deterrence

While checking my email this morning, an article on Yahoo! News caught my eye:

Studies say death penalty deters crime

Hmmm... Interesting.

What the article says is that several studies over the last few years have shown that the death penalty DOES act as a deterrent to murder.

'They count between three and 18 lives that would be saved by the execution of each convicted killer.'

If the analysis and the conclusions of these studies are proven correct, they would make a very compelling reason to cut short the moratorium on executions imposed by President Arroyo here in the Philippines.

I have always been a proponent of the death penalty, more so after I was mugged on the way to school - even more so after hearing news of people being killed in their own homes.

In a supposedly Catholic country like ours such a view would be frowned upon. But how such barbaric acts as murder and rape still happen here escapes me.

There is the argument that crime is created by poverty, and that fixing up the economy rather than executing criminals would eliminate the crime problem. Fine. I agree, to some extent. However, explain to me why congressmen and mayors are in jail for rape and murder. Explain to me why a former President is being tried for plunder and corruption.

The pro-life movement and the Church would rather have death sentences commuted to life imprisonment. With our jails being packed with even more inmates, Amnesty International and other 'rights' groups would complain about the welfare of criminals.

The welfare of criminals.

What about the welfare of their victims?

I believe that convicted criminals should have no rights at all, especially those found guilty of capital crimes. They forfeited their rights the moment they violated the rights of their victims.

Of course everyone is innocent until proven guilty, but once proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt... Well... There you go. I prefer hard labor for lesser criminals, and the electric chair for the bigger ones. A firing squad would do for the more high-profile criminals. (A more detailed entry on my views on this can be found in an earlier Blogger post)

Justice, swift and sure, would do much to prevent more criminal acts in the future. A few 'examples' here and there would probably obviate the need for a death penalty. Yes, take the esteemed congressman-rapist from his luxurious "jail cell" and put him up against the wall. Or strap him to a chair. Just don't use the syringe; it's too humane.

Deterrence worked well in keeping the Cold War from turning into World War Three; having an answer to the other guy's big guns seems to have done the trick.

Deterrence today would make our streets and our homes safe.