DISCUSSION TEXT

  Should the death penalty be allowed in Riau? 

 

Some people were executed in Indonesia through July 2016. Most death penalty cases involve the execution of drug peddlers although capital punishment can also be applied for treason, espionage, and other crimes. Many for and against reactions came after the execution. Then, should the death penalty be allowed in Indonesia?

Proponents of the death penalty say that it is an important tool for law enforcement, deters crime, and costs less than life imprisonment. They also argue that retribution or "an eye for an eye" honors the victim, helps console grieving families, and ensures that the perpetrators of heinous crimes never have an opportunity to cause future tragedy.

Opponents of capital punishment say that it has no deterrent effect on crime, gives governments’ overlapped power to take human life, and potentially makes social injustices by disproportionately targeting people of color (racist) and people who cannot afford good attorneys (classist). They say lifetime jail sentences are a more appropriate than death.

In conclusion, death penalty will always exist in our society as well as its pros and cons. For the proponents of this action, they think that it will be very effective to deter crime. While for those who are against this policy, they argue that this punishment will potentially make social injustice.