In Canada, there is no longer capital punishment, meaning that the worst thing that can happen to a criminal offender is life in prison with either 25 years to no parole or being labeled as a '"dangerous offender'" and having very little chance of parole. In the United States the death penalty varies from state to state. In Canada, polls show that over 70% of adults would like to see the return of hanging for first degree murder. These results are very similar to the results of the poll taken by US citizens, although in Canada, homicide rates have gradually been dropping since capital punishment was abolished. Upon researching this subject (my source was http://www.religioustolerance.org/execut3.htm) I found very intesting facts, that I thought I should share with you.
Methods of Capital Punishment:
Hanging: The offender would have a noose out over his/her head, put around their neck and then the ground would be taken away from underneath them, killing them quickly. If they did not fall far enough they would struggle for breath and eventually die. Or if they fell too far their head would be ripped off. I have personally visited the gallows of an old penitentiary (they used to have public hangings) that has been turned into a hospice, and I can say I would hate to be on the other side of the fence keeping us out!
Electric chair: We have all heard about what will happen if you stick something in an outlet right? Well the next time it looks particularly tantalizing think about this method of execution. The offender would be placed in a seat and zapped to death via electircity. People still aren't sure how long it takes for people to die with this method but it has been reported that some took 4-10 minutes to die.
Firing squad: This method is no longer popular since the introduction of the lethal injection and in the US this was only done in Utah. What happend was that the offender was tied down and shot in the heart by a few men, and if the shooters didn't miss death would come quickly.
Poison Gas: A lethal gas called Hydrogen Cyanide would surround the prisoner. This method worked slowly allowing the offender to expirence great pain before dying.
Lethal injection: The prisoner is strapped down to a table and is injected with what is typically 'Sodium pentothal' to make them unconcious, and then they are injected once more with pancuronium bromide which stops them from breathing and they are paralyzed. If they are not injected with enough Sodium pentothal, they will experience moments of paralysis before death.
Guillotine: A French invention, that is not used in North America which severs the neck, bringing death quickly.
Stoning: The prisoner is buried up to their neck and are then pelted with rocks until they die. The rocks are selected so that they are large enough to inflect injury, but so large that a single rock may kill the prisoner. This method is not used in North America.
As of October 2002 only 12 states and the district of Columbia do not have the death penalty, they are Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsion. However, although the death penalty does exist in all other states the death penalty has not been performed in the following places since 1976: Connecticut, Kansas, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, South Dakota, and the US Military!
In the States if a jury is capable to sentence capital punishment they must be informed before their descion if they would be eligible for parole.
About 90% of those sentenced with captial punishment were not able to afford their own attorney and had to make do with a court appointed one.
In the US, the states that have capital punishment in place have nearly double the homocides than those without capital punisment.
Since 1976 only three women have been put to death in the US.
In Canada, many Roman Catholic churches, as well as liberal churchs wish to keep on without the death penalty, whereas many conservative Protestant churches wish to have capital punishment return, although they are not aggresively trying to get this changed.
There are many reasons (and people) for and against the death penalty. Which do you belive in? I hope you discuss this in the BBS, as this has been discussed throughout the years. Who knows? Maybe you could change the laws about Capital Punishment one day.
This is Murusaki, incouraging you to keep pursuing knowledge and to keep forming opinions.
