and
ethical. It is very difficult to know the exact moral status of the death
penalty, though many see it to be a degrading, barbaric, and amoral. The
opponents of the death penalty argue that it causes incredible suffering and
pain for the sentenced and brutalizes society as a whole where it operates.
Both of these factors could have negative effects on crime and criminality. The
vast majority of people would at least argue that human life is highly valuable
and should be preserved, though the extent at which preservation should
make-way for retribution is where things become very debatable
Misconduct
in institutional systems can also lead to incorrect sentencing. While this is
bad enough for non-death sentencing, these constitute a heinous breach of
justice if the death penalty is involved. A psychological argument that may
become prominent in the future is the concept of self-control and free will. Do
we have free will or not? If not, this could bring into question not just the
death penalty but all forms of sentencing whether it is capital punishment or
not. New neurological research can now predict the likelihood of someone
becoming violent and may help with future awareness on these issues.
From
a global perspective, far fewer countries operate the death penalty when
compared to countries that don’t. More importantly, there appears to be a
general reduction in the number of death sentences even in the countries
continuing to uphold the death penalty.
<What's
your opinion about the death penalty?>
1. Do you know countries that still have the
death penalty?
2. Should the death penalty be allowed? If not,
why not?
3. Do you think that the death penalty would
prevent crime in your country?
4. If you kill someone else, don't you deserve
to die, too – “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”?
5. (If you think the death penalty should exist)
it should be made public?
6. Is life in prison without parole a better
option than the death penalty?