Difference between revisions of "Capital punishment"
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It would appear, however, that this was repudiated by Jesus: "He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone"<ref>John 8:7</ref> is cited as evidence that humans do not have the right to judge another worthy of death. In addition, many Christians find the death penalty repugnant since their Savior was put to death under draconian Roman death penalty laws. | It would appear, however, that this was repudiated by Jesus: "He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone"<ref>John 8:7</ref> is cited as evidence that humans do not have the right to judge another worthy of death. In addition, many Christians find the death penalty repugnant since their Savior was put to death under draconian Roman death penalty laws. | ||
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| + | == Capital punishment in the United States == | ||
| + | Capital punishment in the United States is handled on a state-by-state basis, and several states' laws do not allow for executions. | ||
| + | The practice appears to be on the wane, as appeals and stays of execution create a backlog on death row. Pennsylvania has hundreds of people on death row, and only three inmates have been executed since the reinstatement of capital punishment laws. One man has been on death row in Texas for 31 years. <ref>http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-deathrow28jan28,1,1271967.story?coll=la-headlines-nation</ref> | ||
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| + | Lethal injection is the official method of capital punishment in almost all states that have the death penalty. A few states allow for other methods in some circumstances. Nebraska is the only state of these that does not have lethal injection. Electrocution is the official method of execution there. Several botched electrocutions in Florida in the 1990s have effectively put an end to the era of the electric chair, which was the most common means of execution in the United States before 1972. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
Revision as of 07:11, March 21, 2007
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, refers to the custom of executing prisoners who are convicted of certain crimes.
Capital Punishment in the world today
This method of punishment is banned in all developed countries with the exception of the United States, and Japan. It is also practiced in most Shari'a states (those whose legal systems are based on the Muslim legal philosophy), as well as many other countries which are not yet considered to be developed.[1][2]
Though the United States suspended the death penalty in 1973, it was reinstated in 1977. 65% of Americans believe putting someone to death for a crime is acceptable, according to a recent poll. But respondents were close to evenly split on whether they would prefer the death penalty (50%) to mandatory life in prison (46%). The death penalty is most favored by older, white, Republican males.[3]
Biblical View
The Bible has several passages the recommend the death penalty for different offenses. These offenses include homosexuality[4], handling the skin of a pig[5], eating shellfish [6], and working on the sabbath[7].
It would appear, however, that this was repudiated by Jesus: "He who is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone"[8] is cited as evidence that humans do not have the right to judge another worthy of death. In addition, many Christians find the death penalty repugnant since their Savior was put to death under draconian Roman death penalty laws.
Capital punishment in the United States
Capital punishment in the United States is handled on a state-by-state basis, and several states' laws do not allow for executions. The practice appears to be on the wane, as appeals and stays of execution create a backlog on death row. Pennsylvania has hundreds of people on death row, and only three inmates have been executed since the reinstatement of capital punishment laws. One man has been on death row in Texas for 31 years. [9]
Lethal injection is the official method of capital punishment in almost all states that have the death penalty. A few states allow for other methods in some circumstances. Nebraska is the only state of these that does not have lethal injection. Electrocution is the official method of execution there. Several botched electrocutions in Florida in the 1990s have effectively put an end to the era of the electric chair, which was the most common means of execution in the United States before 1972.
References
- ↑ EU: Concerning the Abolition of the Death Penalty in all Circumstances
- ↑ Encarta: Capital Punishment Worldwide
- ↑ ABC News/Washington Post poll: Death Penalty
- ↑ Leviticus 20:13
- ↑ Leviticus 11:7-8
- ↑ Leviticus 11:9-12
- ↑ Exodus 35:2
- ↑ John 8:7
- ↑ http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-deathrow28jan28,1,1271967.story?coll=la-headlines-nation