4.2.3
Capital Punishment
The Abolition of the Death Penalty in Modern Britain
The Abolition of the Death Penalty in Modern Britain
The abolition of the death penalty reflects the changing attitudes of the period.
![Illustrative background for The scale of capital punishment](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/3534071d-a536-4b60-b7af-5353906e3d53/hanging-death-penalty,h_400,q_80,w_640.jpg)
![Illustrative background for The scale of capital punishment ?? "content](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/3534071d-a536-4b60-b7af-5353906e3d53/hanging-death-penalty,h_400,q_80,w_640.jpg)
The scale of capital punishment
The scale of capital punishment
- Public execution ended in 1868 but the death penalty continued to be used in prisons until 1965.
- In reality, however, there were a low number of executions each year.
- An average of 14 people a year were executed for murder.
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![Illustrative background for Impact of WW2 ?? "content](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-10/e9a80d85-1898-40ff-985e-02145fc80534/Child-Auschwitz-nazi-jew-,h_400,q_80,w_640.jpeg)
Impact of WW2
Impact of WW2
- Following the Second World War attitudes towards capital punishment began to change.
- As a result of the Holocaust, there was an increasing feeling that the death penalty was un-Christian and barbaric.
- The 1948 Declaration of Human Rights issued by the United Nations stated that ‘everyone has a right to life’.
![Illustrative background for The death penalty in 1957](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/97e29084-bc25-44ed-b112-489189f98b39/burglary-theft-robber-criminal-crime-,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
![Illustrative background for The death penalty in 1957 ?? "content](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/97e29084-bc25-44ed-b112-489189f98b39/burglary-theft-robber-criminal-crime-,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
The death penalty in 1957
The death penalty in 1957
- In 1957 the British government abolished the use of the death penalty for all cases except the murder of a police officer, murder by shooting or explosion, murder whilst resisting arrest, murder whilst carrying out theft and murder of more than one person.
- High profile cases where there was a miscarriage of justice helped change attitudes towards the use of capital punishment.
![Illustrative background for The death penalty from 1965-98](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/398f5cdb-b71c-4e4f-807e-2b61a7bc56fa/Arrested-Capture-Handcuffs,h_400,q_80,w_640.jpg)
![Illustrative background for The death penalty from 1965-98 ?? "content](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/398f5cdb-b71c-4e4f-807e-2b61a7bc56fa/Arrested-Capture-Handcuffs,h_400,q_80,w_640.jpg)
The death penalty from 1965-98
The death penalty from 1965-98
- Capital punishment was abolished in 1965 for all crimes except treason in times of war and piracy.
- This was initially for a 5-year trial but the government abolished its use permanently in 1969.
- Capital punishment could still legally be used in cases of treason and piracy, however, this was also abolished in 1998, making Britain fully abolitionist.
![Illustrative background for The last execution](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/76d289c8-59e4-4eca-85c6-aae572c2bd32/shutterstock_126066824,h_400,q_80,w_640.jpg)
![Illustrative background for The last execution ?? "content](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/76d289c8-59e4-4eca-85c6-aae572c2bd32/shutterstock_126066824,h_400,q_80,w_640.jpg)
The last execution
The last execution
- The last woman to be hanged was Ruth Ellis in 1955 for the murder of her lover David Blakely in a crime of passion.
Evaluating Capital Punishment
Evaluating Capital Punishment
The issue of capital punishment provokes debate and controversy. There are arguments for and against it.
![Illustrative background for Arguments for capital punishment](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/d9abeb87-aa7a-42d6-adef-7e16a3f6dc59/tick-305245_960_720,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
![Illustrative background for Arguments for capital punishment ?? "content](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-05/d9abeb87-aa7a-42d6-adef-7e16a3f6dc59/tick-305245_960_720,h_400,q_80,w_640.png)
Arguments for capital punishment
Arguments for capital punishment
- It was the greatest deterrent against crime possible.
- Criminals would be more likely to carry weapons if there was no danger of them being hanged for murder.
- Life imprisonment costs a lot and in many ways is more cruel to an offender.
- Those who have completed a sentence for murder are likely to kill again.
- Execution proved how serious the crime of murder is and furthermore it avenged the death of the victim.
![Illustrative background for Arguments against capital punishment](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/796d9df8-e274-426c-a397-a3acc247c320/pen-self-report-questionnaire-rate-cross-,h_400,q_80,w_640.jpg)
![Illustrative background for Arguments against capital punishment ?? "content](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/796d9df8-e274-426c-a397-a3acc247c320/pen-self-report-questionnaire-rate-cross-,h_400,q_80,w_640.jpg)
Arguments against capital punishment
Arguments against capital punishment
- Sometimes mistakes are made and the wrong person is executed.
- Examples of this include:
- The case of Timothy Evans who was hanged for murder in 1950 and posthumously pardoned in 1966.
- The case of Derek Bentley who was executed for murder in 1953.
- Many murders are spur of the moment things.
- This means that capital punishment is not really a deterrent in these cases.
- Execution is not Christian and goes against the idea of the sanctity of life.
1Medieval England, 1000-1500
1.1Changing Definition of Crime in Medieval England
1.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
1.3Case Studies From 1000-1500
2Early Modern England, 1500-1700
2.1Changing Definitions of Crime
2.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
2.3Case Studies From 1500-1700
318th & 19th Century Britain
3.1Changing Definition of Crime in Industrial Britain
3.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
3.3Case Studies From 1700-1900
4Modern Britain, 1900-Present
4.1Changing Definition of Crime in Modern Britain
4.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
5Whitechapel Local Study
5.1The Geographical Area & Living Conditions
5.2The People of Whitechapel
Jump to other topics
1Medieval England, 1000-1500
1.1Changing Definition of Crime in Medieval England
1.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
1.3Case Studies From 1000-1500
2Early Modern England, 1500-1700
2.1Changing Definitions of Crime
2.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
2.3Case Studies From 1500-1700
318th & 19th Century Britain
3.1Changing Definition of Crime in Industrial Britain
3.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
3.3Case Studies From 1700-1900
4Modern Britain, 1900-Present
4.1Changing Definition of Crime in Modern Britain
4.2Nature of Law Enforcement & Punishment
5Whitechapel Local Study
5.1The Geographical Area & Living Conditions
5.2The People of Whitechapel
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