THE DEATH PENALTY
Facts and opinions on the death penalty
The death penalty is considered by most civilized nations as a cruel
and inhuman punishment. It has been abolished for all crimes by 70 countries, for all but
exceptional crimes such as wartime crimes by 13 countries. 23 countries retain the death
penalty in law but have not carried out any executions for the past 10 years or more.
However, the death penalty continues to be commonly applied in 90 nations. China, the
Democratic Republic of Congo, the United States and Iran are the most prolific
executioners in the world. Indeed, the US is one of the six countries (including also
Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen) which executes even people under 18 at
the time they commit their crimes. The US is the country which has carried out the
greatest number of known executions of child offenders ( 13 since 1990).
As long as the death penalty is maintained, the risk of executing the innocent can
never be eliminated. Since 1973 more than 85 US prisoners have been released from death
row after evidence emerged of their innocence of the crimes for which they were sentenced
to death. Some had come close to execution after spending many years under sentence of
death.
Recurring features in their cases include prosecutorial or police misconduct; the use of
unreliable witness testimony, physical evidence, or confessions; and inadequate defence
representation. Other US prisoners have gone to their deaths despite serious doubts over
their guilt.
Different methods of execution are used: eg. hanging, the electric chair, lethal
injection, shooting by firing squad and lethal gas.
An interview
What do you think about the death penalty?
Mr. Rinaldi (teacher)
"I think that the death penalty isnt right. Never. The law cant decide
if a man must die"
Luna (student)
"Im against "
Francesca (student)
"The law cant kill, it must provide an example of justice and defence of
right"
Mrs. Tosi (teacher)
"Im against, because the law cant avenge
on injury "
Two girls
"We are against because the law cant decide about life and death"
Roberta (student)
"Sometimes, when there is sure evidence of the crime, Im for the death
penalty"
Mr. Mannucci (teacher)
"Im definitely against!"
Valentina (student)
"Sometimes Im for the death penalty"
Mrs. Gorini (teacher)
"I think that when there is sure evidence the death penalty is a rigth
punishment"
Mrs. Carmignani (teacher)
"Im definitely against. The law must give the possibility of the
rehabilitation"
I think that the death penalty should be abolished all over the world
because it is a violation of the most fundamental right - the right to life; because the
possibility of error of judgement can never be excluded and because the death penalty is a
cruel, inhuman and degrading.
Elsa Esposito 3BL
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