It is important to note that though the victim's family also does suffer, the accused could be somebody's mother, father, spouse or even best friend. In such a case, it becomes hard for many to come to terms with death as a form of punishment for a loved one. Thus though capital punishment may be viewed as a symbol of justice by the victim's family as well as friends, it surely does cause pain to the wrongdoer's family and friends who may have had nothing to do with the offense committed.
In recognition of opposing views, it is important to note that over time, those in support of capital punishment have often cited cost considerations. Here, they argue that through the long-term imprisonment of criminals, who would have otherwise been on death row, the government wastes funds which should ideally be used for other more worthy needs including but not limited to health care and education. Indeed, according to Souryal (2010), one such argument brands capital punishment a cost effective way of offender management. What this argument fails to appreciate is the fact that the bulk of costs relating to long-term imprisonment are as a result of lengthy and numerous appeals. Further, the dignity of
Next, those of opposing views also cite the need to protect the society from confirmed criminals like murderers. This view in my opinion is fundamentally flawed as it gives no credence to the rehabilitative function of correctional facilities. It erroneously assumes that criminals cannot reform on conviction. According to Gaines and Miller (2011), "the rehabilitation theory holds that criminals can be rehabilitated in the appropriate prison environment." This effectively invalidates the latter argument by those in support of capital punishment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is clear from the arguments I present above that capital punishment has no place in a modern society. Indeed, as I have already pointed out, most of the arguments in support of capital punishment are often erroneous and based on invalid assertions. Therefore, it is in the best interests of the society that capital punishment be abolished once and for all.
References
Banks, C. (2004). Criminal Justice Ethics: Theory and Practice. California: SAGE.
Gaines, L.K., & Miller, R.L. (2011). Criminal Justice in Action: The Core. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.
Souryal, S.S. (2010). Ethics in Criminal Justice: In Search of the Truth (5th ed.). Burlington, MA: Elsevier.
