Introduction
The death penalty is also known as capital punishment and it is a case where an individual is executed by judicial process as a punishment for some offense found guilty. Those crimes that lead to the death penalty are referred to as capital crimes. The use of the death penalty has been there for a long period, but of late some countries have abolished it as a form of punishment for criminals. Different groups and countries have different opinions regarding capital punishment and this has resulted in a great debate. According to some religious groups such as Christianity, capital punishment is regarded as a sin. This is according to their belief no human being has the right to take the life that God gives. There is also a lot of pressure by human rights groups against capital punishment. They term it as a denial of human rights. Each individual is entitled to life and no one or country has the right to deny any individual the right to life. In the past, individuals have been falsely convicted and have received death penalties. For example, there are claims that Wayne Felker was falsely convicted of rape. He was executed in 1996 but there are claims that the technician who did the autopsy was not qualified. It is very unfair for an innocent person to receive such a punishment. In fact, it does not matter whether an individual has committed an offense or not. Capital punishment is very unfair regardless of the crime committed. The effect of capital punishment on the relatives and friends of the convicted is very devastating. In the United States, capital punishment has been used for a long period of time and it is still practiced today. This paper will seek to analyze the death penalty and other issues that surround it.
Capital Punishment not a Deterrent
For a very long period of time, capital punishment has been used as a means of punishing individuals found guilty of some crimes. However, the crimes that lead to capital punishment are on the increase. The individuals who carry out these crimes are aware of the existence of capital punishment but they seem not to care. This shows that capital punishment cannot be used to prevent crime. In some cases, individuals who commit capital crimes do it without their knowledge only to regret it later. For example, some individuals are unable to control their anger and they might commit a capital crime out of anger. Others might be influenced by drugs or alcohol to commit such criminal activities. In addition, some individuals have mental problems that influence them to commit capital crimes. It has been found that most crimes are committed during moments of great emotional stress and in other cases under the influence of alcohol and drugs (Schaefer, 2008). These are times when the logical thinking of an individual is very low. Capital punishment cannot prevent such moments that lead to the occurrence of capital crimes. Capital punishment can therefore be seen to have little if no effect in deterring capital crimes.
Other Countries’ Response to Death Penalty
In the past, many societies practiced capital punishment as a way of punishing individuals who have committed capital crimes. At the moment, there are about sixty countries that are practicing capital punishment. All the other countries in the world have abolished it for various reasons. The countries that actively apply it include United States, India, China, and Indonesia. Other countries have abolished it because it does not help in reducing crime. International organizations such as the United Nations called for the banning of capital punishment arguing that each and every individual has the right to life (Hood, 1996). According to these organizations, capital punishment is a violation of human rights and it should therefore be abolished. The past cases of innocent individuals being put to death by capital punishment have influenced the abolition of capital punishment. It is a miscarriage of justice on part of the individuals and those who are related and friends to such an individual (Randa, 1997). If a country is worried that an individual might commit a capital crime after being released, life imprisonment might replace capital punishment where all the claims against human rights and injustices will no longer be an issue.
Personal Opinion
According to me, capital punishment is not fair because the lord is the giver of life and is the only one who has the right to take it. Those who commit capital crimes including murder itself can be punished in ways other than capital punishment. Giving the court the right to execute is against the commandments of God and capital punishment should therefore be illegal. Capital punishment punishes the victim and other individuals who are close to him or her. It is very bad for innocent people to suffer as a result of the government’s action.
The legality of Capital Punishment
Capital punishment should not be legal and it should be completely abolished. It has been used in the past yet the rate of crimes is still high. Again, capital punishment is against human rights and no one has the right to abuse an individual’s human rights. God is the giver of life and he is the only one who has the right to take it. Enacting a law that is against the commandments of God is very bad.
Youths and Death Penalty
For a country that has allowed capital punishment to take place, any individual regardless of his or her status should be subject to it. The youths are not an exception because a capital crime is a capital crime regardless of the person who commits it. Capital punishment may have little effect in preventing individuals who were planning to perform capital crimes from doing so. Exempting the youths may influence them to commit capital crimes.
Conclusion
Capital punishment has been used in the past but has not been very effective in deterring capital crimes. Many countries have abolished capital punishment for its failure to prevent the occurrence of crimes and other issues such as the human rights and injustices done when innocent individuals are executed. Capital punishment should be abolished and in places where it is legal, every individual should be subject to it.
Reference
Hood, R. (1996), Death Penalty: a worldwide Perspective. New York: Oxford University press.
Randa, L. (1997), Death Penalty. New York: University press of America.
Schaefer, R.T. (2008), Sociology: a brief introduction (8th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.