Group 1: N.C Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
This group comprises of neutral individuals and organizations that work as a coalition to condemn al forms of death penalty and offer alternatives to capital punishment (‘N.C Coalition’ par. 1). The group aims to ensure that the capital punishment system of North Carolina is completely reformed. The network comprises of non-profit organizations, faith communities politicians and attorneys.
The coalition strongly believes that the death penalty system in North Carolina ought to be substituted with other alternatives. The group argues that capital punishment is does not save vital resources and therefore, it is not cost effective. Besides, capital punishment is not victim-centered and as such, restorative justice and the rights of victims can hardly be realized (‘N.C Coalition’ par. 3). In addition, the NC network is of the opinion that the death penalty system lacks the much-needed efficiency in the criminal justice system. In other words, death penalty is not an effective correctional measure for offenders. Once a convicted individual is sentenced to death, it only breeds hatred and a feeling of injustice on the side of the victim and relative s (‘N.C Coalition’ par. 4).
Hence, the N.C Coalition suggests a number of tough alternatives that the state government can embrace and adopt in place of death penalty. According to the group, the first and most effective alternative to death penalty should be first imprisonment. The latter option should not permit the likelihood of parole. Second, the criminal justice system should come up with programs that compel the sentenced individuals to be accountable for their offences. In other words, such programs should force the convicted criminals to be responsible for their actions. Hence, restitution should be paid to the offended by the inmates (‘N.C Coalition’ par. 4).
Group 2: World Congress against the death penalty
The World Congress is a non-profit making organization comprising of legal experts, politicians and the international civil society pr pressure groups. The organization is geared towards elaborating abolitionist strategies for capital punishment across the globe. The group asserts that for social justice and progress to prevail, universal and unconditional abolition of death penalty must be adopted across the board. Regular international summits are held regularly by the organization.
The 2013 congress aimed at outlining the effects of life imprisonment on humanity. The congress found that replacing the death penalty with life imprisonment only prolongs the death sentence and robs the convicts of their basic human rights and dignity. One would not wish to live for long if they knew they would live the rest of their lives in prison. Although international law does not forbid life sentencing, the European Court of Human rights revealed that jailing a person for life without the possibility of parole was illegal (Hubert par. 1).
The conference also had other speakers who seconded Constance de la Vega’s proposition of a life sentence with the possibility of parole. Prisoners facing life imprisonment should be awarded the possibility of release in the future (Hubert par. 6). Capital punishment does not improve safety in society. The Congress firmly reiterates that abolishing the death penalty does not merely put a nation at par with others that uphold human rights and dignity. It saves the taxpayers a lot of money. The money could be diverted to assist the families of murder victims (Valeontis par. 1-7).
Works Cited
Hubert, Thomas. After Abolition: What Alternative to the Death Penalty? 2013. Web.
N.C Coalition 2014. Web.
Valeontis, Jacinda. 5 Reasons to Abolish the Death Penalty. 2012. Web.