Debates & Controversies Of Capital Punishment

The pros and cons of capital punishment is a controversial and widely discussed the issue for over a long period. Previously, capital punishment was implemented in the reign of the kings and queens to punish guilty people. People committing heinous and brutal crime were given death sentence. Time has changed, but the practice of capital punishment still exists. The people who are in favour of upholding human rights is against death sentence. In the ancient and medieval periods, the methods of killing prisoners were more crude and inhuman. The aim of such barbaric practice was to give the person a painful death, and set an example to the subjects. In the areas nearby ocean, people used to drown the prisoners to be eaten by the sea creatures. Prisoners were tied to the trees to be preyed upon by hungry animals.

Sometimes a criminal was beaten to death, burned or beheaded. With the advancement of technology, there came guillotine, electric chair, concentration camp. The sole aim of these inhuman and barbaric methods were not only providing as much pain possible to the criminal or victims, but also relish the pleasure born out of the extreme pain of the victims. This is an expression of sadism, the tendency of getting pleasure witnessing the pain of others. Though time has changed, and instead of these ancient, crude methods, some less painful methods like hanging, firing squad have come to existence. Though these methods are less painful, the debate of pros and cons of capital punishment is a burning issue among the human rights activists.

The people against capital punishment is of opinion that, death sentence does not provide the convicts any chance to correct themselves, which is against the decency of human rights. People who are advocates of capital punishment is of opinion that, criminals sometimes, cross every limit and indulge in the inhuman activities against the society. It is harmful for the society if, such inhuman creatures wander in the streets freely. The seriousness of their crime has made them unworthy of any second chance to rectify them. The complexity of the discussion of pros and cons of capital punishment becomes more intricate in this juncture.

If a person has committed a massacre, he/she is not worthy to get treatment like that of a human being. Exponents of capital punishment are of opinion that persons committing inhuman acts should get inhumane punishment, as well. It nothing but a sort of balancing act against crime. People who are prone to criminal activities get a warming that, they have to meet the same fate if they go against the law. It is a practical fact that, it is the tax payers’ money, used in the jails and rehabs. If the most dreaded criminals are to be treated properly, it will take considerable money. Instead, that huge amount of money can be invested in some other beneficial projects. Though the debate over pros and cons of capital punishment persists, it is a fact that poor people cannot get assistance of the authority to fight for their lives, where as rich can escape serious punishment.

The complexity of the discussion of pros and cons of capital punishment becomes more intricate in this juncture. Though these methods are less painful, the debate of pros and cons of capital punishment is a burning issue among the human rights activists.