Capital Punishment

A definition of capital punishment

Capital punishment is when a
sentence of death is given
for a crime committed.

Capital Punishment Has

Several Aims.
Retribution

Deterrence

Protection

Vindication
Reparation

The History of Capital

Punishment in the UK
Until 1828 death by hanging was the
penalty for over 200 crimes in Britain.
These crimes included shooting a rabbit,
cutting down a tree and stealing.
However in 1969 the death penalty was
abolished in this country because of
miscarriages of justice.

Capital Punishment in The USA

In other countries the death penalty is
widely used.
Statistics from the USA show that rather
than the death penalty becoming less
popular, the number of death sentences
actually carried out has risen dramatically.
In 1971 , one person was put to death. In
1997 seventy-four were killed. In 1999
six hundred and ten received the death
sentence!

The Death Sentence Is Carried

Out in a Number of Ways.
In pairs, think about some of the
methods of capital punishment
that have been used in the past.

Ducking
Hanging
Crucifixion

Guillotine

Hung, drawn and

quartered

Which Methods Of Execution

Are Used In The USA Today?
Electric Chair
Hanging

Lethal
Injection

Firing Squad
Poisonous Gas

See If You Can Remember What The

Different Methods Are.

The Electric Chair

The prisoner is strapped to
the chair with leather straps.
A wet sponge is placed on
their head to conduct
electricity and a cover is
placed over their face.
Thousands of volts of
electricity are passed
through the person. It
takes 10 minutes for the
body to cool down enough to
be touched.

A prisoner about to be
electrocuted.

The Gas Chamber

The prisoner is placed in
a sealed chamber.
Chemicals are mixed to
produce a poisonous gas.
It may take the
prisoner several painful
minutes to die.

Lethal Injection
The picture shows the
bed the prisoner is
strapped to.
A lethal dose of a
drug is administered
until the prisoners
heart stops.

Arguments For Capital

Punishment

Society must
protect innocent
people.
Justice must be
seen to be done.
Life prisoners are
often released
early and may reoffend.

The death penalty

is the only
deterrent some
people understand.
Some criminals
might prefer
execution to a life
in prison.

Arguments Against the Use

of Capital Punishment.

People may be wrongly

accused and executed.
The death penalty does
not appear to work, the
USA has a higher rate
of violent crime than
the UK.
The cost of keeping
someone on death row
is far higher than the
cost of keeping them as
a life prisoner.

Some criminals might

be seen as martyrs.
A civilised state
should defend life not
kill.
Minority groups are
far more likely to be
given the death
sentence in the USA.

What do Religious
Teachings Say About
Capital Punishment?

Take not a life, which Allah

hath made sacred, except by
way of justice and law. Surah 6:151

Islam

No matter how evilly someone

behaves they always have the
possibility of correcting their
behaviour.
James Belither

Buddhism

Jesus taught compassion;

If anyone of you is without sin,
let him be the first to throw a
stone.
John 8: 7-11

Christianity

Can you imagine knowing the exact time of

your death?

What do you think your last moments would

be like?

Why do you think the method of execution

has changed?
Do you think that the death penalty is still
acceptable today?