Text b Capital Punishment

Task:  read the text and get ready to discuss its main points.

Until medieval times, the death penalty was a frequently imposed criminal sanction. During the sixteenth century there was a shift in practice in Europe from the death penalty and corporal punishment to imprisonment, which has since become the major sanction for criminal acts. Although capital punishment is currently being fought by a number of organized groups and is abolished or at least restricted in many countries, it is still part of the crime control system of the majority of the world.

International efforts to abolish capital punishment have not been very successful. The chances of bringing about changes are much worse at the international level than at the regional level, where unanimity is easier to achieve.

The more society has felt obliged to provide justification for the death penalty, the more studies have tried to prove or disapprove the deterrent effect of capital punishment. The deterrence theory envisions potential criminals weighing the potential punishment before committing crimes. But murders are more often than not committed out of conflict situations that involve emotions rather than rational calculations. Moreover, the risk of execution is difficult to take into account because potential murderers are more likely to dissociate themselves with the people executed because they regard them as unsuccessful and socially inferior. Current research indicates that the death penalty has no consistent, demonstrable deterrent effect. There is even evidence that executions have the opposite, brutalizing effect, meaning that homicide rates increase slightly several weeks after an execution.

Public opinion is currently calling for the re-establishment or the extension of capital punishment because of rising crime rates, growing violence and ineffectiveness of other forms of punishment. Although state legislatures and politicians must do everything they can to fight crime and achieve more public safety, they must not respond to such emotional demands directly.

Ex. 1. How are the following ideas expressed in the text:

1. to keep in a place or state from which one cannot get out as one wishes;

2. punishment for breaking a law, rule, or agreement in law;

3. a good reason for doing something;

4. to turn aside or prevent from acting (as by fear, threats);

5. lawful killing as a punishment;

6. an act of murder;

7. use of bodily force on others.

Ex. 2. Complete the following sentences:

1. The death penalty, until medieval time …

2. In Europe during the sixteenth century there was a shift …

3. Capital punishment is currently being fought …

4. The chances to abolish capital punishment …

5. Rational calculations are not taken into account …

6. Public opinion is calling for …

7. State legislatures have to fight …

Ex. 3. Which phrase on the right completes the sentence on the left? Do you strongly agree or disagree to any of the statements?

1) The use of capital punishment for murder was abolished…	a) … on the grounds that life imprisonment of individual offenders was safeguard against organized groups of criminals.
2) Parliament passed a law to reintroduce capital punishment for the murder of police officers…	b) … as part of their penal policy for the severe punishment of offenders.
3) The infliction of capital punishment was restricted to crimes of terrorism…	c) … in order to deter criminals from using firearms against members of the forces of law and order
4) The government passed a resolution to retain capital punishment for serious crimes of violence…	d) … because the Parliamentary Commission found that in most offences of this type it was an effective deterrent.

Ex. 4. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the definition to the term “capital punishment”?

2. What is the aim of the capital punishment?

3. For what crimes can this penalty be imposed?

4. How does public opinion assess the deterrent effect of the death penalty?

Ex. 5. Explain and expand on the following:

1. The abolition of death penalty at the international level.

2. Capital punishment and the deterrence theory.

3. Current research and death penalty.

4. Legislatures and politicians on death penatly.

Ex. 6. Render the following text into English using the topical vocabulary of the present unit:

Пришло время отменить смертную казнь. С каждым годом это становится все более очевидным. Опыт всех стран показывает, что смертная казнь приводит к ожесточению в обществе. В ряде стран смертные приговоры применяются в основном к представителям неимущих слоев населения либо расовых или этнических меньшинств.

В некоторых странах смертная казнь считается мерой, без которой невозможно остановить распространение наркотиков, ликвидировать политический терроризм, экономическую коррупцию или искоренить супружескую неверность (to do away with adultory). Однако нет никаких доказательств, что ее применение способно снизить уровень преступности или политического насилия. Смертную казнь часто используют как средство политических репрессий.

Оправдывая смертную казнь, чаще всего говорят, что она необходима, по крайней мере временно, для блага общества.

Однако имеет ли государство право лишать человека жизни?

Смертная казнь – это предумышленное и хладнокровное убийство человека государством. Само существование этой меры наказания является нарушением основных прав человека: международное право запрещает жестокие, негуманные или унижающие (humiliating) человека наказания.