Death penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Death penalty - Essay Example According to the research findings it can therefore be said that in a world characterized by all forms of crimes, law and justice are very important aspects in the society. There are different levels of crimes. Some are civil while others are capital. Governments and religious organization dictate the course of justice to the offended and the punishment to the convicted in the society. There are various forms of justice and punishment applied by governments and religious groups. Different crimes require different punishments. Among such punishments is the death penalty. However, in also most all cases the power to prescribe a punishment rests with the courts of law that are arms of the government. Death penalty also known as capital punishment is a governments pre-meditated, and planned lawful infliction of death as a punishment to a legally convicted person. Generally, there is a decreasing tread of death penalty punishments in the recent times. American citizens, political leaders, and religious leaders have been victims of this punishment. Indeed, the numbers are significant. According to Amnesty International, most countries did not use the punishment in 2009. About two-thirds of the countries abolished the death penalty in law or in practice, while 58 countries retained the death penalty in 2009. Consequently, eighteen countries actually carried out executions, killing more than 700 people. However, these figures did not include unreported executions carried out in China. From 1976 to April 2008, execution took place on about 1,099 people in the U.S while those on the death row were 3263. According to Amnesty international, in the year 2008 there were 1718 executions in China were, 346 in Iran, 102 in Saudi Arabia, 37 in United States, 36 in Pakistan, 34 in Iraq, 19 in Vietnam, 17 in Afghanistan, 15 in North Korea and 66 in Japan and other countries. Similarly, by April 1, 2008, 37 states in the U.S were practicing death penalty. To date, the USA, Japan, s ome African states, China, many Asian and Middle Eastern countries retain the death penalty crimes (Amnesty international web). The only conclusion we can make from these statistics is that death penalty is still exists in many countries. Certainly, it is because of its effectiveness in controlling capital offences and rendering justice. The crimes that may lead to a death penalty vary from one country to another and from one religion to another. Same case applies to the methods of carrying out the execution. Some of the crimes that can warrant a death penalty are murder, treason, rape, terrorism, and even adultery in the Muslim religion. Islam law specifically outlines intentional murder, treason, adultery as crimes befitting a death penalty. Generally, in all cases, intentional murder warrants a death penalty. Hanging, stoning, firing squad and beheading are some of the execution methods that Islam recommends. Again, executions take place in public to serve as warnings to would-be criminals. Under the Islam law, enough evidence must be produced against a convict in a due court process for this penalty to be given. Since the early times, there have been debates and opinions in support and against the death penalty. In the United States, there is an equal division in relation to death penalty. Amnesty international condemns the death penalty in all cases regardless of the characteristics of the offender, nature of crime, or the method of execution. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the penalty is a denial of the right to life. It also quotes that death penalty is a violent practice, and does not accord justice to either the accused or the offended. However, murder is also a violent act, and he who commits it is violent. Thus, it is only fair that he should expect an equally violent punishment like a death penalty. Others argue that it is more expensive to kill a person than to put him in a jail.