Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is a punishment applied by the legal authority and consists of legally taking away someone’s life who has been convicted of an infraction qualified as a “capital crime”.
Death penalty is pronounced by the judicial institution at the end of a lawsuit. Without a trial, or in the cases where it has not been produced by a recognized institution, it is considered as a simple execution, an act of revenge or private justice. The death perception of the death penalty is different depending on the period of time and geographic regions. Originally, this type of punishment was highly developed throughout the world and then was criticized during the Age of Enlightenment, in the 18th century. Strongly declining in the second half of the 20th century, it is currently in an uncertain situation. It is included in the laws of 101 countries, but only 26 countries carried out executions in 2008, including six liberal democracies. It is a recognized sanction, although disapproved of by international institutions such as the United Nations (UN). Abolitionist states are now the majority, but they still represent only a minority of the world’s population. In France, the real debate on the death penalty began with the execution of Jean Calas on March 10, 1762. This execution led many intellectuals to mobilize against the death penalty. Nonetheless, it was only in 1981 that the death penalty was abolished in France.
Hence the problem posed: For or against the death penalty?
Is the death penalty a deterrent? What are the major debates on the death penalty? Are there economic benefits of capital punishment? Should the death penalty be permanently abolished? How is the death penalty perceived in today’s world? Is the death penalty a deterrent?
It is possible that one of the positive aspects of the death penalty is the fact that individuals harmful to society are never free and do not thus risk any more...