Capital Punishment

The only method of execution in Canada, before 1976, was hanging. In 1859, offences punishable by death in Canada included: murder, rape, treason, administering poison or wounding with intent to commit murder, abusing a girl under ten, buggery with man or beast, burglary with assault, arson, casting away a ship, and giving a false signal endangering a ship. This was changed to three by 1859: murder, rape, and treason.

Pros and Cons

There are many pros and cons for capital punishment. The pros of capital punishment seem to be reasonable. The cost of keeping a person in prison for life is more expensive than executing the same person. Another pro is that since the criminals that receive capital punishment are violent then it would be better for the society if those criminals were executed, that way it would not impose any danger to the police as well. Another pro is that many people believe that the punishment of a crime should equal the crime, also known as “eye for an eye”. Therefore the person that kills should also be killed.

The cons of capital punishment are just as reasonable as the pros. A prison’s job is to rehabilitate a criminal so they can be released back to society. This means that capital punishment has no place in a prison. Another good point is that if somebody murders somebody else and the murderer’s punishment is the death penalty, than what is the difference between the murderer and the law. The murderer killed somebody and so did the law. In other words 2 wrongs do not make a right. Some cultures prefer suffering to immediate death.

Solutions

One solution is the “eye for an eye” theory, where the criminal’s punishment is the same as the crime that they committed. This solution seems reasonable because the criminal is experiencing the same pain that he/she has given others. Another solution is that a criminal who commits a capital offence shall be given life imprisonment as an alternative to capital punishment. The last solution is that they are sentenced to death.

Preferred Solutions

The solution that I believe is right is to have life imprisonment as an alternative to capital punishment. I believe that no crime deserves death as a punishment, even if the crime is murder. In fact, I believe that life imprisonment is a much more severe punishment than capital punishment. This is because if somebody is given life imprisonment than they are suffering every day of their life in prison, they will be begging for death.