Is the tide turning against Capital Punishment?

Glenn Ford was released from prison in Louisiana last week after three decades on death row.  This man has lost three decades of his life.  That said, had the fight on his behalf not been ongoing throughout this period, he may well have been sent to the electric chair.

In a casual debate on the subject of the Death Penalty with a friend (who has an opposing point of view to mine) some time ago, the point was made that advances in DNA will make miscarriages of justice less likely going forward.  My reply to that viewpoint is that forensic techniques can always be questioned at a later stage in time.

Whilst the case of Glenn Ford highlights how easily the wrong man can be convicted of murder in any advanced criminal justice system, there are other reasons why I personally object to the Death Penalty being re-instated in the UK.  Dr Allen Ault, a former Corrections Commissioner for the US State of Georgia has recently likened administration of the death penalty to the state committing murder.

During an emotional BBC interview last month, Dr Ault explained why he is now an opponent of the Death Penalty.  The interview confirmed to me that my own instincts on the subject of the Death Penalty are correct.  Some supporters of the Death Penalty will speak of the deterrent effect.  Dr Ault explained that from his experiences of having spoken to Prison inmates, that a murderer will rarely think through the consequences of their actions when carrying out a terrible act.

I have always personally been opposed to the death penalty.  The risk of a miscarriage of justice as in the case of Glenn Ford, is too high.  Also as Dr Ault indicates, it effectively lowers the state to the level of an individual who commits a most heinous crime.  Lowering the state to such a low level has always been a very important argument in my own mind.  But another important reason could concern the red herring that is the deterrent effect?

Most American citizens are still in support of the death penalty, believing in it's deterrent effect.  With polling figures suggesting the support for the Death Penalty not to be as strong as in previous eras, MAYBE IT IS NOW TIME FOR SOME AMERICAN POLITICIANS WITH COURAGE TO STAND UP AND INFORM PEOPLE CORRECTLY!