Thesis and Annotated bibliography

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Argumentative Paper: Capital Punishment

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Capital Punishment

Introduction

Capital punishment is killing a criminal condemned to death post a court of law's conviction of a criminal offense. Due to the process of law, it should be differentiated with extrajudicial assassinations. It is sometimes interchangeably called the death penalty.

Sources

Pew Research Center (2020) explains how some major religious organizations in the United States view capital punishment. It explains that the Nebraska Legislature voted to abolish capital punishment within the state, overruling its veto. During this time, those who supported the prohibition shared some of the praise with various spiritual leaders who shared their opinions on the matter, with various Catholic bishops. According to the article, several large religious organizations have taken their stance against capital punishment, even though their opinions sometimes differ with that of their followers.

On the other hand, Robinson & Moody (2019) evaluates the significance of international law and human rights for the death penalty practice globally. They emphasize capital punishment in the US. The authors describe that the United States' actual death penalty practice is consistent with international law and deferential to human rights. That means the paper is not limited to capital punishment in theory and reflects whether capital punishment is under international law standards and respects human rights.

According to Udoudom, Idagu & Nwoye (2018), it is a fact that various societies worldwide agree that if people break the law, they shall be punished. However, there are disparities involving what appropriate penalty should be applied, specifically in significant crimes such as murder. Capital punishment is among those debated between supporters and challengers. Many countries are currently trying to find diverse sanctions for major law-breakings like life imprisonment instead of the death penalty. Thus, the article attempts to study capital punishment from the perspective of Kantian and Utilitarian ethics.

Aspects that develop in Capital Punishment

Aspect 1: Effects on Society

Usually, society uses punishment to discourage those who would become criminals from illegal actions. Since culture is interested in stopping murder, it should use the most substantial available penalty to prevent killings, capital punishment. If the killers are sentenced and murdered, potential killers will fear losing their lives (Udoudom et al., 2018). However, there are some arguments against capital punishment, indicating that it does not deter murder because most individuals who kill either do not anticipate to be caught. They do not carefully consider the differences between a potential death penalty and life before they act. One of the pros of capital punishment to society is that it will eliminate victims' potential of escaping from prisons back to the community. However, the con is that some individuals being executed may be innocent since some evidence that justifies death is usually tainted.

Aspect 2: Human Right

Capital punishment is a denial of the most fundamental human right: the right to life. Evaluating capital punishment from a human rights viewpoint not only underscores the aspect of denying the most fundamental human right but also shows why the only “answer” to capital punishment is ending it permanently. This may occur if the prejudices and realities linked with the death penalty could somewhat be eliminated, expenses cut, biases based on race and class removed, and all chances for 'mistakes" abolished (Robinson & Moody, 2019). However, the human rights approach the issue with correctness, method, or timeliness of the death penalty. It offers a strict guideline saying unequivocally that capital punishment is wrong. But the pro of capital punishment is that it will provide a deterrent against violent criminal acts that affect human rights. On the other hand, the con is that implementing the death penalty is an ultimate denial of human rights.

Aspect 3: Religion

There is also a difference among religious organizations’ viewpoints and the opinions of their followers, specifically among main Protestants. About 66% of white main Protestants support capital punishment, but some of the leading churches oppose it. These include; the United Methodist Church, the American Baptist Churches USA, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, among others (Pew Research Center, 2020). Almost 63% of the white Catholics in America also support capital punishment, in the contrary of their leaders' opinions. According to the Quran and Islamic Courts, the death penalty is considered acceptable in Islam; examples are nations like Iran and Saudi Arabia. Some Islamic organizations, like the Council on American-Islamic Relations, have never opposed it. Also, Hinduism does not have a clear viewpoint on capital punishment. Among the pros is that even though it involves ending an individual's life, the process does not be done with brutality. The con is that there is no going back to life after the death penalty. Capital punishment is an irreversible sentence.

References

Pew Research Center. (2020, May 30). Some major U.S. religious groups differ from their members on the death penalty. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/13/some-major-u-s-religious-groups-differ-from-their-members-on-the-death-penalty/

Robinson, M., & Moody, L. (2019). Capital Punishment, International Law, and Human Rights. International Journal of Criminal Justice Sciences, 14(2), 298-319. DOI:10.5281/zenodo.3723480

Udoudom, M. D., Idagu, U. A., & Nwoye, L. (2018). Kantian and Utilitarian Ethics on Capital Punishment. Journal of Sustainable Society, 7(1), 5-11. DOI: 10.11634/216825851504940