Capital Punishment

Capital punishment is a deterrent to would-be murderers.

I disagree with this statement. Capital punishment is legal in Japan but only for crimes such as murder and treason while some countries prohibit it (Europe, Canada, Australia, Mexico and so on). I personally agree with capital punishment as long asit has been proved that the offenders have committed the crime and they can't be expected to rehabilitate. According to Wikipedia, between 1946 and 1963 Japanese courts sentenced 608 people. In recent years the death penalty has typically been applied only to those who committed several murders or in cases which combined murder with rape or robbery. I totally agree with capital punishment being carried out for these crimes, because it's not difficult to be given parole and released within few years or few decades depending on what crime you commit. Therefore we definitely need capital punishment for serious crimes, but I don't think capital punishment could be a deterrent to would-be murderers. It would be good for offenders who comitt multiple murders but it can't work for would-be murderers. Capital punishment should prevent people from being killed by repeating the crime or for atrocious crimes againt humanity. Japan is noted for high public support for the death penalty. A survey by the government in 1999 found that 79.3 percent of the public supported the death penalty. In 34 polls taken between 1953 and 1999, support for the death penalty has never dropped below 50 percent. One of the reasons why capital punishment is supported so strongly in Japan is that fewer cases are given life sentences, compared to other countries where there are only few cases. If offenders are given a life sentence, they can be given parole before they finish their sentence in most cases. If Japan forbids capital punishment,there are no strict sentences in Japan any more. Even now it is said that there is gap in punishment between the most strict one which is capital punishment and the second most strict one which is life sentence with parole.