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universal declaration of human rights article 3
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universal declaration of human rights article 3
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Life is the most precious good that a human being possesses. Therefore, it is not a coincidence that one of the first human rights listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the right to life. The third article states that a person has the right not to be killed by any other human being, and this is where the nations that apply the death penalty are failing (Source 1). The death penalty or capital punishment is a legal process in which a person is executed as a punishment for committing a crime. It is still used in over 50 nations worldwide. Centuries before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights existed, important civilizations such as the Mesopotamian, Greek, and Roman Empires used death to punish criminals for their actions. It was such an important issue that even religions took a stand on whether the punishment should or should not be used, and in the case of Christianity and Judaism they both agreed that the punishment is justified on their sacred books. As time passed, empires declined, new knowledge was acquired, and emerging civilizations still used the death penalty. It was not until the Heian Period in Japan (794–1185) that people started questioning if death was the best penalty for a criminal and if it was fair or not because they saw different alternatives that were effective too (Source 1). The United States is one of the 58 nations that still uses the capital punishment. It is only legal in some states, but there is a general regulation of the federal government that determines which cases can be punished with the death penalty. In order to sentence a person to be executed, he or she must have committed a capital offence, which is a crime that is condemned with death in the United States. The capit... ... middle of paper ... ... others. Different types of workers such as journalists, executioners, and wardens have reported these symptoms. It should not be surprising that the workers have to deal with these distresses as they carry on their hands the lives of the people who are executed. As the retired executioner Jerry Givens said, “If you let the [jury] foreman be the executioner, then I think they'd give a second thought about execution. If you let the judge be the executioner, I think he would give a second thought about sending somebody to be executed.” What this proves is that the executioners are conscious that they are taking away someone else’s right to life and this is a disturbing feeling for any person. It is inhumane to cause so much psychological trouble in people’s mind, especially in the mind of those who are just trying to make a living by completing their jobs.
The United States is among the minority of nations that still practice capital punishment. Its support of the death penalty puts it in the company of nations which routinely violate human rights- countries such as China, Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. In fact, United States is the only western democratic country that has not abolished the death penalty (http://karisable.com). Out of 195 nations in the world, 113 have outlawed capital punishment either in law or practice. Additionally, with the increasing number of executions, international organizations such as the European Union have expressed their deep concern about violation of human rights in the United States. Furthermore, Article 3 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) adopted by the UN in 1948, prohibits the death penalty (http://www.amnestyusa.org). If we don’t follow the norms established across the community of nations, we stand to lose our moral autho...
Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is the legal authorization of killing someone as punishment for a crime they committed. The death penalty is legal in 32 states of the 50 states in the United States and ever since 1976, the United States has performed 1379 executions. For many years, there has been a serious controversy regarding the death penalty. It is often questioned whether the death penalty should be continued or abolished. The death penalty should be abolished because it is unconstitutional, costly, immoral, and can kill innocent people who were wrongly accused.
Issit and Newton begin their essay Death Penalty: An Overview, by defining the Death penalty as a procedure that government authorities use to execute criminals. Issit and Newton state that some of the countries that allow capital punishment is the United States, many developed countries have prohibited the use of capital punishment. Issit and Newton state the death penalty has been the topics of many countries due to legal, moral and ethical issues. Some countries use the capital punishment for extreme crimes only, such as, murder, betrayal or infiltration. Ethical and moral issues are the main issue in determining whether it is acceptable to use capital punishment or not, moreover, one of these issues is that the government might execute
In this paper I will argue for the moral permissibility of the death penalty and I am fairly confident that when the case for capital punishment is made properly, its appeal to logic and morality is compelling. The practice of the death penalty is no longer as wide-spread as it used to be throughout the world; in fact, though the death penalty was nearly universal in past societies, only 71 countries world-wide still officially permit the death penalty (www.infoplease.com); the U.S. being among them. Since colonial times, executions have taken place in America, making them a part of its history and tradition. Given the pervasiveness of the death penalty in the past, why do so few countries use the death penalty, and why are there American states that no longer sanction its use? Is there a moral wrong involved in the taking of a criminal’s life? Of course the usual arguments will be brought up, but beyond the primary discourse most people do not go deeper than their “gut feeling” or personal convictions. When you hear about how a family was ruthlessly slaughtered by a psychopathic serial killer most minds instantly feel that this man should be punished, but to what extent? Would it be just to put this person to death?
Currently, capital punishment is a very controversial issue in countries throughout the world, including the United States of America. Capital punishment is defined as the “execution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by court of law of criminal offence” (“Capital” 1). The death penalty dates back to the laws of ancient China, where it was used as punishment for various crimes (Reggio 1). Early European settlers brought the death penalty to America, and England was the country that had the greatest influence on its use in the colonies. In early Colonial America, persons could receive the death penalty for committing crimes that would be considered as petty today; these crimes included “stealing grapes, killing chickens, and trading with Indians” (“History” 1). Today, in the United States, offenders who have committed heinous crimes, such as murder, treason, espionage, aggravated kidnapping, and aircraft high jacking, can receive the death penalty after they are convicted in courts of law (“Offenses” 3). The United States is not the only country that uses the death penalty as a form of punishment for heinous crimes; in 2012, twenty-one countries in the world implemented it (Sentences 6). In 2012, the five countries in the world that executed the greatest numbers of persons were China (thousands), Iran (314+), Iraq (129+), Saudi Arabia (79+), and the United States (43) (Sentences 48). In 2013, Amnesty International reported that in 2011 and 2012, 680 and 682 executions, respectively, were carried out throughout the world (Sentences 5). These numbers do not include the number of executions in China, a country that has more executions than the entire world’s countries combined, because accurate data cannot be obtaine...
