Debate Topic: Capital Punishment
Introduction
Capital punishment, also called death penalty has provoked substantial debate about its morality and impact on criminal behavior. Arguments in favor, and against capital punishment are basically categorized under three headings: utilitarian, practical, and moral.
Read Also: Debate On The Death Penalty
On Moral Grounds
Supporters believe that people who commit murder do not have the right to live as they have murdered another person. On the other hand, opponents believe that capital punishment is not moral as it is completely disproportionate to the damage done. They also claim death penalty violates the right of the condemned person to life. It is fundamentally degrading, and inhuman.
Eliminates Crime
People who are in favor of capital punishment believe that it is an effective deterrent against violent criminals for whom the risk of detention isn’t an adequate restraint. Such people, if not dealt severely would promote crime in the society. By giving capital punishment, government not just punish the murderer, but also creates a fear among the mind of other criminals of the possible severe repercussions of committing crime.
Opponents have showed that such type of penalty isn’t very effective in elimination of crime than the long-term imprisonment. When the criminal is in imprisonment, aloof from the society and other distractions, he gets the time to introspect and heal from within. He can be taught good things, and provide medical assistance to come in the right state of mind and become a better individual again. When you heal the person, he would not likely to commit the crime again.
Innocents also get executed
Proponents of death penalty believe that the criminals who are on the death row are accused of the most dreadful crimes. They support death sentence as they do not deserve anything except justice. Opponents, on the other hand, strongly protest death penalty saying that not everyone who is on the death row is validated for crime.
In many trials, bogus evidences are introduced. They are forced into signing a guilty plea for the crime that they have not committed. But when these people are tested for DNA evidence, they were found to be completely innocent. There have been several such incidences in the past where the innocent people have got executed.
Retribution
Proponents of death penalty say that the government has the right, and responsibility to punish everyone who deserve it, and to the level they deserve it. Capital punishment is justified, and well deserved.
Opponents do not equate revenge to be the remedy for crime, as it does not have any effect on lowering crime, but cause suffering, and pain to the families of the accused. No one has the right to give trouble to others. No national interest has the ability to justify violation of human rights like the death penalty. It is not just to take away the right from an individual, however heinous the crime be. Capital Punishment is not the right solution to end the crime.
Wrong Way To Deal With The Crime
Proponents of death penalty believe that there could be no other method to treat criminals than death sentence. Murders can’t be given chances, and taught righteousness. Opponents believe that death penalty is not the ethical solution to curb the crime prevalent in the society.
Murders are people who have distorted brains, and we need to heal them from within to prevent them from doing. Our present justice system should make efforts to heal the criminals rather than taking their right of living. By death sentence, we cause a lot of pain to the family and dependents of the criminal.
Discrimination on the grounds of Race
Racial discrimination has been prevalent since ages in various countries. Where proponents discarded the statement that death penalty was influenced by race, opponents supported their statement that it is purely racially biased, and unfair by presenting past year’s statistics.
People who were sentenced to death in the past were comprised of different races that included 48.6% white, 8.9% Hispanic, 40.9% black and 1.6 % others. There was a discrimination in imposing death penalty between whites, and blacks. Juries concluded that black defendants were justifying circumstances that influences in favor of a lesser penalty.
Attorney Quality
Getting assistance of an attorney is right for every citizen of the nation. As capital punishment is a matter of life, and death, it is very important that your attorney has to be experienced in dealing with such cases. He has to be sufficiently compensated, and should have complete access to all the resources required to fulfil his obligations towards the court, and the client.
Most of the defendants are seen to get inferior quality representation in the court. This is attributed to inexperienced defendants, underpaid, or overworked, attorney who fails to give the proper justice to the case. Sometimes their unpreparedness, or lack of experience make the innocent to suffer in the trial.
