|
Activists United is opposed to the death penalty on the grounds that it is a racist, classist political tool that has been recognized internationally as ineffective, inhumane and inconsistent in its application. The U.S., China, Iran and Saudi Arabia account for over 80% of executions worldwide (note the absence of other western countries), and the U.S. is top dog in the execution of child offenders -- a violation of international law -- far exceeding even Iran and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the only other two documented countries who have executed child offenders in the past three years). The U.S. continues to execute the mentally ill, another violation of international humanitarian law. There is no evidence that the death penalty deters crime; in fact, U.S. states and countries without the death penalty have consistently lower murder rates. For the fiscally-minded, the death penalty actually costs several times more to implement than life imprisonment ($2.3 million vs. about $800,000 total in Texas). In 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty was being applied in an "arbitrary and capricious manner" and halted all executions. Since the death penalty's reinstatement four years later (in 1976), the rate at which we are killing has steadily risen; there are now over 3300 men and women on death row in the U.S. The intrinsic fallibility of all criminal justice systems assures that even when full due process of law is respected, innocent persons may be executed. Illinois recognized the fallibility of the death sentence in 1999, having executed 13 while releasing 12 from death row upon finding them innocent -- apply this to the national level and ask yourself, "Who, then, is guaranteed protection from this machinery of death?"
American Society of Criminology -- Even these guys have realized that the death penalty is a croc.
Amnesty International -- Amnesty International opposes all instances of the death penalty. From this page you can research reports issued by AI and be assured that the information you're getting is well-documented and accurate.
Campaign to End the Death Penalty
Citizens United for Alternatives to the Death Penalty -- This site is packed with information on the death penalty's past, present and its preventable future.
Death Penalty News and Updates -- Stay on top of your country's machinery of death!
Derechos Human Rights -- A nice, compact site with loads of informative links.
Moratorim2000 -- A really nicely done and powerful site for the movement spear-headed by Sister Helen Prejean of "Dead Man Walking."
National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty -- This site has a fun ticker to let you know how many deaths your tax dollars have made possible (1) since reinstatment in 1976 and (2) this year!
Ohioans to Stop Executions -- For that local twist... Ohio has nearly 200 people on death row.
Prison Activist Resource Center -- Because "the death penalty is dead wrong!" Also has links to other prison-related issues.
 |