When I talk about those criminals, who need to be punished by capital punishment, I’m not talking about the cases, in which people steal a loaf of bread for living. What I’m talking about is a massacre of innocent people; a cold blood murdering for “fun” or “revenge” and repeatedly sexual abuses on children.
Some people might think capital punishment as a punishment for death. And they said “If you hang someone, they suffer no more.” This is not what I meant. We are not living in the old ancient time talking about “an eye to an eye, and a tooth for a tooth”, things just don’t work out this way these days. In my own opinion, capital punishment is a symbol of justice. I do believe that life is valuable. However, I can hardly find a good reason to persuade myself why those terrorist who committed hundreds of innocents deserve to live.
The most famous one happened on 11 Sep 2001 in US. The crashing of hijacked planes into World Trade Centre caused over 3000 death and 8900 injured, including more than 400 police officers and firefighter.
In 2004, 10 bombs packed with nails and dynamite exploded on 4 trains heading into central Madrid in the morning. This attack made 191 people killed and nearly 1800 injured, which was the worst Islamist terrorist in European history.
What kind of punishment is a proper one who is responsible for the death of hundred people? Some people may argue that these Islam believers are doing this for their faith of religion. From the terrorists' perspectives maybe they do have a reason to believe they were doing these things for good. Then how about are the motives behind cold blooded murders or serial killers.
On January 9, 2008, 22-year-old university student, Sophie Elliott, was killed by her ex-boyfriend who’s her teacher as well, Clayton Robert Weatherston, in her Dunedin home. She was stabbed to death over 216 times with a knife and scissors. And he mutilated her body in “a calm and collected manner” at the end. On July 22, 2009, Clayton Robert Weatherson was found guilty in the Christchurch High Court and he was sentenced on a minimum of 18 years prison.I was so surprised when I knew his trail was an 18-year imprisons not even life-time. After such a brutal attack to a vulnerable woman, he conducted the mutilation of her body. And when he was asked about his action in the Court, he kept answering “I don’t remember”. I can understand defensive killing or violent impulses leading to murder. But the way Mr. Weatherston did was completely heartless, cruel and made the victim suffering on purpose. This is definitely intolerant for me.
One of the debatable reasons to abolish the death penalty is people believe it against human rights. I believe life is equally precious for everyone. Therefore, who can defence the rights of the victims who was brutally killed, like Sophie and other people in serial murder cases. In 2005, Dennis Rader confessed guilty to 10 murders, including entire Otero family and six women. I can hardly find humanity in these murders. When a people without humanity inside, are we still consider him deserve the human rights to live after he committed the killing or remained the threatening to the society.
In most European countries, the maximum penalty in legal system is life time imprison. For instance, in the United Kingdom, capital punishment was abolished in the 20th century. However, when I looked at the List of Serial Killers by Country, I found an ironic fact that United Kingdom is clearly the champion among all the countries around the world. It is unquestionable that human society needs a legal system to provide a systematic, orderly, and predictable mechanism for resolving disagreements. In another words, the purpose to set up laws is to secure the society’s security. The reason I support capital punishment for repeated child sexual abuses is there are completely unforgettable excuses in these cases and I believe death penalty has its deterrent effect on it.
Some people argued sexual offences doesn’t deserve to death penalty. Here I want to point out that the trauma effects after the abuses are incomparable. These effects can be as devastating in a life time. As one of the most vulnerable group in human society, I believe capital punishment has an efficient protection function. Does death penalty have deterrent effect on society? Yes, it does. H. Naci Mocan, an economist at Louisiana State University, performed some studies in the past decade. The results showed that the murder rates fall in U.S. when executions rise. When corporal punishment is no longer an effective deterrent, DP seems the only efficient way to ensure the society safe. As one of the lowest criminal rate countries in the world, Singapore is famous for its canning punishment. However, execution is carried out. Joseph Tan’s, a Singapore lawyer, who was a volunteer with the Roman Catholic Prison Ministry for more than five year, made a statement in the Strait Times, a local newspaper, the reasons Singapore society needs the death penalty. During his interactions with a variety of prisoners, he witnessed the process that canning gradually lost its deterrent function. Although caning is very painful, many tough offenders are prepared to be caned again if their prison terms can be shortened in return, which means the only punishment that those criminals are truly frightened of is the death penalty.
Humans are sinful by nature. Abolishing the death penalty in these cases will show mercy but bring injustice to human society. And in terms of life imprisonment, the cost of public resources will last in the long term as well.
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References
9/11 Attacks.
(2013). The History Channel website.
Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-attacks.
Bihary, A. The Dennis Rader - BTK Serial killer
Confessions. Retrieved from http://aboutserialkillers.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/the-dennis-rader-btk-serial-killer.html.
