It is no secret that capital punishment has always been a topic surrounded by controversies in many humanitarian disciplines such as philosophy, law, and sociology. It is mainly due to its relation to other paramount social themes such as the sacredness of human life and its cost, the power of the state over people, and the permissibility of murder in society. However, the death sentence should become an allowed punitive measure worldwide. The main reasons are that it is “an effective way to discourage violent crime” and “a critically effective way to punish the worst of offenders” (Udoudom et al., 2018, p. 28). The moral aspect is another thing that one should consider here.
There are many cases when criminals who have committed literal atrocities are imprisoned in facilities with hotel-like infrastructure. Anders Breivik’s case is a prime example of moral dishonesty towards victims and their relatives caused by the overly humane Norwegian law prohibiting capital punishment (Norway and the death penalty, n.d.). Moreover, Scandinavian prisons are one of the softest correctional facilities globally (Smith & Ugelvik, 2017). The international death penalty sanctioned by the United Nations council would be a more just and cost-effective measure than placing him in a confined but comfortable space.
Legalizing global capital punishment would meet a lot of negative responses and remarks from many countries and international organizations. Udoudom et al. (2018) note that the discussed topic already “have caused several arguments and debates between its opponents and supporters” (p. 28). Most opponents of the global death sentence base their arguments on religion and culture, as the majority of world religions condemn murdering even as a measure of punishment. Proponents wishing to build strong rationale should also research these topics.
References
Norway and the death penalty. (n.d.). Parliamentarians for Global Action.
Smith, P. S. & Ugelvik, T. (Eds.). (2017). Scandinavian penal history, culture and prison practice: Embraced by the welfare state? Springer.
Udoudom, M. D., Idagu, U. A., & Nwoye, L. (2018). Kantian and utilitarian ethics on capital punishment. Budapest International Research and Critics Institute-Journal, 2(1), 28-35.