This paper will present facts that will help the reader understand the real nature of capital punishment, presenting the case against the death penalty for reasons of unconstitutionality and human rights violations.
Almost all nations in the world either have the death sentence or have had it at one time. It was used in most cases to punish those who broke the laws or standards that were expected of them. Since the death penalty wastes tax money, is inhumane, and is largely unnecessary it should be abolished in every state across the United States. The use of the death penalty puts the United States in the same category as countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia which are two of the world’s worst human rights violators (Friedman 34). Lauri Friedman quotes, “Executions simply inject more violence into an already hostile American society.”
Capital punishment is the legal and authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime. The person can be sentenced to die by lethal injection, electrocution, gas chamber, a firing squad or hanging. Since 1976 over 1300 executions have taken place. Recently states have started abolishing the death penalty in favor of life in prison sentences. The death penalty is currently used in 32 states in the United States Capital punishment is a complicated moral decision that deserves research and discussion. First, we will examine the arguments in favor of capital punishment. Second, the ethical arguments against capital punishment. Third, the application of capital sentences. Lastly, we will discuss the moral and logical dilemma of capital punishment. Capital punishment is unethical and should be banned.
Today American correction facilities experience a crisis of epic proportions. United States prisons and jails house inmates in record numbers with no relief. This situation leads many to suggest that overcrowding in prisons constitutes an important issue facing American correction reform today. One way to deal with overcrowded prisons is to enforce the death penalty. According to David Davis, infliction of the death penalty for certain secular crimes, such as murder and robbery, associates historically with the rise of the modern state (23). He also states, in England the death penalty was rationally defended as a means for protecting the king’s peace (23). Capital punishment dates back to 1787, where tactics were used such as decapitation, firing squads, and hangings. Just recently death penalties were carried out by means of electrocution and lethal injection. Enforcing capital punishment ensures a means of reducing recidivism for those who commit heinous crimes. Heinous crimes that consist of proven murders, terrorist situations, and rape deserve the death penalty. Increasing capital punishment promotes the reform of prisons by reducing recidivism, increasing deterrence, and decreasing prison population.
Virtually every major program designed to address the underlying causes of violence and to support the poor, vulnerable, powerless victims of crime is being cut even further to the bone… In this context, the proposition that the death penalty is a needed addition to our arsenal of weapons lacks credibility…
Capital punishment is government authorized punishment by lethal execution. The death penalty is punishable to those who have committed capital offenses, such as capital murder. The debates on lethally executing a prisoner are and have been controversial since the reinstatement of the death penalty in the early 1970’s. Race, morality, cost of death, and irrevocable mistakes are only some of the cons that support the banishment of capital punishment, but the act of executing a dangerous criminal gives society a sense of safety. The reasoning behind choosing the death
The use of the death penalty in the United States has been a great debate for many years. One of the major aspects of this debate is whether or not we should continue to use this form of punishment for criminals. In my opinion, the death penalty should be abolished because it costs taxpayers much more than sending an inmate to prison and there is no factual evidence that it has any greater deterrent effect than life imprisonment.
Capital punishment or death penalty is the legal process by which the state punishes an offender for a heinous crime by execution. The law dates back to the 1700s BC but has evolved over time and has faced several criticisms. The rationale lies in phenomenon that certain crimes, for example murder are so heinous that the damages cannot be financially paid and only retribution or taking away the right to live could compensate them. The law also has grounds based on the deterrence perspective and has economic and social efficiency arguments attached. On the flip side, there are arguments based on humanity regarding death penalty being a rather cruel punishment and some based on an economic standpoint as well. Certain alternative punishments have been suggested globally as replacement for death penalty, the most popular one being life imprisonment. Most countries have abolished capital punishment; Amnesty International reports 140 countries around the world to have abandoned killing the offenders. Whether it should be carried out or abolished is one of the most heated topics for debate around the world.
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the practice of killing criminals or accused criminals (Issitt, Micha L.Newton, Heather.) In most Western countries still using this practice, death by lethal injection is most common(“Forms of Execution in the United States”) and in the United States federal capital punishment is mostly used in cases of first degree murder or murder in which the killer meant and planned to kill the victim or victims, but is also used for espionage and treason(Federal Laws Providing for the Death Penalty.) Many other Western countries have banned capital punishment. However most of the United States, including the military and a federal punishment, continue to use this dated punishment, with the exceptions of Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and District of Columbia who have banned capital punishment in their state constitutions(“States With and Without the Death Penalty”.) Punishment by death penalty has been quite controversial as some feel criminals should “pay” the equivalent of the crime they committed, while others feel that death, under any circumstances, is too harsh a punishment for any government to administer. An alternative to the death penalty is life without parole in which the accused spends the rest of their life in prison (“Life without Possibility of Parole”.) Capital punishment should be prohibited as it can too easily kill innocent people, it is used discriminatorily and it is unconstitutional.
In history, almost all the regions in the world used to use capital punishment more than countries do; nowadays, and they use it for the smallest things such as arguing with powerful person. Death was good way of dealing with criminals because putting dangerous criminal in prison was not an ideal solution for them these days. The Roman law mentions death as a punishment. The English law punished eight crimes with death. Henry VIII, in his time almost 72000 people may have killed for crime they commit. When British America was created, capital punishment was used in some states, so people were running from those states. In 18th century, when Russia cancels the capital punishment and many articles were written about capital punishment. In addition, many countries started a serious thinking on get rid of capital punishment. Nowadays, there are many voices against capital punishment and there are a handful of organizations that against the death penalty as well. Many countries officially canceled the...