CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

Capital Punishment on Juveniles and Mentally Handicapped

Abstract

The United States has continued to engage in this practice, in violation of international standards. While it is considered unconstitutional to execute persons declared insane, all those with problems or mental illness are not protected by law. The miscarriage of justice that, over the centuries, contributed to convictions of innocent people, without those who had perpetrated the crimes ascribed to them, here deserves some attention. ). It should be noted, moreover, that recidivism should not be attributed only to the culpability of the offender, but the failure of the prison system, which provides the means not feasible rehabilitation recommended by the law. It is completely illogical to carry the tasks of the state attributes of the Christian life of intimate and personal. The system found in the Bible presents the effectiveness of this protection in a radical way, but destined to bear fruit and create permanent peace and tranquility in a society. The Bible says that man was created in the image and likeness of God, and this is one of the main reasons why his life should be respected.

Table of Contents

Thesis Statement4

Introduction4

The Eighth Amendment5

The Medical Opinion5

A Retrospective Perspective6

Social Perspective towards Mentally Handicapped / Retarded Juveniles8

The Biblical Perspective9

The Biblical System of Pecuniary Punishment11

Contrasting the Civil, Religious & Moral Perspectives12

The Commandments15

Deterrence, Retribution and Incapacitation17

Rehabilitation & Recidivism18

Conclusions19

References21

Annotated Bibliography24

Appendix I28

Appendix II30

Capital punishment on Juveniles and Mentally Handicapped

Thesis Statement

The dispersion of Capital punishment for juveniles is clearly not benefiting the development of American society. It would be more feasible if minors (mentally handicapped minors in particular) are subjected to rehabilitation programs in order to treat so that they may lead lives as productive members of society.

Introduction

The United Nations has adopted the standard in 1984 (Safeguards Guaranteeing The United Nations Protection of the Rights of Those Facing the Death Penalty.) In 1997 they issued a special document for urge the governments that still practiced executions of the mentally ill and minors to meet the standards adopted internationally (Aronson, 2009; Bailey, 2006). In 2000 the Commission on Human Rights of the United Nations has officially confirmed the call. The United States has continued to engage in this practice, in violation of international standards.

On the other hand, according to the U.S. Supreme Court, however, the execution of mentally retarded is not unconstitutional: the judgment was adopted in 1989 with five votes in favor and 4 against, the Court held that there [was] sufficient evidence a national consensus against the death penalty against persons with mental retardation, to conclude that it was categorically prohibited by the Eighth Amendment (Bohm, 2011; Buss, 2009). At the time, only one state prohibited the execution of mentally handicapped / retarded juveniles with mental retardation. In 2001, six states (Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina) have adopted this measure to prevent others from paranoid schizophrenia and they end up in the hands of the Executioner.

The Eighth Amendment

As recent development on the death penalty for the mentally handicapped, remember that June 20, 2002 the Supreme Court of ...