Capital Punishment

For: Guilty people deserve to be punished in proportion to the severity of their crime. In order for there to be true justice people need to suffer for their crimes Executing convicted murderers, we will deter would-be murderers from killing people. Prevents criminals from re-offending. Helps solve overcrowding in prisons. People who commit these crimes do not deserve to live. Saves money. Provides closure for the families affected by the crime. Reinforces that bad things do happen to bad people. Iran at least 388 in 2009. Iraq at least 120 in 2009. U.S.A. 52 in 2009. China - Executed for aggravated murder and large scale drug trafficking and killing pandas or other Chinese treasures. - In 2009 at least 1,700 people were executed. - No one under the age of 18 can be executed. - Appeals process available. - Process very quick - Executed by shooting or injection. - Not done in public. Belarus - Only country in Europe who still execute criminals - Reasons for execution are conducting aggressive war, murder to provoke international complications or war, international terrorism, genocide, crime against humanity, weapons of mass destruction, violation of war laws, aggravated murder, Terrorism, Treason, Terrorist acts, sabotage and murdering a police officer. - Women and people who are wither under 18 or over 65 are exempt from capital punishment. - Executed with a single shot to the head. - No executions were carried out in 2009 but two have already taken place this year.

- This year a public opinion poll in Belarus showed that only 4.5% of people asked were completely against capital punishment. Against: Capital punishment is vengeance rather than retribution and, as such, is a morally dubious concept The anticipatory suffering of the criminal, who may be kept on death row for many years, makes the punishment more severe than just depriving the criminal of life. The statistical evidence doesn't confirm that deterrence works (but it doesn't show that deterrence doesn't work either). Some of those executed may not have been capable of being deterred because of mental illness or defect Some capital crimes are committed in such an emotional state that the perpetrator did not think about the possible consequences No-one knows whether the death penalty deters more than life imprisonment Does not leave any chance for rehabilitation. Other ways of ensuring criminals do not re-offend, such as life in prison. Life is valuable and should not be wasted. Everyone has right to live. Only 18 countries still have death penalty showing it is outdated.