Justifications for Capital Punishment (Part1) Retribution

Can we justify Capital Punishment with retribution?

Retribution  There are at least two meanings:  1) emotional response aimed at getting even (vengeance or “just desserts”)  2) rational response aimed at righting a wrong (retribution or “justice”)  The first is private but the second is public  The first is not justified by law but the second is justified  The first entails the offender being paid back by the victim but the second entails the offender paying back society  The first is only a natural emotion rooted in our biology but the second is also about socialization

Retribution and Public Support  Historically, retribution is the highest reason cited in public opinion polls as to why people favour capital punishment  (to get even with offenders, they deserve it, a life for a life, etc.)

Key facts to remember up front …  Only 1-2% of street killers actually get the death penalty  LITERALLY NO white-collar / corporate offenders get the death penalty  Thus, we FAIL to provide retribution by using the death penalty...  … or is some justice better than none?

What about DEATH for the sake of vengeance?  Many say that the intentional taking of life by the government should be based more on reason than on emotion  Plus, murder is a crime against the government and the government has no emotion.  Does the state have the responsibility to make victims feel better?

Is there really vengeance?  Murderers are now executed using lethal injection (much easier than their heinous crimes)  And, we do not give other types of offenders punishment that equals their crimes (e.g., burn homes of arsonists, rape rapists, take cars of car thieves, rob robbers, etc.)  So do we ever really get even with them?

How about DEATH for the sake of retribution?  Many suggest we could balance the scales of justice with another form of punishment (e.g., life imprisonment without possibility of parole) and still “get even”  (This is what we mostly do now for 99% of murderers)  This also prevents harms suffered by families of murderers (which is very like that of murder victims’ families)

Death penalty supporters say...  There is no doubt that murderers deserve to die.  Murder is the ultimate crime which calls for the ultimate punishment.  Currently the death penalty is the ultimate punishment in 40 American jurisdictions.  Key question: assuming murderers merit death, does the government have the responsibility to carry it out? … or is it just their right?

Retribution and Religion

 Anyone feel like this? …

Retribution and Religion  According to experts, there is NO CLEAR answer about whether capital punishment is a good idea according to “GOD”  Who is the closest person to GOD?...What does he say?  How many religious organisations favour and oppose capital punishment?

What about the Bible?  The Bible has been changed, reinterpreted many times.

But assuming its validity … what does it say  About…  1) pro-capital punishment statements  2) anti-capital punishment statements  3) what happened to murderers in the Bible  Conclusions include:  There is no clear Biblical mandate for death penalty  All sides can find support for their arguments  More support for death penalty in Old testament  New Testament does not refute it explicitly but is less supportive of it  Only 4 of 22 murderers in Bible are executed

Ironies …  If religion is so important to people, why do many people support capital punishment?  If the New Testament (and Jesus, son of God) preaches “love your enemy” and “forgive those who trespass against you” and “turn the other cheek”, did God change His mind?  Most religious organizations TODAY are against capital punishment

“Capital Punishment can be justified with retribution” Discuss responses to this statement 6AE Two sides – yes it can be justified, no it can’t