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The ultimate penalty is death (capital punishment). It is carried out by hanging, electrocution, gassing or lethal injection, beheading or shooting. Although most countries still have a death penalty, 35 (including almost every European nation) have abolished it; 18 retain it only for exceptional crimes such wartime offences; and 27 countries no longer carry out executions even when a death sentence have been passed. In other words, almost half the countries of the world have ceased to use the death penalty. The UN has declared itself in favor of abolition. Amnesty International Campaigns for Abolition is now the focus of great debate.

Supporters of capital punishment believe that death is just a punishment for certain serious crimes. Many also believe that it deters others from committing such crimes. Opponents argue that execution is cruel and uncivilized. Capital punishment involves not only the pain of dying but also the mental anguish of waiting, sometimes for years, to know if and when the sentence will be carried out.

As the debate about capital punishment continues, the phenomenon of death row (people sentenced but still alive) increases. In 1991, no one was executed in Japan, for example, but three people were sentenced to death, bringing the total number on death row to fifty.

The debate also involves the question of what punishment is for. Is the main aim to deter? This was actually the case in the 18^th century in England when the penalty for theft was supposed to frighten people from stealing and compensate for inabilities to detect and catch thieves. Is it revenge or retribution? Is it to keep criminals out of society? Or is it to reform and rehabilitate them?

1. Is capital punishment human?

2. Does it influence the crime rate?

3. What are the reasons for capital punishment?

4. How many countries have abolished capital punishment?

5. Capital punishment diminishes the level of violent crimes, doesn’t it?

6. Why does the debate about capital punishment continue?

7. What questions does the debate about capital punishment involve?

8. What are the ways of carrying out executions in modern societies?

9. Do you think that some methods of inflicting the death penalty are cruel and barbaric? What are they?

10. Do you agree with the death penalty for certain crimes? Why or why not?

11. For what crimes do you think the death penalty should be imposed?

12. Capital punishment is often replaced with long-term or life imprisonment. Do you think it is right?

13. What is the situation like in Russia?

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14