Chin, J. T. P.
(2013). Why death penalty is needed. Retrieved from http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/why-death-penalty-needed-20130108.
Clayton Weatherston guilty of murder. (2009). Retrieved from http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/clayton-weatherston-guilty-murder-2860987.
Hamilos, P.
(2007). The worst Islamist attack in
European history. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/oct/31/spain.
Liptak, A.
(2007). Does Death Penalty Save Lives? A
New Debate. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/us/18deter.html?pagewanted=all&_r=3&.
Milner, G.
(2013). Capital Punishment, If You Hang
Someone, They Suffer No More. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/gareth-milner/philpotts-capital-punishment_b_3014210.html.
Sophie Elliott killing: Weatherston
'calm, collected'. (2009).
Retrieved from http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/2530634/Sophie-Elliott-killing-Weatherston-calm-collected.
Hi Christina,
ReplyDeleteI think this topic is striking and I agree with most of what you are saying here. And your question on 'where to draw the line'.
I know in an ideal world, the one who takes lives, shouldn't have their own spared, but again as you point out "an eye for an eye" is only idealistic.
For those who take mass amount of lives, in my own opinion is the only reason this punishment should still exist, despite its barbaric nature. Sometimes life imprisonment isn't enough and the law system (mostly here) seems too lax when it comes to brutal murders (Such as the 18 year imprisonment case above)and people need to remember there are always serious consequences for their actions.
Very persuasive and clear. Nice work!
Thanks for your comments on my blog. I'm glad you agree with my opinion.
DeleteHi, Christina, I totally agree with your opinions and I believe life-poisoning should not be the highest sentences what murders can received! It is very ironical to see that how some people respect such killers' rights. They are the one who killed someone's loved ones, it is totally inacceptable to let them living in our society, nobody know they commit crimes again. Some think capital punishment is draconian sentence, but to me murderers in particular terrorist, child abuse and serial killers are deserved to get.
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ReplyDeleteHi Christina,
I agree with you a person who kill for fun just because he/ she want to see other suffer or because it give them a thrill should get the Death penalty , why we should care about their right of living when they did not stop to think for one minute when they took someone life for fun, child abuser also one of those who never should walk on earth again in my opinion , in so many cases every time they let them walk out of the prison no matter how long they were locked up they do the same thing so why should we let them hurt more people I don't think they deserve to live.
This was a very interesting topic to read about. I agree that people who kill just for the fun of it should be given the death penalty, not a "life sentence", that only means around 18 years. It is wrong for these people to get away with such a thing. Although killing killers seems rather old fashioned, I believe we should still carry out this law today, for the sake of justice for the victim/s and the family/ies too.
ReplyDeleteWell, this was really interesting to read, mostly because I am undecided of which is right. I remember when I was a kid having a discussion about capital punishment and was totally agaisnt it, I was appalled at someone else having the right to take away the life of someone else. I mean, dosen't that make us just as bad as them? But after reading your essay and some of the other comments I'm leaning somewhat more towards being for capital punishment. But I'm totally on onbard for your point about in what cases it should be allowed.
ReplyDeleteRosalie,
DeleteThanks for the comments. I'm glad to know my points make you leaning a little bit, somehow it shows my article is quite convincing to you. Thanks for telling me your true feeling. :-)
Thanks for letting me read your blog~
ReplyDeleteI can understand your point of view where capital punishment is necessary for those who commit crimes beyond punishment that of imprisonment without parole. The good thing about capital punishment is the fact that it strikes fear into the hearts of potential convicts. However, the problem is, has capital punishment really lessened the amount of convictions. Maybe that is something to look into.
My own perspective is that after a murder, the killing of the murderer will not actually bring back the dead. And capital punishment will only put another living being into the grave. I don't think we need to be completely for or against capital punishment and I actually support imprisonment WITH parole, and to give the convicted a second chance to contribute to society, but if he cannot do so, then the use of death penalty is necessary.
Great point on the necessity of capital punishment though, definitely something for me to think about.
I totally agree with you Christina, I also believe that murderers or rapist should have proper justice by serving them death sentence. The horrors they gave the victims family is unbearable, giving them proper justice can make the family feel reassured and happy that the killer is off the streets. You have a lot of facts to show that capital punishment is the way to go such as the guy that murdered his girlfriend and also was his teacher. How disgusting is that stabbing someone more than 218 times and getting only 18 years in prison. Once he gets out what makes them think he won't do it again?
ReplyDeleteHi Christina , i totally agree with your opinion , it was shocking that how come a person who stabbed his girlfriend over 216 times gets to put in the prison for just 18 years, its totally unfair to victim and her families. Also We can never know what others have got in their mind,this guy might be doing it again when he gets out, Who's gonna be the next one?
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