Death Penalty
Murder is an elementary and passionate crime. It cannot be corrected and retribution is difficult to determine. A solution that comes quickly to any person’s mind would be to find equilibrium by taking the life of a murderer. It makes logical sense but as humans we need to recognize that our ethical standards have evolved. Bad people are capable of change if given the opportunity. Miracles happen but if the vessel of change is deliberately injected with a lethal serum then there is no hope.
Condemning a hopeless criminal is a crime in itself. There is no justice in sending someone to die. Some may come to a realization of their actions and move in a direction of change. One example of this would be the now deceased Tookie Williams. After his experience in the face of death he could have come back as a beneficial citizen to society. He would have had a unique experience to share with others that might make decisions similar to those that landed him in such a position. It is a matter of finding an appropriate consequence.
Determining alternative consequences can be difficult. Looked at logically, people sentenced with a crime against society that is severe enough to result in execution are a wasted resource. They could repay their debt to society by becoming an asset to activities such as medical research. Activities that might benefit society by putting their lives at risk, risks that could not morally be imposed on normal people. These activities might include medical experiments that could result in severe risks for the patient. However, this is a dangerous proposal considering that it has been exemplified by the German Nazi concentration camp experiments on Jews and Gypsies. It would require careful supervision and restraint.
Transforming criminals into guinea pigs could be seen, similar to the death penalty, as immoral. At the moment our most rational solution is to allow criminals to fulfill a prison sentence. While in...