Can it be Justified?

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

Capital punishment is also known as the death penalty.

It is the act of killing or Executing another person who is found to be guilty of a serious crime by the government.

What is Capital Punishment?

First abolition of the death penalty:Introduced in 1914July 14, 1976Bill C-84--Capitol Punishment abolished from

Canadian Criminal CodeExecutions are considered to be the ultimate

punishmentLogical alternative: Life sentencing in prison

without parole.A lot of nations still perform the death penalty This is a widely debatable and disputed topic

BACKGROUND INFOROMATION…

710 executions in Canada between 1867 and 1962.

Last execution in Canada: December 11, 1962 Two men hanged in Toronto, Ontario.

Hanging Only type ever used in Canada

In 1954, rape was removed from capital offenses in Canada.

Between 1879 and 1960, there were 438 commutations of death sentences in Canada

FACTS…

History of the Death Penalty

1865- crimes of murder, treason, and rape carried the death penalty

1961- Murder: capital and non-capital offences -Capital murder: deliberate murder and the murder of a police officer, -Capital offence had a mandatory sentence of hanging

1962-Last executions took place in Canada

1976- Removed from the Canadian Criminal Code -Replaced with mandatory life sentence without possibility of parole for 25 years for first-degree murders

1987-Capital punishment was reintroduced and debated in the House of Commons

-defeated on a free vote

1998- Canadian National Defense Act was changed to removed the death penalty

TIMELINE…

Hanging: Between 1892 and 1961, the penalty for all murders in Canada was death by hanging

-Canada only ever did death by hanging

Lethal Injection: -The practice of injecting a person with a fatal

dose of drugs causing death

Hanging: -An instrument of execution

by electrocution

TYPES OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT…

1. Prison -good alternative to persecuting a person

2. Not Humane -killing a person is not humane, even if they are a criminal

3. Fairness -two wrongs do not make a right -the life of a criminal does not compensate for the crime committed -what would be the difference between us and the criminal who has committed the horrifying crime of killing another individual?

4. Pain of Death -can be quick and painless or slow and painful -the pain of capital punishment is subjective to society’s norms 5. Violates human rights -violation of a persons right to live -cruel and unusual punishment

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IS INACCEPTABLE!!

6. Wrongly Convicted -some people executed were later found not guilty of the crime they were accused of committing -no turning back

7. Playing God -death should be natural -against Catholic-Christian values -Thou shall not kill

8. Salvation -criminals have less time to finding spiritual salvation if they are executed 9. Forgiveness -no time to seek forgiveness if they are executed

10. Amends -decreases the likelihood that the criminal repairs any damage of the crime

11. Family Hardship -family members of the executed needlessly suffer

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IS INACCEPTABLE!!

1. Appropriate Punishment-”An Eye for an Eye”

2. Deters Crime Rate -creates fear in criminals

2. Eliminates High Cost of Prison-cost effective as oppose to imprisoning someone for life

4. Safety-It provides safety for prison guards, inmates, and public

5. Vengeance-sometimes revenge is the only option

6. Only imposed when there is Guilt-It is irreversible, it is important that we do not execute

individuals who did not deserve it

CAN CAPITAL PUNISHMENT BE JUSTIFIED?

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT CAN NOT BE PROPERLY JUSTIFIED.

Imprisonment itself should keep away criminalsIt is an extreme measure It is irreversible, mistakes cannot be undoneSome people get it for minor murder offenses,

some serial killers receive life in jail….it is not meted out fairly at all

The logic is that the more severe the crime, then the more severe the punishment is necessary.

COMPROMISE…

You will be divided into two sides of this debate.Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: A person who has committed a crime like killing or raping another person should be given death penalty, which is as severe punishment as the act. It is said that when a criminal is given a capital punishment, it puts off others in the society from committing such serious crimes. They would refrain from committing such crimes due to fear of losing their life. This would help in reducing crime rates in a society.

-As a group come up with points to debate the opposing side

Agree or Disagree?