The capital punishment

DISSERTATION ENGLISH

Victor Hugo said « Wherever the death penalty is lavished, barbarism dominates ; wherever the death penalty is rare, civilization reigns ». This writer was one of the first to solicit the abolition of the death penalty.

In France on 18th September 1981, the Parliament has adopted a law to support by Robert Badinter at the abrogation of capital punishment. This abolition represents a result of a long struggle for over two centuries. And the article 66-1 of the Constitution of the Fifth Republic which forbids the French State to condemn a person to the death penalty.

However, thirty-six years after its abolition, the death penalty itches again the French. In fact, on May 6th 2015 a poll is published by Le Monde which announces 52 % of French would be favorable in reestablishment of the death penalty. And according to this same poll 82% of people who vote « Front National » (an extreme political party) would be favorable in restoration of the capital punishment.

The question that we will ask is the following: Should the death penalty be restored in France?

I/ The restoration of the capital punishment

For some people the restoration of the capital punishment would be an effective, legitimate and lucrative solution.

A - An effective alternative

The death penalty is deterrent because all human beings are afraid to die or rather want to die as late as possible. This threat of death would intimidate criminals. Therefore, the capital punishment would lower the crime rate in France. Moreover, restore the death penalty prevent a second offense, because there is no guarantee that a criminal will start again once out of prison.

B - A legitimate and lucrative solution

Firstly, the restoration of the capital punishment from a lex talionis « an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth», is a solution perfectly legitimate because it is necessary to restore the balance on reflect the sanction to the fault. So to kill someone who has suppressed the life of another is logical according to the lex talionis.

Secondly, the restoration of the capital punishment is a lucrative solution, cheap for the taxpayer and the state. Because stoke the criminal, pay the prison guards is very expensive and this translates into higher taxes. Moreover, the prisons in France are overcrowded because of rising crime so it is necessary to build another prison.

II/ Preserve the abolition of the death penalty

If we look closer, the death penalty is not an effective, legitimate and lucrative solution.

A - The death penalty is ineffective

The death penalty is ineffective because many studies have shown that in some countries where the death penalty was in effect the murder rate was not necessarily lower. In fact, in the United States for example, for the fight against drug, the death penalty is not deterrent because drug dealers risk their lives every day.

B - The death penalty, not so legitimate or

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