Posted: August 1st, 2023

Death Penalty

Identify and explain one issue as it relates to the death penalty. How could this issue be remedied?
Death Penalty
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The Ethical Issue Related to the Death Penalty
For a long time, the ethical perspective of the death penalty has been a highly debated matter with parties on every end of the spectrum providing substantial reasons for their positions (Matthews & Wendler, 2006). The debaters of the death penalty give their defences based on the aspects, such as liberty, equality, utilitarianism and free markets among others (The World Medical Association Inc, 2012). In terms of liberty, the proponents indicate that whole everyone does have the right to life, liberty and individual security, why should the right be espoused on an individual that has infringed another’s liberty right through murder. A person who has taken a life should also sacrifice their own life as a way of retribution hence the support towards the death penalty. For the opponents to the death penalty., they indicate that these are rights that cannot be sacrificed (The World Medical Association Inc, 2012).
Also, opponents state that the death penalty sentence is final such that there is no going back when the innocent have died for the wrongs they have not committed or individuals that were executed yet they were not mentally competent and executed by their jurisdiction (The World Medical Association Inc, 2012). Concerning free markets, the death penalty opponents state that the costs affiliated with the death penalty are very excessive compared to other sanctions such as utilitarianism. Concerning equality, the opponents have illustrated that the penalty has been applied unequally in terms of race and gender, begging the question of whether justice remains the end goal.
Notably, the ethical element of the death penalty has seen various countries choose to abolish the practice while others continue to implement it. Nonetheless, the solution to this debacle goes down to a country’s values and norms. The right stakeholders need to hold an extensive discussion of what they believe in which should be reflected in sentencing reforms, better programs and increasing funding for gaining more knowledge and skill on imposing sentences and parole procedures (Mbah et al., 2019). The public should also be involved in the discussions since when they are more knowledgeable, they could aid in coming up with proper decisions on the matter.

References
Matthews, D., & Wendler, S. (2006). Ethical issues in the evaluation and treatment of death row inmates. Current opinion in psychiatry, 19(5), 518-521.
Mbah, R. E., Pruitt, T., & Wasum, D. F. (2019). Cruel choice: the ethics and morality of the death penalty. Research on humanities and social sciences, 9(24), 14-22.
THE WORLD MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, INC.(2012). White Paper On Ethical Issues Concerning Capital Punishment.

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