When one kills, will the demise of the perpetrators help in getting justice for the bereaved and victims? Today, the use of the capital punishment has become controversial. It is the execution of those found guilty of crimes that are considered serious by different states or governments. Does capital punishment help in reducing crimes or justifying enough punishment for an offender? This controversial subject is something we all have to deal with directly or indirectly. With two sides of the coin to look at, picking the right choice is difficult. The main factors leading to differences in stands between the anti-capital punishment and pro-death are the morality and religious issues surrounding the matter.
First, the people against capital punishment reason from a religious perspective on the matter. The major reason given is based on the story of Jesus and the woman who was accused of adultery in John 8:1 at a time when it was punishable by death. Further, the Ten Commandments are frequently used to argue against capital punishment. Most religions are against taking another person’s life. They believe in the sanctity of life.
Additionally, according to McCord (2013), the Capital punishment, it does not help to reduce crime. McCord (2013) and other scholars argue that killing a killer does not prevent others from committing the same crime. The method is seen as an eye for an eye strategy. Therefore, efforts to prevent crime can serve the purpose of reducing its rates (Mannes & Raphael, 2015). For instance, The U.S experiences high rates of the capital crime despite having the capital punishment in full force in most States. However, as McCord (2013) argues, the method has not seen a reduction in crime rates.
Last but not least, one major concern on the validity of capital punishment is the increase in complaints surrounding unfair judgment especially against the poor and minority groups in the U.S (Epyoshkina, 2015, p. 78). This situation can be attributed to corruption in many countries. The disturbing question among most people is whether capital punishment seeks to victimize the poor and foster racial segregation or deterring death crimes (C. Steiker & J. Steiker, 2015).
On the contrary, those advocating for capital punishment term it as reliable and morally right (Durlauf, Chao & Salvador, 2013). Arguments are based on the victims’ perspective and the fact that people expect good actions for good actions. Most pro-capital punishment supporters feel that the method fosters justice. Moreover, it encourages a morally active society.
The common argument is that prevention of crime in prisons needs strict mechanisms. Epyoshkina (2015) argues that when other criminals learn of the demise of their colleagues, the fear of committing the same crime can help change their behavior. With the increase of mob justice, the number advocating for capital punishment has decreased markedly (Londono, 2013, p. 99).
Lawmakers and enforcers claim that making the capital judgements fair can change the minds of those against it in the long-run. Capital punishment is a major issue that needs to be addressed. Whether a murderer or a serious crime offender deserves to pay with their life or not remains a pertinent issue for human activists and the modern society.
References
Durlauf, S., Fu, C. & Salvador, I. (2013) Capital Punishment And Deterrence: Understanding Disparate Results. Journal of Quantitative Criminology 29(1), 103-121.
Epyoshkina, O. I. (2015) The Capital Punishment in The United States: The Trend Towards Abolition. Russian Juridical Journal / Rossijskij Juridiceskij Zurnal 100(1), 78-85.
Londono, O. (2013) A Retributive Critique of Racial Bias and Arbitrariness in Capital Punishment. Journal of Social Philosophy 44(1), 95-105.
Mannes, S. & Ingaglio, R. (2015) A Film Is Worth A Thousand Words: The Impact Of Film, Need For Cognition, And Experiential Thinking on Attitudes Towards The Death Penalty. North American Journal of Psychology 17(2), 351-371.
McCord.(2013) Sociology, I’d Like You To Meet Capital Punishment. Criminal Justice Ethics 32(1), 51-66.
Steiker, C. & Steiker, J. (2015) The American Death Penalty and the (In) Visibility of Race. University Of Chicago Law Review 82(1), 243-294.