Capital Punishment
Punishment by
execution of
someone
officially judged
to have
committed a
serious or capital
crime
Capital Punishment
Punishment:
The deliberate
and authorized
causing of pain
or harm to
someone
thought to have
broken the law.
Capital Punishment
Pain, harm or other consequence
normally considered unpleasant
Administered for an offense
against a law or rule
Punishment must be
administered by someone who is
judge guilty of an offense.
Punishment must be imposed by
someone other than the offender
Punishment must be imposed by
rightful authority
Capital Punishment
Two ways to look at
punishment.
In terms of people
what people deserve
In terms of desirable
consequences
Capital Punishment
Four Justifications
for Punishment.
Retribution
Deterrence
Incapacitation
Rehabilitation
Capital Punishment
Retribution:
The view that
offenders deserve to
be punished for their
crimes and to be
punished in
proportion to the
severity of their
offense.
Capital Punishment
Deterrence: Specific deterrence
Focuses on the individual
Inhibiting criminal
in question. The aim of
behavior by fear of
these punishments is to
punishment
discourage the criminal
from future criminal acts
General deterrence by instilling an
Focuses on general understanding of the
prevention of crime by consequences.
making examples of
specific offenders.
Capital Punishment
Incapacitation
Aims to prevent
future crimes
by taking away
the individual’s
ability to
commit such
acts.
Capital Punishment
Rehabilitation:
Aims to reform
the offender or
rehabilitate
them so they
can reintegrate
into society.
Capital Punishment
Abolitionists:
Those who
wish to
abolish capital
punishment
Capital Punishment
Retentionists:
Those who
wish to retain
the death
penalty