What is death Penalty?
The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, refers to a form of punishment or government sanction. It is a form of punishment that involves the execution of a person as a consequence of committed crime (Garrett 13). Despite the death penalty being a form of punishment for crime, it is an inhumane act that does more harm than good. An inhumane act refers to a cruel act that causes harm to people as its practice does not include kindness, compassion, humanity, and sensitivity.
The death penalty is cruel and unusual as the perpetrators lack sensitivity and kindness towards other humans. The death penalty is cruel as it is a relic that replicates the earliest days of penology used in the era when other corporal punishments and barbaric acts, including branding and slavery, were acceptable. Similar to barbaric practices such as slavery and branding, the death penalty is a cruel practice that lacks humanity (Breyer 15). The death penalty is also unusual as it goes against the natural qualities associated with humanity that require consideration of human dignity and human respect.
The death penalty is inhuman as it goes against the guaranty provided in the constitution, which suggests that the country is responsible for the provision of equal protection for its citizens and those within its territory. The death penalty, in most cases, seems to be applied randomly and disproportionately (Garrett 39). As a result, most of the victims of the death penalty are the underprivileged and marginalized individuals who lack the resources to engage in the appropriate legal system. In worse case scenarios, there is a case where individuals have been unfairly subjected to the death penalty.
The argument for the death penalty would suggest that in the case a person kills another person, they surrender their human rights, including the right to stay alive. According to this argument, the death penalty is appropriate for individuals who commit murder. It suggests that death is the best way to stop murderers from committing the heinous crime. The arguments suggest that as murder itself is a crime against humanity and there should be consideration of humanity when dealing with the criminals.
The death penalty, while mostly used in the punishment of capital offenders, is inhumane and should be abolished. The penalty does not consider elements that make up humanity, including kindness, compassion, and sensitivity. The punishment fails to take into consideration the guarantee of the constitution to provide equal protection for humanity, and instead unfairly targets the underprivileged. However, it could be right as it targets capital offenders who have lost touch with humanity, making unexceptional.
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