Wikipedia(2009). Death penalty. Retrieved April 30, 2009 from the World Wide Web: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_penalty
Bbc News(2009). Korean killer gets death penalty. Retrieved May 2, 2009 from the World Wide Web: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8011560.stm
Pasty Richards(1999). Homicide stastics. Retrieved May 2, 20009 from World Wide Web:http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp99/rp99-056.pdf
Ji Hyun (2008). pardoned after 86 years. retrieved May 2, 2009 from World Wide Web: http://www.hankookin.us/board/zboard.php?id=shock&no=77
2009년 5월 12일 화요일
2009년 5월 5일 화요일
What do you think about Death penalty?
I have chosen THIS frightful topic, not because I have any special connection to this topic and not because I have any interest on watching people dying, but because there was a case that a serial killer killed people in my hometown, Su-won, South Korea. He has sentenced death on 22 April 2009 , and waiting for being executed. In this case, I have found out that there are 2 group of people who are supporting and against the death penalty.
People who support death penalty insist that the enforcement of capital punishment lowers a nation's murder rate. I look at England's experience. According to this encyclopedia entry, capital punishment in England was going out of style in the 1950s, and the last execution occurred in 1964:
1964: On 13 August at 8am Peter Anthony Allen, at Walton Prison in Liverpool, and Gwynne Owen Evans, at Strangeways Prison in Manchester, are both executed for the murder of John Alan West becoming the last persons executed in Britain.
The enforcement of capital punishment ended in 1964, and one wonders what happened to the murder rate after that. Here is what happened (data from Table 1 of this report):
This is getting ridiculous. When America stopped executing murderers in the mid 1960s, the murder rate increased (but it came down again after capital punishment was reinstated in the 1980s). When Canada stopped executing murderers at the end of 1962, the murder rate increased within a few years. When Australia stopped in 1967, the murder rate went up. And when England stopped in 1964, the murder rate went up as well.
And they claim that killing convicted murderers will satisfy their need for justice and/or vengeance. They feel that certain crimes are so heinous that executing the criminal is the only reasonable response. Not to mention, families of victim need the consolation. It could sounds really horrifying, but death of the murderer who killed their family would be only thing that can comfort them. For them, Murderer’s human right is nothing. I cannot say that I can understand that fully, but I will say exactly what they say if I’m in same situation, even knowing that is not right.
On the other hands, people who are against death penalty say that there are chances of error. For example, Colin Campbell Ross(picture below) was executed for rape and killing 12 years old girl 86 years ago, but it has been posthumously pardoned on 27 May 2008.
Furthermore, in 1987, a study was published by the Stanford Law Review. They found some evidence that suggested that at least 350 people between 1900 and 1985 in America might have been innocent of the crime for which they were convicted, and could have been sentenced to death. “139 were sentenced to death and as many as 23 were executed."
Another reason they against is, executing one’s life can mean playing God. Some Christians believe that God places people on Earth for a purpose, but executing a person kills him before the time of their natural death. If we kill them prematurely, then we may be thwarting God's will.
I do believe Human life has intrinsic value and I do respect human rights. But, that is for the human, not animals. Once people have decided to kill other people, they have given up for being a human. Killing other people is unforgivable and worst sin people can commit. That’s something human have to know even one’s not going to church. And, as I mentioned before, I think there are not many people who can forgive someone who killed his or her family. Even Killing a murderer does not bring his victim back to life, if that is what comfort victim’s family, I am going to support death penalty.
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