Capital Punishment Ch. 9 in Moral Choices by Scott B. Rae

The U.S. is one of the few industrialized countries that still practice capital punishment. Legend Blue - Abolished for all crimes (97) Green - Abolished for all crimes except under exceptional/special circumstances (such as crimes committed in wartime) (7) Orange - Abolished in practice i.e. haven't used capital punishment or the death penalty in at least 10 years (48) Red - Retainers of capital punishment or the death penalty (42)

Executions by Year

The number of death sentences per year has dropped dramatically since Year Sentences

NUMBER OF EXECUTIONS BY STATE SINCE 1976 Total Total Texas Nevada Oklahoma Utah Virginia Tennessee Florida Maryland Missouri Washington Georgia Nebraska Alabama Pennsylvania Ohio Kentucky North Carolina Montana South Carolina U.S. Gov’t Arizona Idaho Louisiana South Dakota Arkansas Oregon Mississippi New Mexico Indiana Colorado Delaware Wyoming California Connecticut Illinois

DEATH ROW INMATES BY STATE: January 1, 2016 California 743 Oklahoma 49 Utah9 Florida 296 Mississippi 48 Washington9 Texas 263 South Carolina 43 Virginia7 Alabama 196 Arkansas 36 US Military 6 Pennsylvania 180Oregon 34 Colorado3 N. Carolina 155 Kentucky 34 S. Dakota 3 Ohio 143Missouri28Montana2 Arizona 125 Delaware 18 New Mexico 2 Louisiana 81Indiana13N Hampshire 1 Nevada 79 Kansas10 Wyoming1 Georgia 78 Nebraska10 Tennessee 71 Idaho 9 US Government 62 TOTAL: 2.943

Method of Execution Since 1976 Lethal injection 1259 Electrocution 158 Gas Chamber 11 Hanging 3 Firing Squad 3 Old Sparky – housed in the Nebraska State Penitentiary

General observations Most people agree on the general morality of punishment for crime. –They disagree on the primary goal of criminal punishment. Retribution Deterrence Rehabilitation The 8 th amendment of the constitution protects individuals from cruel and unusual punishment – specifically from the unnecessary infliction of pain.

General observations Different views on the death penalty: –Abolitionist – abolish the death penalty. –Retentionist – retain the death penalty. –Procedural abolitionists – the death penalty is OK in principle, but there are problems with the practice.

Arguments for Capital Punishment Capital punishment expresses an appropriate demand for justice in society. –Punishment proportionate to the crime restores a balance in society. Capital punishment provides a unique deterrent against crime. –The sanctity of life demands the strongest possible deterrent to keep people from taking innocent life.

The cost of a life term in prison is far greater than the cost of the appeals process. Capital punishment is not cruel and unusual punishment. –8 th amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment – inflicting pain in a wanton and unnecessary manner. –The death penalty can be administered without pain – as in active euthanasia.

The death penalty undermines the dignity of persons made in the image of God and cheapens human life. –Much of the history of the death penalty has shown it has been motivated by desire for revenge – much of it has been barbaric.

Arguments Against Capital Punishment Mistakes are inevitable and irreversible –Illinois Recently abolished capital punishment, March people on death row have had their cases reviewed, retried and found to be innocent (over the last 10 years). –Since 1973, over 130 people have been released from death row with evidence of their innocence.

Reform becomes impossible. –No rehabilitation. –Many have been rehabilitated and had their sentence commuted to life without parole. –Some have been rehabilitated then executed. Karla Faye Tucker Brown – Texas Jeffrey Dahmer – Wisconsin Death sentences are usually accompanied by long and expensive appeals. Arguments Against Capital Punishment

The way in which the death penalty is applied has inequities. –The overwhelming majority of convicted criminals who receive death sentences are minority men who come from the lower economic classes. –Rarely do whites or middle- or upper-class individuals receive the death penalty. –The death penalty is unjust, discriminatory. Arguments Against Capital Punishment

White56% Black 34% Other 2% 8% Hispanic Race of Defendants Executed Race of Victims in Death Penalty Cases White77% Black 15% 6% Hispanic Other 3%

The demand for “justice” is inconsistent with Jesus’ ethic of forgiveness and redemption. Some appeal to the Old Testament as support for the death penalty. –But only for certain crimes because the OT sentenced people to death for Murder Cursing one’s parent Kidnapping Adultery Homosexuality Incest Premarital sexual promiscuity Violating the Sabbath –Do we pick and choose – based on whose perspective?