‘Jail is the best option for murderers. International jurisdictions should follow Australia’s example and abolish capital punishment for this crime.’

"Capital punishment or the death penalty is a legal process whereby a person is put to death by the state as a punishment for a crime". (Wikipedia) The enforcement of capital punishment is execution. In 2013 there were 1,925 death sentences across 57 countries. The 5 biggest executions rates across the world come from China, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the USA. The death penalty was abolished by all states in Australia, in 1984, with the last execution occurring in 1967 in Victoria. Australia believed that there were more sufficient ways to deal with crime, however countries around the world still believe that the death penalty is the most efficient way to combat crime and most commonly, murder.

In the United States the rates of executions has declined quite dramatically. In 1999 the United States experienced a high of executions at 98, in 2012 it had dropped down to 43. Although executions are not occurring at the rate of which they used to, they are still occurring. 32 states still carry out the death penalty in the United States, 18 have abolished it. Contrary to the views of the states of America, in a survey regarding individuals preferred form of punishment for murder, 39% they would prefer their system to have life in prison without parole, 33% said they would prefer the death penalty, showing us that the majority of American’s would prefer not to have the death penalty.

Sentencing one to death is an expensive task. Depending of which state you look at, death penalty trials cost up to 3 times the amount of a non death penalty case. The greatest cost of sentencing one to the death penalty come for the trial it self. More investigations and trials go on in death penalty cases therefore costing more than other measures of punishment would. The California commission on the fair administration of justice estimated that present system costs up to 137 million dollars a year but if California were to implement a penalty of lifetime in prison instead of the death penalty it would only cost them 11.5 million dollars per year.

Australia last used capital punishment in 1967. QLD was the first state to abolish the death penalty in 1922 and NSW was the last in 1985. (NSW had in 1955 abolished the death penalty for murder but it wasn’t until 1985 that they abolished it for treason and piracy.) The federal government abolished the death penalty for federal offences. Before being abolished, capital punishment was used for burglary, sheep stealing, forgery, sexual assaults, murder and manslaughter. Controversially even though Australia has abolished the death penalty, they still agree with the death penalty on an international level.

Instead of the death penalty, Australia sentences individuals life in prison. In 2011-2012 it was estimated that to house a prisoner in Victoria a day it would cost $267.56.

In 2012 the death sentence rate was 1,722 in 58 countries. In 2013 that number rose to 1,925 and dropped in 57 countries. We see that the rate of death sentences continuously rises and falls but there is a definite decrease in the countries that are carrying out the death penalty. Between 1994 and 2013 it has dropped from 37 countries to 22. To this day 98 countries have abolished the death penalty.

The death sentence rates in America are falling. There were 39 executions in 2013, which was a 10% decrease from 2012. Texes accounted for 41% of those executions.

The death sentence has by many, been recognised as an inhuman action and a violation of human rights. In the universal declaration of human rights it says that “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person” and capital punishment goes against that statement. International jurisdictions should follow Australia's example and abolish capital punishment. Capital punishment "violates the right to life" (Amnesty). The death penalty is an expensive and not necessary measure. There are more sufficient and just ways of punishing one for their wrongs.