Men, the poor, the mentally ill and those of racial minorities are grossly over represented among those on death row, in America. Studies reveal that, statistically, only 1.6% of those executed, are women. Infact, practically all women who are convicted of murder are spared execution. Are female murderers less repugnant that men who comitt the same crime? 42% of those on death row are black, despite only 12% of the population being African- American. However, an even more shocking statistic is that sometimes it is not the race of the murderer that matters, but the race of the victim, with the defendant who has killed a white person being much more likely to be scentenced to death compared to murderers of black people. Virtually all of those on death row suffer from some form of psychological damage, which puts them at a disadvantage in the legal system. It has also been suggested that the reason for the vast numbers of poorer people convicted of murder is simply that incompetent lawyers are hired to defend them since they can not afford a more competent one.
Another reason for believing Capital Punishment should be abolished that miscarriages of justice may take place. For instance, in 1991, after spending seventeen years in jail, the Birmingham Six were finally released after new scientific techniques resulted in evidence, which proved their innocence. At the original trial, the scientific investigator, Dr. Frank Skuse said “it is 99.9% positive these men handled explosives”. These men would most likely have been killed in a retentionst country. Unlike death, a life sentence can be revoked. In 1950, in Merthyr Vale, Wales, Timothy Evans was found guilty of murdering his daughter, with thepolice so sure of his guilt, that they never properly investigated the crime. Some years later, new information proved his innocence. This case and others like it were catalysts to the abolition of the death penalty in the U.K.
Although it may be argued that the death penalty is a successful deterrent for would- be criminals, there is no proof that it is, even though this assumption seems intuitively correct. I would agree that, capital punishment is the only way that we know that a person can never commit crime again. It is a cause for public concern that sometimes, despite getting life sentences, people can escape with some as little as fifteen years in jail. A suitable solution to this would be tougher jail sentences and a life sentence which really means life. Only then can people feel safe and believe that criminals have been properly punished.
The argument about the value of human life can be used by both sides of the debate. People who are in favour of the death penalty feel that, the victim’s life has been taken from them and so exacting the highest punishment, that is their death, is the only way that we can acknowledge the high value of human life. On the other hand, those who support the abolition of capital punishment believe that even though the convicted person has murdered, and taken away someone’s life, all life is sacred, and that taking away another person’s life, even by the state, is wrong. In my view, having the state kill makes the state as bad as the murderer and makes society seem violent too.
Another issue that some people have with capital punishment is the difficulties that it brings in deciding if all murderers are deserving of execution. For example Ruth Ellis, a 28-year-old mother of young children, was hanged in 1955 for the murder of her ex- lover. Ellis gathered quite a bit of support and sympathy in her unsuccessful defense plea for a manslaughter charge, as many saw her crime as more of an ‘act of passion’, yet she still received the same punishment as serial killers like Ted Bundy who stalked and brutally murdered his victims.
The expense of keeping convicted criminals in prison is seen as many as another reason for having the death penalty. After the convicted murderer is executed, there is no further cost to the state, whereas their permanent incarceration would result in huge costs being incurred. Why should tax payers have to pay to keep murderers alive, who have so brutally taken away an innocent human life? On the other side, some people would say that this puts a price on human life and actually cheapens it.
Revenge is an instinctive part of human life, and naturally when something unjust happens to us, we want retribution. Capital Punishment seems the only real outlet for this type of justice. Death seems to be a reasonable punishment for someone who has so brutally and selfishly flouted the value of human life by killing innocent victims. Shouldn’t the victim’s family deserve the right to true justice- ‘an eye for an eye’? However this may be unfair to the murderer’s family, who too are innocent. Why should they have to suffer and be victimised, just because of one of their relation’s actions? Their additional greif will not bring the victim back, but simply add to the hurt felt by all.
In conclusion, after weighing up both sides of the debate, I have decided that, there are not enough redeeming factors in capital punishment debate for me to support it. The lack of evidence of capital punishment’s deterrence value and the inequality and unfairness meted out by the justice system, especially to racial minorities and to those who need help are the main reasons why I am against it. The whole idea of capital punishment seems violent, old fashioned and out of touch with today’s society, especially when you consider that some of the methods across the world include crushing, death by firing squad and in some rare cases, stoning. Capital Punishment should not be allowed today, especially when you consider that judicial error can still take place. At least a prison sentence can be revoked, sadly, if some evidence comes to light about an innocent person who has already been executed, it is too late. Arguing that the cost of a criminal’s permanent incarceration is too high is in my opinion, cheapening human life. It is like slapping a price tag on human life. The death penalty denies a basic human right, the right to life. Admittedly, criminals need to be punished, but to kill them achieves nothing except another death and killing them won’t bring back the victim to life. It is understandable that supporters of capital punishment feel that it’s safer when a convicted person is killed, that way, they can never attack again. However, the same result is achieved, if they were given a life sentence and restrictions were put in place to make sure that can not get out early. Although the criminal deservedly, should not get any special treatment, the inevitable media circus that follows trials where the person is going to be put to death is unfair to anyone, even a murderer. It also puts a lot of strain on the family of the person, and they are completely innocent. The desire to restore the death penalty is at its strongest when a diabolical and disgusting murder has just taken place, but capital punishment should never be restored in the U.K. Intellect must rule emotion, society should never have blood on its hands.