Capital punishment is the only real deterrent to the most severe criminal offences in the eyes of many people. A rather sensationalist poll in The Sun in 2008 claimed that 99% of the people surveyed wanted to see Britain reinstate the death penalty for murderers. Questions over its morality and recent concerns around the particular lethal drugs involved are common arguments put forward by those who back a society without it. There are very few things that get the public fired up more than the issue of how to punish the most dangerous criminals. Any debate around the issue is guaranteed to bring emotions to the surface, with many citing their desires to see killers and paedophiles dangling from the nearest tall structure and many others raising their deep humanitarian problems with murder begetting murder. The likelihood of the UK reinstating capital punishment is absolutely tiny, but that isn't going to make the debate go away. Whenever current events bring the issue into the spotlight, the discussion will fire up again.
Freelance film journalist and fan of professional wrestling. Usually found in a darkened screening room looking for an aisle seat and telling people to put away their mobile phones. Also known to do a bit of stand-up comedy, so I'm used to the occasional heckle.
