Arguments for and against Death Penalty - Coursework Example

Running Head: ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST DEATH PENALTY Introduction Death penalty is a practice that has a long history in many countries. It involves the judicial execution of offenders in capital crimes. This paper begins with a short history of death penalty. Some of the laws and methods of execution that were applied by the ancient judicial systems have been highlighted. Various countries have been identified to be applying capital punishment even after it was abolished by many other nations. The paper also offers the various arguments for death penalty as well as an opinion as to why death penalty should not be applied in the United States. History of Death Penalty Capital punishment began as early as in the 14th century B. C. under the Hittite code. They were also in used by Romans in the 5th century B. C., in Athens under the Draconian code in the 7th century B. C. as well as in Babylon in the 18th century B. C. during the reign of King Hammurabi. Criminals were mostly burnt alive, beaten to death, crucified or beheaded. In Britain, the most commonly used methods for execution were hanging, boiling alive or beheading. In the 16th century A. D, more than 70,000 people were executed in the country during the time of Henry VIII. Crimes included theft, getting married to Jews, treason and many other crimes that added up to 222 by the 17th century A. D. In the mid 18th century A. D., the crimes that were punishable by death were reduced to 120 (Banner (2002). Many nations have abolished capital punishment, but some are still practicing it, with China leading the group of 58 countries, having executed 5000 capital offenders in 2008. Iran and Saudi Arabia were also ranked among the countries with the highest executions though they came after China by far at 348 and 102 respectively. In the United States, 37 offenders were executed. Japan, Indonesia, Libya, North Korea and Saudi Arabia are also applying capital punishment (Hands off Cain, 2008). Abolitionists are still campaigning against death penalty. Arguments for Death Penalty Brown (2010) observes that the bible, which is used in many criminal justice systems for swearing convicts and witnesses has many verses such as “Genesis 9:5-6, Numbers 35:30, Num. 35:30 and Num. 35:33-34” among others that support death penalty for various crimes including murder, adultery and incest among others. There are offences in these passages that can only be punished through capital punishment. Some countries such as the US use these verses to justify the application of capital punishment. However, there are usually controversies concerning the sixth commandment that cautions against killing. Proponents who apply the bible to justify their claims argue that the commandment is meant to caution murderers from killing other people and that the verses that support death penalty are meant to fulfill the consequences of not adhering to the warning. In most cases, proponents of death penalty wonder why a murderer should be spared from murder. They argue that the heinous acts committed by the offender usually occur with the intention of taking life while fully aware of the consequences. For example, Robertson (2002) wonders why a serial killer who has tortured and murdered 13 innocent people should be allowed to live in jail under the support of the tax payers’ money. On the other hand, it is believed that the death penalty is severe, which makes it help in deterrence of crime. Proponents assume that potential capital offenders may restrain from committing crimes just as harmonious living in the society is accomplished due to the presence of the law. It is argued that without laws that define the severity of punishments, it is likely for people to offend others, trespass, steal and kill and get back to the society after serving a jail term. The problem of recidivism is eliminated whereby offences that would have been controlled through capital punishment recur, causing pain and death among more innocent victims. Capital punishment is viewed as a way of incapacitating the offender, never to commit the crime and also to instill fear in other people who may be tempted to commit such crimes. To prove of the significance of protecting human life, proponents view death penalty as the most severe and most appropriate punishment for a murder offender. They view it as a show of value to human life (Tanner, 2007). Why Death Penalty should not be applied in the US The US is one of the developed countries that are still applying death penalty alongside Japan and other thriving economies such as China. Being a world power, the US needs to demonstrate respect for human life by abolishing the death penalty. First, capital offences may be faced with uncertainty as to whether an individual is actually committed the capital. More often than not, people Americans are executed for crimes that they never committed. The punishment is exposed to unfairness especially if the convict is unable to hire a competent lawyer (Bedau, 2005). This means that many innocent people have been executed because they can not proof their innocence. When the accused is executed, the action is irreversible even if new evidence proves his/her innocence. Another issue that Klien (2005) points out is that death penalty promotes a revenge attitude in the society. Brutal executions lower the people’s morals and their respect for human life. Human beings are unique in the sense that all of them react towards emotions. Criminals are no exception. They too have emotions of fear, rejection as well as pain. It is not justifiable for any human being to take the life of another. The psychological torture that a prisoner undergoes before the real execution takes place is usually enough punishment to make him reform. It is normal for a human being to suffer mentally due to the thought of dying at a particular time especially if the method of putting him to death is known. The imagination of the pain that will be inflicted on the convict is real mental torture. Death penalty should be reconsidered in the US due to the pain that it causes to humanity. When a society becomes used to executing their own members, there happens to be a tendency of loosing the moral values that make up a community. People who witness the painful execution of others time and again do not find it hard to repeat the same acts. Even though a person commits a capital offence, it should not be ignored that he/she has relatives and friends. Banner (2002) observes that many Americans have lost meaning in life after execution of their relatives and friends. The time it takes for the execution to occur is usually long and leads to the wastage of resources through the numerous appeals that are made by death row convicts. In regard to global leadership, the US is held in high regard by many nations. Abolishing death penalty would be a significant move towards encouraging the other 57 countries that still apply capital punishment to do so. It would be a show of respect for human dignity, especially due to the fact that in the countries that are affected by political instability, death penalty is some times applied to intimidate or to silence political rivals. This suppresses the democracy that the US has vowed to promote globally. Conclusion Capital punishment is an ancient practice, which is being practiced in some countries and among them is the US. There are many arguments that support the application of death penalty, some based on biblical phrases while others are based on the society’s point of view. Some other people such as the abolitionists believe that it is an unnecessary practice. In essence, the US needs to demonstrate respect for human life through the abolishment of capital punishment. References Banner, S. (2002). The Death Penalty: An American History, Harvard University Press. Bedau, H. A. (2005). Debating the Death Penalty: Should America Have Capital Punishment? The Experts on Both Sides Make Their Case, Oxford University Press Brown, D. L. (2010). The Bible's Teaching on Capital Punishment, Viewed on 10th Mar. 2010 at Hands Off Cain, (2010). Executions in 2008: at least 5,727executions were carried out in 26 States in 2008, viewed on 10th Mar. 2010 at Klien, S. (2005). The Most Evil Secret Societies in History, Michael O’Mara Books Limited. Robertson, D. P. (2002). Tears from Heaven Voices from Hell: The Pros and Cons of the Death Penalty As Seen Through the Eyes of the Victims of Violent Crime and Death Row inmates, Writers Club Press. Tanner, R. (2007). Studies Claim Death Penalty is a Deterrent, Democrat and Chronicle Read More