The Hangman’s Rope

The electric chair, the hangman’s rope the guillotine. The debate on capital punishment divides people in Britain very neatly into two groups: these for and those against because this issue is all black and white; there is no grey area.

Did you know?

In the USA, where over 85% of the population over the age of 21 approve of the death penalty and are not against the statement that juveniles and mentally deficient people can be executed. In many states which still have the death penalty, some use the electric chair, which can take up to 20 minutes to kill, while others use gas or lethal injections.

In Britain capital punishment lasted until 1965, when it was abolished by Parliament. There have been 14 attempts since then to reintroduce it – all unsuccessful.

Arguments FOR.

The pro-hanging lobby uses four main arguments to support its call for the reintroduction of capital punishment. First, there is the deterrence theory, which states that potential murderers would think twice before committing the act if they knew that they might also die if they were caught. The armed bank robber might, likewise, decide to leave his shotgun at home and go back to being an ordinary robber.

Next is the idea of public security. If the death penalty were reinstated it would mean that a convicted murderer would not be set free after serving 20 years or less of a life sentence and be able to go on to murder again. The general public would, therefore, be safer.

The other two arguments are more suspect. The idea of retribution demands that criminals should get what they deserve: if a murderer intentionally sets out to commit a crime, he should accept the consequences. Retribution, which is just another word for revenge, is supported by the religious doctrine of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

The fourth main pro-hanging argument is the most cold-blooded. It is that it makes economic sense to hang convicted murderers rather than have them in prison wasting taxpayers’ money.

Arguments AGAINST.

The arguments against the death penalty are largely humanitarian. But there are also statistical reasons for opposing it: the deterrence figures do not add up. In Britain 1903 was the record year for executions and yet in 1904 the number of homicides actually rose. 1946 also saw an unusually high number of executions followed in 1947 by another rise in the murder rate. If the deterrence theory was correct, the rate should have fallen.

The second main argument against reintroducing capital punishment is that innocent people are sometimes wrongly convicted and, while people can be released from prison, they cannot be brought back from the dead if they have been hanged.

The other reasons to oppose the death penalty, which are largely a matter of individual conscience and belief, are firstly that murder is murder and this includes state executions. The state has no more right to take a life than the individual. Indeed, the state should set an example to the individual by not taking lives. It is believed to be a measure of its civilization that a state acts more humanely than its citizens. The second is that Christianity preaches forgiveness, not revenge.

 

II. Read ‘The Hangman’s Rope’ again. Why are these figures and dates important?

 

a) 1903 b) 85% c) 1965 d) 14 e) 1946

 

III. Match the words from the text with their corresponding definitions.

 

 

to execute	not guilty of wrongdoing
retribution	killing of a human being
attempt	to give a talk about religion or morals
to convict	to strengthen; to help to go on
innocent	deserved punishment
to support	effort to do smth
to preach	to carry out punishment by death
homicide	to declare in a law-court that smb. is guilty

 

IV. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following words:

одобрять смертную казнь; быть против смертной казни; совершить преступление; потенциальный убийца; невиновные люди; действовать более гуманно; вопрос совести и веры; ошибочно осуждён; получить то, что заслужил; тратить деньги налогоплательщиков

 

V. Complete the following sentences using the appropriate words from the list below:

 

argument, the deterrence theory, forgiveness, innocent, capital punishment, right, to commit, humanitarian, the electric chair

 

1. The debate on … divides people in Britain very neatly into two groups: these for and those against.
2. The arguments against the death penalty are largely ….
3. In many states which still have the death penalty, some use … which can take up to 20 minutes to kill, while others use gas or lethal injections.
4. The pro-hanging lobby uses … which states that potential murderers would think twice before committing the act if they knew that they might also die if they were caught.
5. If a murderer intentionally sets out … a crime, he should accept the consequences.
6. The most cold-blooded … is that it makes economic sense to hang convicted murderers rather than have them in prison wasting taxpayers’ money.
7. The second main argument against reintroducing capital punishment is that … people are sometimes wrongly convicted.
8. The state has no more … to take a life than the individual.
9. Christianity preaches … not revenge.

 

 

VI. Answer the questions:

1. Is the majority of the US population for or against the death penalty?
2. What kinds of capital punishment are used in the USA?
3. What are the four main arguments of the supporters of the death penalty?
4. Why are the arguments against capital punishment largely humanitarian?
5. What statistics can be used while opposing state executions?
6. Which arguments sound more convincing to you?
7. Are you for or against capital punishment?