Page 37 - 2022 Kaleidoscope Volume 8
P. 37
Should the Death Penalty
be Abolished?
GROUP A 2ND RUNNER-UP Yap Meng Hin - 170113 - 6S Ren
eath penalty is among one of the
D earliest forms of punishment in
human society. It has been carried out for a
long period of time and laws regarding it
date back to the earliest civilisations. From
the Sumerian plains to the deserts of Egypt
and the fields of ancient China, death
penalty has been viewed as the highest committed crimes like assassination of
form of punishment. However, the lack of leaders, treason, murder, mutilation and
rule by law and dictatorship have given other terrible deeds. The existence of death
death penalty a reputation of being penalty can stop the criminal from ever
barbaric, savage and unfairly cruel. In committing a crime of similar seriousness
modern times, the declaration of human again. As an example, a serial killer in the
right clearly states that no one can claim USA who molested, raped and murdered 17
another’s life as everyone has the right to girls was sentenced imprisonment for life
live. However, death penalty still exists in until he escaped and killed a few more girls.
many countries. Is this a violation of human He was arrested again a few months later
rights? My answer is no, and I fully support and was sentenced not 1 but 3 death
the enforcement of death penalty by law. penalties. It is later revealed that he has 23
confirmed murder victims but the real
The death penalty should never be
number may be higher and is not known.
abolished as it is reserved for the worst of
Therefore, it is safe to say that death
the worst. In most countries, death penalty
38 can only be carried out if the criminal
