A
LIFE FOR A LIFE?
It
is the most profound question society can face. A subject that has divided
families, communities, friends and politicians; does the death penalty have the
right or need to be reintroduced?
The
punishment of death was last cast in Britain in 1965 when Peter Allen and Gwynne
Evans were executed for killing a deliveryman and for the past 38 years it has
laid dormant. However, recently British politics has been shaken by the views of
David Davies, The Shadow Home Secretary who publicly announced his support for
the reintroduction of the death penalty. However, would Britain be better with
or without this harsh, extreme and violent form of justice?
A
key argument supporting the ban of capital punishment is that a life sentence is
a much crueller punishment. Some people are of the opinion that to put someone
behind bars for the rest of their life, in effect denying them of a life, is a
more fitting punishment. In prison they would be separated from a world of joy,
love, plenty, choice and freedom so instead of taking their life from them, we
should capture and erode the one they have.
There
is also the issue of martyrs. Currently the world is plagued by terrorism.
Terrorists would be key targets for the death penalty, people who may
premeditate the murders of possibly hundreds of people. However if we take their
lives there is the risk they will be perceived as a hero by their followers,
colleagues and leaders possibly prompting others to follow in their footsteps of
death. A key example of this is the IRA, when in 1939 IRA rebels were arrested
and executed which created publicity and sympathy for their cause across the
globe. This is a risk the modern day Britain cannot afford as if we create
murderers into martyrs the wave of terrorism will swiftly and decisively break
on our shores.
However
support for capital punishment is high in the UK as recent polls suggest that
62% of people support the death penalty for child murders while 54% support it
for all murderers.
The
introduction of the death penalty would increase the amount of money our
government could spend on education or health for example as every year
taxpayer’s money is drained into prisons. Some people don’t believe that
their money should be spent on keeping murderers such as Moors Murderer Ian
Brady alive when it could be streamed into facilities that would benefit
themselves and their families.
The
latest argument supporting the death penalty is the modern technology. Where as
50 years ago people may have been wrongly accused and consequently executed
because of ineffective and unreliable forensic abilities now we have the ability
to exploit our DNA. Through DNA testing as well as a rapid and constant increase
in forensic equipment retracing the past and its murderous events is becoming
more easy, accurate and reliable. With clear results we can now safely not find
guilty the wrong person.
In
conclusion I believe that the death penalty is a severe and harsh punishment. In
the years before it was abolished murders were less than a quarter as high as
they are now. The mere fear of death it seems my have prevented people from
taking part in someone else’s. I personally believe that the reintroduction of
the death penalty may benefit our country as with increasing gun and drug
culture, racial violence and child abductions this may be an effective tool to
reduce their disturbing growth. However this is an issue which would need
extreme research, planning, guidelines and above all public approval for if a
democratic state was to approve of capital punishment it must be the choice of
the people and not a government who favour the right.
In
the UK the death penalty is a concern, what is its status in your country and
what are your opinions on this issue?
© 2003 Freeway
Article by: Andrew Paterson