CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

Where do we Start?

The teachings of Jesus – if one truly believes in them, it is very hard to justify retaliating to violent people by using violence in return.

For example, when Jesus was killed on the cross, he said: “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do” Luke 23:34. This suggests that Jesus knows the

harm they are doing to their soul is more than the harm they are doing to Jesus.

Administration of Penalty

Studies have shown that the death penalty is becoming disproportionally administered to minority community members. See the relationship between people that are convicted and people that are jailed and tried.

The Catholic Church teaches if “bloodless means are sufficient to defend against the aggressor and to protect the safety of the persons” then capital punishment should not be used in order to “better correspond to the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.” CCC 2267

What Does That All Mean…? If the

community is able to detain the person who does a crime without killing them and still keeping the people safe, then they should not be killed.

Let’s Talk Numbers

A common misconception about capital punishment is that it is used as a more “cost-effective” way to deal with prisoners who are sentenced to some prison members sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of bail or parole.

Actually, capital punishment is MORE expensive. For example, California will spend $5 billion on capital punishment in the next 5 years. If abolished, the US would save tens of millions of dollars per year.

Disadvantages

A dead prisoner has no chance for reform

The penalty of killing an innocent person cannot be corrected

Enormous, unhealthy publicity is attracted by these cases

Alternatively, the abolishment of capital punishment would end the cycle of violence evident in the process.

What Does The Pope Say?

The justification for the death penalty is getting slimmer and slimmer, now that modern society is now able to stop criminals without killing them due to more advanced justice and prison system.

This quote from Evangelium Vitae says: “Modern society in fact has the means of effectively suppressing crime by rendering criminals harmless without definitively denying them the chance to reform (through the death penalty).” (John Paul II, P.27)]

In Conclusion…

Capital Punishment is not only morally wrong, but more expensive as well.

The cons greatly outnumber the “pros”

For further reference: Evangelium vitae - http://

www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_25031995_evangelium-vitae_en.html

Death Penalty Focus - http://www.deathpenalty.org/section.php?id=13

THE END!