Social issue work

I.

Introduction: Historical/cultural examples of “capital punishment” in past society

A. Salem witch trials and societal perception of deviance, other broad but relevant societal examples

B. Britain 1800’s, high level of an assortment of crimes that were punishable by death (including petty theft, cutting down trees in public places, shoplifting, etc)

C. Devices created/natural measures invented by members of society to facilitate “death penalty”, such as the guillotine, breaking wheel, crucifixion, drowning, etc and their effect on the efficiency and harmony of society (ex. French Revolution, crucifixion and stoning in Biblical times)

D. Death penalty in today’s society and it’s variance among different forms of political systems (ex. Democracy versus Dictatorship)

II.

Discrepancies between the supposed or intended purpose and actual outcome of this form of punishment.

A.

Are we defining the term “punishment” incorrectly? Punishment is intended to be a form of discipline, the end result is change and hopeful assimilation to a new way of learning that is unattainable if dead.

B.

How can we be sure of complete certainty of guilt/responsibility

1. Cases/statistics of innocent people sentenced to death

2. If authority figure sentences one they believe is guilty to death and they are wrong, bloodshed, however unintended, is on their hands. Does that make them a murderer?

C.

Possibility that it may be more painful and effective for a criminal to rot in the prison system instead of being allowed the “easy” way out (Studies on inmates who attempt suicide while in prison)

III.

Is morality fixed or fluid across culture, particularly when dealing with punishment and legal issues involving ethics?

A.

Is it right to punish someone by executing the same form of penalization as that of which they were convicted for? (Doing to them exactly what you’re punishing them for.)

B.

How can morality in terms of death as punishment be known? By default, does uncertainty in the regards to infallible justice mean we do not have the right to decide?

C.

Influence of media and political power, as well as personal vengeance (“the unseen”) affecting visible choices conducted, as well as differing opinions on right and wrong

IV. Counterargument

A. Benefits do exist (allows for a feeling of justice and can, arguably, bring peace to the victim’s family and friends)

B. Used as a historical example, Biblically, the consequences of disobedience (At least in the Old Testament) included today’s capital punishment

C. Serves as a warning for other (prospective) criminals [could discourage crime]

D. Lowers incarceration costs

Conclusion: Ultimately, legal punishment can and should inflict damage, but this harm in no way should compare to the annihilation of life that occurs as a result of the death penalty. We cannot assume that the benefits outweigh the consequences, or vice versa, because they are not opposing forces in the sense that they are not simple opposites. Through the flawed and human lens of man, morality is subjective, based on perception, time, circumstance, and the society one is born into. Conclusively, there are both benefits and disadvantages to this sort of system, yet, because human life simply cannot be measured by the mere mortals of this Earth, it is not and should not be the choice or under the power of mankind.