Capital PunishmentCapital Punishment

What is Capital What is Capital Punishment?Punishment?

Capital punishment, (the death penalty or execution), is the

punishment/killing of a person through judicial means.

• Capital punishment has been practiced in most societies

• more than 60% of the population live in countries where executions take place

• Canada abolished the death penalty in 1976 and half of Canadians would like to see it reinstated.

Arguments for the Death Arguments for the Death PenaltyPenalty

-Retribution-Deterrence-Cost-Safer environment

RetributionRetribution

• It’s a case of justicejustice; “an eye for an eye.”In the Christian religion there is evidence

from the bible that God would believe in capital punishment.

For example, Genesis 9:6 says: "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man."

It seems only fairfair that if you take someone's life you should have to face the same consequencesconsequences.

DeterrenceDeterrence

The death penalty serves as a deterrent and helps to reduce crime. Capital punishment serves to create fear - Most criminals will think twice if they know their own lives are at stake. Studies show that each execution can save seven or eight people from being victims of murder (Siegel & McCormick).

Deterrence Deterrence Cont.Cont.

This graph by the Bureau of Criminal Justice shows the murder rate compared to the number of executions that had taken place in the US up to the year 2000. This shows criminals do fear the death

penalty.

CostCost

Putting criminals in prison for long-term sentences is expensive and it is better to spend tax money on other needs such as on health care and education.

Safer SocietiesSafer Societies

Violent criminals shouldn’t darken societies – the death penalty permanently removes the most dangerous criminals from societies making them safer for innocent civilians.

SingaporeSingapore

• Singapore consistently carries out the death-penalty for murder. It has the highest per capita execution rate in the world, and has one of the lowest murder rates in the world. “Singapore has 12 times the population of Vancouver but just half the crime rate.” - www.langara.bc.ca/creative-arts/publishing/prm/2003/singapore.html

REASONS AGAINST THE REASONS AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY

““An eye for an eye and the An eye for an eye and the whole world goes blindwhole world goes blind" "

-Gandhi.

Chris OchoaChris Ochoa

This is the story of Chris Ochoa who spent 12 years in prison for doing nothing wrong. Ochoa said, “I was so, so alone in the world.” Chris became depressed and attempted suicide in prison.

A major reason against the death sentence is that many people, like Ochoa, are wrongly convicted... More than you would think. Ochoa is one of 234 people who have been wrongfully sentenced in USA alone, 17 serving time on death row.

No Chance of ErrorNo Chance of Error

• There have been many cases where new evidence is found and convicted murders are proven innocent and freed.

• Cannot free a dead person.• Innocent people get executed.• No room for possibility of error.

Un-DeterredUn-Deterred• Death Sentence is not a deterrence to

murder.• Research has found little evidence that

countries with a death penalty have lower violent rates (Sigel & McCormik).

• Majority of murders are unplanned, “Crimes of Passion” where consequences of ones’ actions are not considered.

• Many murders are a result of irrational thinking due to a mental illness, drug use, or burdens of poverty.

Un-deterredUn-deterred• The removal of capital punishment in

Canada in1976 has not led to an increase in the murder rate. Statistics Canada report that the murder rate has generally been declining since the mid-1970s. In 2006, the national murder rate in Canada was 1.85 homicides per 100,000 population, compared to the mid-1970s when it was around 3.0. - http://canadaonline.about.com/od/crime/a/abolitioncappun.htm

• In the United States, states with the death penalty have a homicide rate far above the national average. (*)

• The national homicide rate in the USA, over time has been declining, especially in states which reject the death penalty.(*)

CostsCosts• Research shows that life-imprisonment is eight

times less expensive than the death sentence(*)

• Taxpayers are paying for the cost of the execution and for the trial.

• The average cost to Maryland taxpayers for reaching a single death sentence is $3 million - $1.9 million more than the cost of sentencing one to life in prison(*)

• Kansas concluded that death sentence cases are 70% more expensive than non-death penalty cases.(*)

RetributionRetribution

- Revenge is sinking to the moral level of the murderer

- A criminal can wait for execution for many years, which causes them much suffering and makes the punishment more severe.

BiasBias

• The mentally ill, poor, males, and racial minorities are over-represented among those executed

• Women convicted of murder are almost never executed.

RehabilitationRehabilitation• Sometimes people condemned to death

repent, express remorse, or experience spiritual rehabilitation before their execution.

• Execution someone be seen as taking away their potential to go to rehab, heal and become a productive citizen in the long run .

UnnecessaryUnnecessary

• Executing a murderer doesn't bring the victim back to life. It achieves nothing but the death of another person

• “Eye for Eye and the whole world ends up blind” - two wrongs don’t make a right.

• Does not always provide closure for victims' families

• THE FOLLOWING THREE CASES ARE ALL TRUE.

• IMAGINE THE VICTIM IS SOMEONE CLOSE TO YOUR HEART

• WHAT SHOULD BECOME OF THEM? ... YOU BE THE JUDGE

CASE 1 – James BulgerCASE 1 – James BulgerA security camera recorded a two year

old boy being abducted. He was tortured, sexual abused, beaten to death and then abandoned. His murderers were two ten year old boys who were convicted of this crime.

(Siegel & McCormick)

CASE 2 – Robert PicktonCASE 2 – Robert Pickton

A Canadian pig farmer, was charged for the murder of 26 women. It is alleged that he lured women into his farm where he assaulted and killed them.

-no evidence he used drugs or alcohol himself

- Sociopath

CASE 3 – Dion ColemanCASE 3 – Dion Coleman

• Dion Coleman and Walter Holley were fighting over a $50 bill. The fight was taken to a new level when Coleman shot Walter, killing him. Walter had a son, fiancé, mom, brothers and sisters.

BibliographyBibliography

• http://www.wesleylowe.com/cp.html• L.J Siegel, C McCormick. Criminology In

Canada. 2006• http://canadaonline.about.com/od/crime/a/aboliti

oncappun.htm• http://lpcyu.instablogs.com/entry/singapore-and-t

he-death-penalty-unanswered-questions• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment• www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/cp.htm