Capital punishment

Dying out

Little by little, countries are ditching the death penalty

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Readers' comments



Capital punishment is a very (understandably) touchy subject. Perhaps one has to ask themselves three questions. Are there crimes punishable by death? Do humans have the moral authority to administer this punishment? In practice, is it carried out efficiently and fairly? It is apparent that there are countries as a whole that are starting to rethink their answers.


I believe that the reduction of the use of the death penalty in states is a positive step. People have been killing others for centuries for various reasons. Now it seems like people are finally starting to understand that this may not be the most civilized way to handle things. With all the war, genocide, and deaths due to illnesses on the planet, no more lives need to be lost.


Personally, I am against the death penalty. I don't think that other have the right to decide whether or not someone should die for a crime they might have committed. However, I do not think that more countries will get rid of the death penalty within any time soon, or at least until the economy is fixed. It is much less expensive for a state to kill rather than imprison. However, once the economic crisis dies down, I do think that this trend of abolishing the death penalty will continue.


Capital punishment is not obsolete. People and governments are starting to realize it is not necessary to the defense of innocent life. Capital punishment used to be used in some cases where it was either let the man (murderer, etc.) go free or execute him. In most cases today we have the option of locking him/her for life. The death penalty is not only unnecessary, but also risks killing the innocent along with preventing a criminal from possibly rehabilitating. Even the worst murderer should be locked in prison for life, not only to "make him suffer" grueling years in the jail cell, but also to give him the slightest chance that he will realize his faults and convert his life to God. If not he will face eternal judgement anyway. Give them a chance, while still keeping the rest of society safe and away from the criminals. Life in prison is harder than it seems. Give it a chance

Plaid Squid

People need to understand that the way America uses the death penalty is a lot different than most of the other countries that still use it. It's not like they just throw around that verdict like it's nothing. In the judicial system it's one thing to be convicted of a crime and sentenced to life in prison, and another thing to be tried and given the death penalty. And with the huge increase in forensic science within the last few decades the jury can have more confidence in their verdict; so the claim of innocence after the fact is becoming harder and harder to prove. The death penalty doesn't have to have a negative connotation associated with it if it is practiced right and used in cases where there is an overwhelming amount of evidence.


The death penalty has caused a lot of grief over time. People get killed without 100% evidence for guilt, or the crimes that they are convicted of are bogus, like witchcraft. The world needs to consider eliminating this horrible, vulgar punishment. The article talks about Texas. "The state has carried out a record 236 executions in his nearly 11 years as governor. Mr Perry says he loses no sleep over it, and many voters feel the same." This is horrible. 236 people died, and who knows how many actually were guilty of crimes.


If being able to kill your own people is the true test of sovereignty, what is the future of that term. E.H. Carr in his book "The Twenty Years' Crisis" discussed the future blurred lines and less significant meaning of the term sovereignty in the end of his book. Straying from the death penalty, further improves the rights of humans around the world but means big changes for the power and view of government.


Slowly the way people think is undergoing a change. The change in people's opinions on death penalty is a perfect example of how society is being transformed. While many people still support it, the eradication of the practice in many countries is showing how it no longer seems to be the most prevalently supported practice.


I have very mixed feelings towards the death penalty. I feel that someone who takes another innocent persons life should be executed. However, I feel that this is something that must be proven 100% first. If I were part of a family who had lost a loved one due to a situation like this, I think that I would rather see someone suffer rather than just be immediately executed. Our criminal justice system is not perfect, and because of cases like Troy Davis's, many people are completely against the idea of capital punishment.


Capitol Punishment is without a doubt one of the most cost effective ways of ridding the streets of our cities of crime. People who murder rape and slaughter innocent people should not have the right to live in this country any more. Speaking in terms of just economics. The death penalty is much more cost effective than life without the possibility of parole. Just think of keeping someone alive for 10 yrs on death row or keeping someone alive for 30 or more years with life without parole...that seems pretty obvious to me. Yes it is true that some people are put to death for crimes they did not commit and that is something that needs to be stopped immediately but in the cases where the evidence against the defendant is indisputable and the crimes are severe enough (i.e murder rape etc) i believe the death penalty should be enacted without remorse. Go Texas!


I think it is great that so many countries are doing away with the death penalty. Killing one innocent person is one too many. Honestly I think life in prison would be worse than the death penalty.

Andrew Sapitowicz

There must always be a death penalty in the world however, its use must be closely monitored by world agencies. Without the threat of death the world crime rate will increase dramatically. Although there is a need for the death penalty, all countries should monitor who is put to death and ensure that it was for a legitimate reason. With advances in DNA testing all crimes should be able to be proven indefinitely and then the death penalty should be used. There is no reason for people to be unjustly put to death in this modern age.

Allison Hinson

I am very excited that the death penalty is slowly disappearing. I really wish it would. I don't believe that we have the right to decide whether or not someone dies for their crimes. Aren't we being just as bad as they are when a person kills someone and then we kill them? It seems like it goes along with the old saying...."an eye for an eye." God will decide what these people deserve after they die. There is no need for us to kill them first.


Capital punishment costs far more than keeping a prisoner in jail for life. Economically, it is perhaps better to keep a prisoner locked up. The decline in the death penalty is shocking, especially the fact that China is dwindling down the crimes that require the death penalty. Why can't the U.S do the same? The number of executions in Texas is overwhelming. If more countries omit the death penalty, then perhaps the U.S will be pressured to do the same. Time will tell.


I hope this trend continues as I am not in favor of the death penalty. It is costly and it looks terrible when evidence is turned up in favor of someone who has already been terminated through the death penalty. Violence should not be solved by violence, and that is that.


In my opinion, the death penalty should go across the board. It's costly and too quick. Life without parole is something that's more effective and puts the criminal in a situation where he can't escape his past decisions and take the easy way out.


I do not think that the death penalty should be scrapped entirely but I do believe that it should only be given out for inexcusable crimes. Also the judge should be sure that there is irrefutable evidence that said criminal did indeed commit the crime. I know that it is difficult to tell sometimes if someone did indeed commit the crime, but unless you are 100% sure that they did, they really shouldn't be put on death row.


The segment that sticks out most to me is Texas's willingness to use the death penalty. Furthermore, it almost sickens me to think that one would not lose sleep over killing a human being, guilty or not. I'm not a religious person, but people of Texas are. I find it hypocritical for such a Christian-based society to feel that they have the power to take a person's life. According to their faith, shouldn't God be the only one with that authority? I am generalizing Texas as a whole and I know that not every single Texan has the characteristics that I'm portraying, but I just see conflicting viewpoints in how they act.

Anne E Scott

We need to have the death penalty. Society has this perverted mind set that gives pity to the guilty and not the victim or the victims family. The death penalty is perhaps the most humane and moral punishment, because it protects citizens from potential harm.


I believe that life without parole is an even worse sentencing than the death penalty. When you know you are spending the rest of your life in a prison, there really isn't much to live for. I do, however, think that each and every sovereign state has the right to choose their own policy on the death penalty. Sovereignty is total, recognized power and control over the people in a state. This includes the power to kill the people of the state. I have no problem with the death penalty and it's supporters, but I do think that I would rather be sentenced to death than life without parole.



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