|
|
A young man is brutally murdered by a gang of thugs when he attempts to defend his parents from attack; a woman jogger is abducted, raped, and killed, her mutilated body dumped like garbage in a ditch by the side of the road; a small child dies from the multiple broken bones and internal injuries received at the hands of his abusive parents. How is it possible to remain calm and rational when confronted with such senseless violence and cruelty directed by human beings against one another, especially when the result is disability or death for the victim? Perhaps it is surprising to see members of our society angry and afraid, attempting to deal with increasing criminal violence by supporting the use of capital punishment. Then what is capital punishment? Capital punishment - The most severe of all sentences: that of death-which is placed on a person who has committed serious offences, usually murder. Also known as the death penalty, capital punishment has been banned in many countries. A strong case can be made in principle for and against capital punishment. The argument in favour is based on justice and the nature of a moral community, which requires that each person respect the life and liberty of others. Those who commit vicious crimes destroy the basis on which a moral community rests and forfeit their rights to citizenship and even to life itself.
|
