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CASE AGAINST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

NCJ Number
63716
Journal
NEW OUTLOOK Volume: 17 Dated: (OCTOBER 1974) Pages: 50-55
Author(s)
L SHELEFF
Date Published
1974
Length
6 pages
Annotation
ARGUMENTS FOR CAPITAL PUNISHMENT ARE RECOUNTED (AND REFUTED FOR MORAL AND PRAGMATIC REASONS) AS AN OPTION FOR ISRAEL IN DEALING WITH TERRORISTS.
Abstract
THE DEATH PENALTY IS CALLED INSTRINSICALLY IMMORAL, NOT CONSONANT WITH ISRAEL'S TRADITION WHICH ABOLISHED THE PENALTY FOR RAPE, MURDER, AND ARMED ROBBERY, AND NOT CHARACTERISTIC OF THE MERCY AND JUSTICE OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE AGES. THE 1974 ACTS OF TERRORISM AGAINST ISRAEL IN KIRYAT SHEMONA AND MA'ALOT FOR EXAMPLE, HAS CAUSED SOME REEVALUATION OF THE QUESTION, AND SOME ISRAELIS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT REIMPOSITION OF THE DEATH PENALTY BE DEPENDENT ON SOME FUTURE TERRORIST ACT. THE SENTENCED TERRORIST COULD THEN BE USED AS HOSTAGE AGAINST THE HOSTAGES HELD BY THE TERRORIST. THE AUTHOR, A TEACHER OF CRIMINOLOGY AT TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY, WRITES THAT THIS ARGUMENT REFLECTS AN EROSION OF MORAL VALUES AND REFUTES OTHER ARGUMENTS FAVORING CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. THE DEATH PENALTY SEEMS LESS EFFECTIVE AS A DETERRENT THAN THE EFFICIENCY OF GOOD SECURITY MEASURES, IS POTENTIALLY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE, AND COULD LEAD TO HARSHER ACTS OF TERROR DIRECTLY RELATED TO ATTEMPTS TO RELEASE A CONDEMNED TERRORIST OR AS AN ACT OF REVENGE. IN ADDITION, IT IS POSSIBLY UNENFORCEABLE, OWING TO THE DIFFICULTY OF ESTABLISHING CRITERIA FOR ITS ENFORCEMENT AND TO THE POLITICAL PRESSURES TO WHICH ISRAEL WOULD BE SUBJECTED. FINALLY IT IS OF DUBIOUS VALUE AS A MEANS OF ISRAELI REVENGE. (RFC)

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