In 2019, 657 offenders were executed, Why? How? What has made us come to this?
You must be thinking how is this even legal Well this is the sad and harsh reality, this is Capital Punishment known as the Death Penalty. This is a form of punishment given by execution to prisoners, this is also a form of murder. Aren't there any other ways to punish someone without taking a life away, for a mistake once done? This can be given for Murder, Kidnapping, Espionage, and Arson and these, are only some of the many crimes that can be given the Death Penalty Worldwide. This is not only cruel but inhumane and must be stopped.
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The Death Penalty originated back in Medieval Europe, to punish anyone for the wrongdoings they committed. Back in the time when Henry VIII ruled 72,000 were executed, including witches that were allegedly executed in Europe. This is where it all went wrong!
The Death Penalty started to evolve in America, since its recent colonisation in 1584. Then an Italian Criminologist, Cesare Beccaria proposed the idea to completely abolish the Death Penalty. With the use of other influential people at the time, such as Charles Dickens.
I will be giving an insight into why I believe the Death Penalty should be abolished, and how we should change the Justice System, to reintegrate prisoners back into life.
Every single one of us in this room has made a mistake before, but you could make one silly mistake and it could cost you your life. How is that fair?
Luckily Over 70% of countries worldwide have abolished the Death Penalty. Including the UK and all European Countries, except Belarus and Russia. As these European Countries use the protocol of, the European Convention on Human Rights of the Council Of Europe. These countries realize other forms of action must take place instead. As no lives can be taken back. This is because by killing murderers has not proved that it will stop other people from committing similar crimes.
Compared to the USA which has a higher rate of violent crimes, that only makes society more brutal.
For example, Halden Prison in Norway holds some of the most notorious and high-profile inmates. These inmates have committed serious crimes. Seeing that there is no Death Penalty, the maximum year's sentence is 21 years, even for committing murder.
Halden wants to help prisoners get back to life once they get out, treating inmates with respect as if they are still people. This prison has the lowest reoffending rate of 20% after two years, compared to the USA with 48%. In America, there is the massive issue of mass incarceration, not treating prisoners as human, and giving them the basic rights they deserve even though they are criminals, and have once made a bad decision in their life.
Prisoners that are waiting to be executed are put on Death Row. Lethal Injection 'Gas Chambers' The Electric Chair, are all ways to end an offender's life, in a blink. All of these methods are completely cruel and inhumane.
One of these ways is being killed by lethal injection can cause a painful death, not only violating human rights, to have the right to die peacefully. However this should not even be happening in the first place, instead we could be giving prisoners life with no parole. This way prisoners can rehabilitate themselves in the prison walls, instead of another life gone.
To keep a person without the Death Penalty is around 740,000 dollars compared to keeping someone on Death Row for 1.26 million dollars. Instead, we should give prisoners rehabilitation, and programs to help bring them on track to a better life.
This is partly because of the mass incarceration issues, as the Death Penalty is being used to seek revenge, as a lot of people want the Death Penalty to, get back at the offender's wrongdoings.
Some of the victim's families might think executing the offender is an alternative, and the Death Penalty should be sought out. HOWEVER, THIS IS WRONG! If a prisoner is in life knowing they can never get out and can't get parole, this is a way to help prisoners do more with their life.
As a way for their actions instead of being executed, adding on to go through the process of Execution for the family, is excruciating. Which makes it even worse for everyone, whereas life without parole and restitution could work.
Restitution is making prisoners work and the money earnt will go to the victim's family, where the criminal won't be a threat to society instead, as he or she is in prison for life. Instead of just killing criminals they won't have time to reform, from their crime.
A Jewish Philosopher Maimonides once said It is better and more satisfactory to acquit a thousand guilty persons than to put a single innocent man to death
The Death Penalty is, cruel, and barbaric by taking lives, as well as waiting for the process causing anxiety and fear in the offenders. Including if the execution will actually go out and happen.
Over 4.1 % have been executed in the past and found innocent. Now take a minute to think about how the system has failed all of those people. For example, Troy Davis was accused of shooting a police officer in 1989, when forensic testing was not at the level, it is today. As well as witnesses claiming he did not commit the crime, which goes to show how the system can manipulate a person so easily.
Troy Davis's last words were, I am innocent, I did not hold the gun' Troy Davis was black and many people like him were subjected because they were a different race from everyone else.
42% of African American people make up the majority of the Death Row population. 35% of these people are executed. These people are seen as worse at killing a white person than vice versa.
This inmate would be treated differently, so banning the Death Penalty means we don't have these problems, and prisoners can all be treated the same. Without judging their race, or any other factors about them. Instead trying to help prisoners to rehabilitate them.
At the time when the inmate commits the crime, these offenders might be poor and cannot afford a lawyer to get a fair trial, often. During these trials, people's backgrounds and circumstances have not been taken into account.
5-10% of these offenders have mental illnesses such as Schizophrenia and intellectual disabilities. Schizophrenia is when people hallucinate, which can affect them to do bad things, such as making a stupid mistake or a crime.
So when questioned they will mostly give false confessions, because they are in such a bad state and are pressured by the police. However, when having the trial a lot of these inmates do not understand what is going on.
Instead of killing them, we should be educating and helping them. Now offenders with a background of mental illnesses can not be executed, and this shouldn't just apply to them but anyone, no matter the situation.
Like Maimonides once said, It is better and more satisfactory to acquit a thousand guilty persons than to put a single innocent man to death One mistake and everything is over, now this must stop and we can all help to make a change, to stop the Death Penalty.
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