Is it working?

Every time it happens, it ignites debate. Capital punishment that is. It's defined as the penalty of death for a crime and this past Friday that punishment was put into effect. While there are individuals on both sides debating whether it's right or wrong, we need to look at the effectiveness of this punishment, if there is any at all. And what's the point to the sparse number of people who have received the death sentence, considering the huge numbers on death row?

Known as the 'Freeway Killer', William Bonin met his fate by lethal injection last week for the murder of 14 youths who were dumped along several highways in Southern California. After these murders, he lived 14 years before being put to death.

Just the thought of someone dying sends an eerie feeling through my mind, but is that same feeling taking place in the minds of potential murderers and those willing to commit other crimes? Do those on death row feel shaken up at all? It is just not clear as to what message this state and nation are sending as far as capital punishment goes.

If they believe this will be a deterent for some, then they have a problem and things have to change. Something is not working with this punishment system and officials are too blind to see it. California's jails are packed, there is a call for more money to build more jails and this state has only put three people to death since 1977. To top it off, money allocated to prisons and jails exceeds that given for institutions for higher education and educational systems.

Money that could be used for education is wasted on inmates who live years after being on death row and those who just die naturally or sit and rot. And if the great way of America is to kill those that kill, why does this new method of lethal injection seem to make dying easier and more convenient for the convicts? Usually this method greatly differs from how they killed their victims.

There is such a quest to prevent what is considered cruel and unusual punishment, but in the end the results will be the same. You will end up with a dead person.

Bonin was given three different chemicals when being put to death and I can't help but think about the controversial Dr. Kavorkian who would put people to death through his own methods.

Although considered a country to which many want to come, America is in a state of confusion. Anytime you have a fervent effort to rid the country of gangs, criminal activity, and people like Dr. Kavorkian, those top officials calling the shots ultimately become a governmental gang themselves.

Think about it.

[ Golden Gater Online February 29, 1996 ]

[ Top of document ]