Does the Death Penalty deter crime

br Running head : DEATH PENALTY

The Death Penalty in deterring crime

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THE DEATH PENALTY IN DETERRING CRIME

Introduction

Death penalty can be defined as the execution or ending of life of a person by the state as penalty for crime . It is also known as capital punishment . Crimes that can lead to a death sentence are otherwise referred to as capital crimes or capital offences . This punishment by death derives its name from the Latin language . It comes from the word capitalis

, which literally regards the head (latin capit .A capital crime was therefore originally punished by the loss of the head . In the past various societies have used death penalty to punish crime and to suppress political dissent . In the contemporary society , the death penalty is mainly used to punish murderers , those guilty of treason or as part of military punitive justice . Other crimes that may result to death penalty include , drug trafficking , sexual crimes (rape adultery , sodomy ) and religious crimes where one may formally renounce their religion

These offences may differ from place to palce , for instance , the Chinese view human trafficking and serious cases of corruption as punishable by the death penalty . Around the world , almost all the European countries , Pacific Area State , Latin America and Canada have done away with capital punishment .In latin America Brazil is an exception , since it allows death penalty in situations of treason committed during war .The United States , Guatemala , Caribbean , majority of Asian countries (for example Japan and India ) and Africa (Botswana and Zambia ) still practice capital punishment . There has been controversy about death penalty all over the world . While some people feel that it should be allowed others seem to campaign very strongly for its abolishment . Various reasons for and against death penalty have been given . One of the reasons why death penalty should be encouraged is that it deters crime . In this whether death penalty deters crime will be examined

Statement

Death penalty undermines the value of life . The crimes that the offender may commit also do undermine the value of life .A society requires to live fully to protect life and cultivate virtues that leave no room for criminal activities It is my own view that as a global society we should adopt a system where we correct wrongs done without undermining the value of human life . This can only be done by abolishing capital punishment

Discussion

Many years ago , capital punishments were often cruel and inhuman (for example , boiling to death , crucifixion , flaying slow slicing , crushing stoning , execution by burning or decapitation . Tribal arbitration through compensation in the society was replaced by a unified system of justice which formalised the relation between different groups of people .For example , the Torah (Jewish law ) which can also be referred to as the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old testament supports death penalty for certain crimes . It deterring crimes , death penalty can be effective as discussed below

Death penalty is an effective way...