The Death Penalty Debate: Why it Should Be Abolished Worldwide

This essay presents a strong argument for the global abolition of the death penalty, also known as capital punishment. It highlights the irreversible nature of the punishment, referencing cases of wrongful executions and citing Amnesty International's stance against it. The essay emphasizes the violation of human rights, the potential for racial discrimination in its application, and the lack of conclusive evidence that it effectively deters crime. It also contrasts the practice with the abolitionist stance of countries like England. While acknowledging the arguments in favor of capital punishment, the essay concludes that rehabilitation and a humanitarian approach are superior alternatives, aligning with a more rational and less prejudiced society in the 21st century. Desklib provides this essay and many more to aid students in their studies.

Running Head: DEATH PENALTY SHOULD BE ABOLISHED
DEATH PENALTY SHOULD BE ABOLISHED
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1DEATH PENALTY SHOULD BE ABOLISHED
Death penalty also known as capital punishment is a practice given by the government
where a person is put to death for crime. Since the last decade there is a burning controversy
around the world to abolish death penalty. In response to that the European Union in their charter
of fundamental rights prohibits the act of death sentence as a capital punishment. However, most
of the countries still retain their inclination towards death penalty. Therefore, this article
expresses its opinion in favour of abolition of death penalty.
In this context, the UN council had passed a resolution during 1950s in order to prevent
death penalty. According to the Amnesty International report in 2017, it can be argued that death
penalty cannot be reversible. In US, a man named Cameron Willingham was convicted with
killing his three daughters and got executed in 2004 (Amnesty International 2018). However,
later on it was revealed that he was innocent in this act. In response to that, the UN council
expressed that death penalty is against humanity and it damages the fundamental basis of human
rights (Pinker 2014). In addition to this, people against death penalty have questioned the vitality
of such punishments. In a brief it can be stated that punishments like death penalty does not have
the power to curb down criminal activities. Therefore, it challenges the key concept that capital
punishment is made for preventing heinous crimes.
Furthermore, there is a growing trend of stop the practice of death penalty. The Amnesty
international article shows that there are at least 103 countries which voted against death penalty
or execution (Amnesty International 2018). It is not only because of violation of human rights
but also an essence of racial discrimination still exists in the system. A recent study on North
Carolina death penalty cases reveals that those who murdered whites were three times more
likely sentenced to capital punishments. This is an example of White supremacist which is still
existed in US. At the same time, countries like England prohibited death penalty as a capital

2DEATH PENALTY SHOULD BE ABOLISHED
punishment. In fact, the practice of death penalty was treated the same as murder in Britain and
the authority regulated an act in 1965 in order to prevent such practice. The Murder Act of 1965
of the British Legislation quoted that punishment to death would not be followed and sentenced
to death is still considered the capital punishment in Britain (Legislation 2018).
Despite all the measures taken by international or state bodies it can never be undermined
that death penalty is considered to be mandatory in most of the countries. In order to justify their
stand the supporters of death penalty argued that sentenced to death is a weapon of social balance
which has been considered very effective since the 18th century. In fact, they asserted that during
the early 19th century Britain witnessed most of the death penalty than anywhere in the world.
Furthermore, in US the rate of crime is decreased up to 2.5% in 2009 because of the practice of
death penalty (Kadri 2016). However, there should not be any justification for it because death
penalty is against humanity and must have no right to take anyone’s life.
Therefore, it can be concluded that in the 21st century people should be more rational and
less prejudiced. There is always scope to rehabilitate criminals and turned them into the main
stream of the society and that should be a humanitarian approach. Elimination cannot be a proper
solution and it damages the strong edifice of civilization.

3DEATH PENALTY SHOULD BE ABOLISHED
Reference List
Amnesty International.5 reasons to abolish the death penalty. 2018. www.amnesty.org.au.
Retrieved 6 April 2018, from https://www.amnesty.org.au/5-reasons-abolish-death-penalty/
Kadri, S., 2016. Forced to Kill: The Mandatory Death Penalty and its Incompatibility with Fair
Trial Standards. A report of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights.
Legislation.Advanced Search Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965.
2018. www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 April 2018, from
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1965/71
Pinker, S., 2014. Has the Decline of Violence Reversed since The Better Angels of Our Nature
was Written?. Verfügbar unter: http://stevenpinker. com/has-declineviolence-reversed-better-
angels-ournature-was-written.[17.04. 2016.].