Capital punishment should not be the only justice for causing death.

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“The only justice for causing death is death itself”. Comment.

        Certainly, capital punishment should not be the only justice for causing death. In many cases, where causing death is accidental or out of self-defense, capital punishment surely seems too harsh a sentence to pass under such fortuitous circumstances. Furthermore, the way capital punishment is implemented is questionable. For example, the effectiveness of its deterring future transgressors, whether there is racial biasness, or making sure no innocent parties are convicted. Thus, the reasons behind putting all ‘murderers’ to death may not be as justifiable as it seems.

        Firstly, the death penalty has not shown to be effective in the reduction of the homicide rate and there are indicators that such executions actually increase the murder rate. This could be due to the penalty being based on the need for revenge, thus reinforcing the idea that killing can be a proper way of responding to those who have wronged us. A 1998 research study conducted for the United Nations concluded “This research has failed to provide scientific proof that executions have a greater deterrent effect than life imprisonment. Such proof is unlikely to be forthcoming. The evidence as a whole still gives no positive support to the deterrent hypothesis."  Therefore, there is no justice in implementing the death penalty since it seems rather weak as a deterrent.

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        Second, the passing of death penalty may be unfair and biased against a certain minority group in the country. Such people may include those who are too poor to employ competent lawyers to defend them, racial discrimination and predjudice, and those mentally ill. This may lead to the conviction of innocent people. For example, a 1986 study in Georgia showed that people who killed whites were four times more likely to be sentenced to death that those who killed non-whites. The Texas Civil Rights Project also issued a report in 2000-SEP, which criticized the fact that poor people and ...

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