Capital Punishment

Religious Studies: KS3, topic 3.2.7

Capital Punishment is also known as the death penalty. It is a form of criminal punishment.

The death penalty is sometimes imposed on people who have committed the worst crimes. Often crimes involving murder.
It was widely practised in almost all the countries in the world.
But it became a matter of moral debate, and many countries have abolished it.
Some notable places where the death penalty is retained include:
Parts of the United States
China
Many counties in the Middle East.

Usually, there are two main arguments put forward for why murderers, for example, should be executed:
Deterrence and Retribution.
Deterrence:
Some people believe that the threat of execution deters most criminals from serious crime.
This makes society safer, protecting innocent people, including the police.

Another argument is that the victims of crimes and their families have a right to retribution.
Retribution is another word for revenge.

Some religious believers say that the idea is found in scripture.
For example, in the Old Testament, there is the Lex Talionis, the law of retaliation.
This said that a victim could demand an ‘eye for an eye’, and also a life for a life.
Some people say that when evil is done by someone, the balance of good over evil needs to be restored.
This balance is only achieved when the criminal is punished to the extent of their crime.
It is like scales of justice.

Test yourself on Capital Punishment

Which three places is the death penalty still retained?
Where in the Bible is the law of retaliation, which supports retribution, found?