Is death penalty the right form of punishment?

The text is based entirely on my views and does not intend on hurting anyone’s feelings.

“But why the need for punishment?” is a question many of us would have asked as a child who hadn’t done homework.

For me it was while standing outside the class in the 1st grade.

Imagine a city of chaos full of odious monsters with the audacity of Satan jumping freely on the remnants around the city. Nothing short of a living hell.

Yes, this is close enough to a world without punishments.

Punishment- an imposition of rancid outcome over a person or a group, pointed out by the law, as a result of any particular behaviour often thought as an unwelcomed curse is actually a boon in disguise which keeps people within their lines, thus maintaining proper decorum in the society.

Punishments have been a part of each and every society since time immemorial. They are known to have taken different forms- slavery to burning alive throughout history.

Why?

More than the punishment itself, the type of punishment is what matters more. Only the right punishment is thought to bring the desired justice. And thus, after ages the quest still continues. It is impossible for a single punishment to be relevant for all crimes at all times.

Let’s narrow down our discussion to death penalty in the recent world.

Death penalty also known as capital punishment is a government sanctioned punishment where a person is put to death as a result of crime. Death penalty has a flickering past. It has been banished several times before and still continues to get banished every now and then in different countries. In the contemporary era, many countries have stopped its practice by stating it as irrelevant. Death penalty is ethically wrong and misguided in terms of its reason. Killing someone means taking away the ultimate right of living, a task no mortal human is entitled to perform. It is an act of vengeance rather than retribution which makes it a dubious concept. With blood on our hands, how do we plan on remaining just? Death penalty also has a tedious procedure and is known to have taken upon itself the death of several innocents.

Death penalty is supported by the ‘eye for an eye’ philosophy. I would like to refute this argument as the main reason for providing punishment is deterrence and remorse. It defies the very reason of punishment. Moreover, it has not helped to reduce the crime rate above anything.

Some say that the one who does heinous crimes have no right to live. This argument can, as well be refuted, for death is seen as a mere punishment by the perpetrators of inhumane crimes. Those who commit such crimes are not shaken even by an inch by the thought of death penalty. Pablo Escobar is a legendary example. If nothing else, at least fear should stop a person from committing crimes. In most cases, death penalty takes years to pass judgement thus reducing the significance of the crime itself let alone justice. The Nirbhaya judgement is a well-known disaster of our times. Death penalty is either too lenient or too severe, both qualities not well suited for a punishment.

Death penalty is based on a dark principle unlike other forms of punishments namely- retribution, deterrence, rehabilitation, incapacitation, restoration, education and denunciation which instead of killing the black focus on turning it into white. They provide room for betterment, change and hope. We should remember that positive prevention is the main focus of punishments and not negative suppression.

In a nutshell, death penalty fails to accomplish its very reason on multiple levels, and thus, cannot be inferred as the right form of punishment.

Image(s) source: Google

Harshini Kolte

(Dayatva Member)