Show I I I rr V A 77 II I L THE DEATH PENALTY Arizona voted on the question of capital punishment at the November November November Novem Novem- ber election in 1914 and out of a total vote of over there was a majority of 1252 against the bill abolishing the death penalty 1 f Alts' Alts PRESCOTT PAn PARSONS ONS prepared for far the tho Independent IVl MARY MAltY Magazine in l Ja May 1915 a debate giving both Loth sides of the question Resolved That Capital Punishment Should Be Abolished The arguments follow FOR THE AFFIRMATIVE 1 Capital punishment is unjust to the tho criminal 0 a He lie has no chance to reform b It is unfair to his family It disgraces them and robs them Ulem of the means of support I c It makes no allowance for varying degrees of oC guilt d It Is irrevocable 2 2 it is wrong in principle a The state has no right to take life lICe 1 It has not given life lire 2 Killing by a group of people is no more right than killing one ono person 3 Criminal tendencies are due largely to lo conditions for which the state rattier rather than the individual is responsible 4 The state does not need to take take- life in self defense defenso 6 b. Though sanctioned by the letter of the Old Testament n lt law capital punishment is contrary to its Interpretation ti n In lit the light of Christianity V Vb b The death penalty is not in acc accordance with wilh the modern theory rY of oC I penology s i 1 1 1 It does not reform the criminal 2 2 It does not protect society 3 It is based on revenge 3 3 It is a danger to society a It brutalizes human nature b Legal executions increase murders 1 1 Heroes are made of criminals 2 Respect for human life is lessened 3 The spirit of lawlessness is developed in the criminally inclined in in- inclined and In individuals of low mentality 4 executions fx Executions by the state arc are taken as justification for lynch- lynch lUgS ings 5 Experience has Ilas shown that executions are followed by increased in creased homicide 4 It is unwise economically a The cost of apprehending and prosecuting murderers is Is' Is out ot all proportion to the number of convictions b Lives are destroyed which would be economically valuable to the state 6 Capital Capit 1 punishment Is unnecessary a aj It is not effective as a deterrent I 1 Many murderers are not deterred by any punishment 2 2 Many criminals know the fixing of a death penalty is extremely extremely extremely ex ex- unlikely 3 The argument for capital punishment was formerly advanced ad advanced for torture 4 4 Statistics show that murders have decreased in countries and states which have abolished capital punishment b Life imprisonment is better 1 It is more effective as a deterrent Conviction is more certain and it is t tie the le certainty rather than the nature of the 1 punishment which deters Its duration makes Jt it a more severe punishment 2 It offers adequate protection to society It If prevents murder murder- murderers I ers era from committing new crimes It reforms the prisoners It offers opportunities to study the prisoners in order to determine the causes of crime 3 It makes the prisoners prisoner's life valuable to the state He lie will support himself he will provide for his family His labor can be used in carrying on important public work ARGUMENT FOR THE NEGATIVE 1 1 Capital punishment is just to the fife criminal criminate a By taking life he forfeits his own b Capital punishment is less cru cruel l than life lire imprisonment c Capital punishment allows a chance for repentance Continued on pa page 5 I THE Hi DEATH PENALTY ra ft Continued from page 4 d 1 The death penalty Is fairer to the criminals criminal's family than life imprisonment imprisonment im im- the disgrace is soon forgotten e The danger of mistaken conviction is extremely slight 2 Capital punishment is right in principle a It Is based on reason and on absolute Justice b It is taught by the Bible c It is the prerogative of the state I 1 Citizens must be protected by any any necessary method 2 The death penalty is the only punishment that really protects protects' society i d It is in accordance with modern penology 1 It Itis It-is is humane 2 It protects society Ii 3 It is not harmful to society 1 3 3 The danger lies not in the executions b butin butin t i the morbid publicity attending attending attending at at- tending them Jg k ka a Publication of details about executions executions' can be prevented b It is not capital punishment but its abolition which causes causes lynch lynch- ings logs 1 The feeling of revenge is deep In human nature 2 This feeling will be satisfied only by the Infliction m of a death penalty 3 3 are most numerous where capital punishment is not in force 4 a. Capital punishment is wise economically a It is unfair to tax law abiding citizens for the support of criminals b Prison labor falls fails to solve the problem 1 The prisoners prisoner's earnings are too small to support himself and give adequate support to his family 2 Prison labor deprives free citizens of work which they need 5 b. It is necessary to protect society a Of all punishments it Is the most deterrent 1 Most people consider it the severest 2 It prevents murderers from committing new crimes 3 It prevents the association of others with the most hardened criminals 4 Several countries and states have had to reenact enact capital j punishment b because cause murder increased after its abolition ID ti Life imprisonment the substitute proposed is not a satisfactory method of dealing with murder 1 1 It Is not a deterrent Most criminals do not fear it it Others I count on being pardoned after a few years I 1 2 It is dangerous to society It increases the number of murders murders mur mur- ders since the penalty is no greater than the punishment I for some other crimes The pardoning power may be mis mis- used 3 It stupefies or embitters prisoners instead of reforming them 3 Capital ry punishment meets conditions as as they are and should be abolished only when society becomes more perfect The agitation against capital punishment which began in the eighteenth century and continued through the nineteenth led to its abolition in some European countries and in several states in this country It has been abolished in Michigan Rhode Island Islands Wisconsin Maine Kansas Minnesota Philippine Islands Washington Oregon North Dakota South Dakota and Tennessee During 1914 attempts to abolish capital punishment failed In Arizona Connecticut Connecticut Con Con- New Jersey and New York Restored in 1882 for tor murder bya by-a life Ufe convict Death penalty retained for criminal assault and for tor murder by a life convict |