Sharam Kohan PhD

The death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights, and that’s why it should be opposed in all cases and work to abolish it.

Many human rights organizations are making tremendous progress – today, 20 states in the U.S. and two-thirds of the countries in the world have abolished the death penalty.

A recent Gallup poll found that Americans are still largely supportive of the death penalty, with 6 in 10 in favor as punishment for murder. Legal in 30 states, it has come under renewed scrutiny in light of several botched executions in 2018-19. At the heart of the debate are many complicated questions. Within a flawed criminal justice system, is it possible to know every person’s guilt with a sufficient degree of certainty? Does the fear of death reduce crime? Are there race and class biases in sentencing? Are some crimes so heinous in nature that punishment by death is the only appropriate measure, or is capital punishment always immoral? Should we abolish the death penalty?