Essay Against Death Penalty

ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

KENECHUKWU AKANONU

TERNOPIL STATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY

ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT THE DEATH PENALTY: INTRODUCTION

Although this can be considered as the oldest form of punishment in the history of mankind, many in this century would argue its use as archaic, barbaric and should be left in the past like its predecessors i.e. the rudimentary order in which such punishments were previously carried out. Ultimately death is evitable but speeding up the process through human intervention has for decades come under much controversy and scrutiny. The death penalty also known as capital punishment is the legal punishment issued for specific (capital) crimes and in this case, the punishment is death. A death sentence, in most cases is issued by a judicial system while the actualization or full enforcement of such decree is known as execution. 58 Nations currently endorse the death penalty while 98 nations has retracted its use. This report creates an argumentative view for and against the use of capital punishment.

ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT (THE DEATH PENALTY) RESPECTIVELY

ARGUMENT 1

Crimes and criminals are everywhere, the major menace facing every society hence the death penalty

In many cases such questions like “Does the capital punishment really deter crimes?” arises. It’s true that there is no alternative to one’s life but statistics show that in countries like the U.S., Singapore and many other where the death penalty is allowed, there is significant reduction heinous crimes. In 1993 – 1997 murder rate dropped from 24,562 – 18,209 respectively, a 26% reduction rate. Using countries like Singapore, China, etc. where death sentences can be rarely appealed, far less crimes can be observed. Hence one can rightly say the death penalty can deter crimes if the execution of convicted murders is