WHY DEATH PENALTY SHOULD BE REVISED

DEATH PENALTY SHOULD BE REVISED

            Owing to the increased cases of murder, rising day by day across the globe, man has wondered why death penalty was abolished though. On the contrary, some still believed that it is a fair decision by the world reputable body, UN to abolish death penalty for individuals who murder or kill fellow individuals. Therefore, this article tries to analyze the consequences, benefits and also the major reasons why global leaders thought it wise to abolish death penalty.

            In the past, men, women who made this painful decision to take fellows’ life were punished by law, through a death penalty by law, through a death penalty by hanging, gas chamber, electric chair, and firing squad or even poisoning. During these days, men feared to murder or its related case, as they knew its primary consequence. But after the abolishment of the death penalty in some countries, murder cases have risen drastically, making people to ask for revision of the act.

            In 2007 UN General Assembly, 62^nd session, Amnesty international calls on the UN to adopt a resolution to affirm the right to life and stating that abolition of the death penalty is essential for the protection of human rights and to report on the implementation of the moratorium to the next session of the UNGA.

            This call by Amnesty international fueled the abolition of death penalty by many countries, lading to a more increase in murder and assassination cases worldwide. In order words, as a way of bringing down this rate, I am using this article to call on the UN and other government officials globally, to please re-visit and if possible revoke the death penalty sentence.

            In order to affirm my call, I would like us to take a closer look at the murder rates of countries that did adopt the capital punishment instead of death penalty, as stipulated by the Amnesty international, and compare them with that in countries that applied death penalty in 2003, such countries includes, China, Iran, US, Vietnam and then check our various results. My own result proved a 51% to 49% murder rate between those that employed capital punishment to those that used death penalty respectively.

             Many has argued that death sentence is a barbaric act, but at the same time forgetting the fact that killing itself is barbaric. Some have also mentioned cases whereby innocent inmates were sentenced to death, but with the whole lot of modern technology present today, ranging from DNA to lie detector test etc, this part of the argument is scrapped off, as error is reduced to a level of 99%., together with the court execution proceedings before a person is sentenced to death.

            With the abolition of death penalty, killers remained killers even for life. They are always assured of life, even after committing several murder offences. Let us look at a situation, whereby a murderer is sponsored by a top government official, if such person gets caught in the act, there is the possibility of the murderer getting freedom after sentencing (if life jail is sentencing is employed) through government parole.

            We must not also forget the human reasoning and mentality when dealing with issues like this, what message are we passing to the remaining murderers and even the murderer in question? As a human myself, I strongly believe that these murderers and yet to come murderers, are not always afraid of killing others since after the act, they only get a life sentence, which they might still get freedom along the line. We must consider the errors in parole, where Carlos and unrepentant killers are grant freedom to live again and hence, they go on with their killing acts.

            Another important thing that we must also consider, is the rampant cases of prison breaks and escape, and the high cost of keeping killers in jails, counseling them, which is very costly for government to maintain properly. In general, death penalty abolition gives more room for killers to continue killing, by reassuring them of life even after life jails. On the other hand, capital punishment puts the global corruption rate at a very high rate, as the families of a convicted or sentenced killer does anything possible, to raise this money for the settlement of the capital punishment prize and hence, they can go searching the money through illegal means yet unknown.

CONSEQUENCES OF DEATH PENALTY

            Several people have continued to argue on this issue of death penalty, saying it has so many consequences on the individual being sentenced, the family members and the entire society, pointing out some notable points though, this does not in any way justify the abolition.

            On the part of the person being sentenced to death, he is not given any chance to repent or plead, as they might later become good citizens. As to the family members, it is very painful and shameful to watch ones’ blood being put to death, without any help, this may ruin the family’s’ entire joy and mental balance. Also on the part of the society, experts have proved that the cost of executing a death sentence (penalty) is much higher than the cost of keeping the murderer in jail.

            As we all know that a death penalty is not always executed immediately, which gives room for further appeals, pleadings and case elongation. During these periods, the court spends to pay the staff including the Judge. On the side of the victim and defendant, they both pay for lawyers and attorneys, transport and other miscellaneous expenses.

            All these put together, makes death penalty a costly way of sentencing as some sentenced prisoners have remained 10-20 years on death row.

REASONS WHY MANY AFFIRM ITS ABOLITION

            Considering the various consequences of death penalty, many individuals, government officials and concerned organizations like Amnesty international have criticized this as being barbaric, including the suspected errors believed to be involved, which leads to the killing of innocent prisoners.

            Many also believed that this is passing wrong message to the entire global population by saying, “eye for eye”. Cases also arose where mentally ill persons who committed murder, were killed, instead of giving them a chance to change for better.

            We also heard people complain of accidental killings which also resulted to the sentencing of the accidental-murderer, all these were among the various reasons considered by those who campaigned heavily against death penalty. But they failed to answer this question: “why are we afraid of death penalty? Does it mean we all are planning to kill some day? If our hearts and minds are clean, why border about this?”

IT BRINGS A LASTING JUDGEMENT

            Since the abolition of death penalty in most countries, the number of accused murderers who admits guilty in return for a lesser sentence has increased as high as 70-80% globally. Also considering the time, cost and personnel requirements to tackle a murder case, we can see clearly that there is no better alternative to the one in question. Keeping the violent criminal in jail may pose a lot of threats to the entire society, including the prison staff and fellow inmates.

            And we must not also forget the fact that more than 50,000 prisoners break free or escape from different prisons globally. This is in addition to over 100,000 inmates who gets parole annually, posing more dangers of murder cases worldwide.

            I am therefore calling on all concerned officials, individuals and world bodies like the UN, to please revise the abolition of the death penalty and hence make some necessary exceptions and amendments in this resolution, if it must continue. This is to ensure that the high rate of murder cases worldwide is brought down and to make people to have respect for killing fellows.

             I am an upcoming philanthropist, with much interest in ex-prisoners (but not murderers) rehabilitation, through what I call Inspired Friends Foundation.  This foundation is dedicated to the immediate rehabilitation of ex-prisoners, who are ready to change and hence continue life as good citizens, by giving them training and the empowerment to get back on track, so as to reduce the rate of ex-prisoners returning back to crime after freedom. Let us join hands together, save a soul today, don’t wait tomorrow, it might be too late. Stop crime!

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