Capital Punishment Essay

There are several arguments for and against capital punishment, this article will focus against capital punishment and it shouldn't be applied towards mentally ill, handicapped and minors who commit worst crimes in the society. Mental illness is generally known as the condition that is associated with impairment of an individual's emotions, behavioral function and the normal cognitive that is caused by the social, psychological and genetic changes. Capital punishment should be applied to individuals who are mentally ill or handicapped, this is because these individuals medical conditions have been disrupted which leads to changes in their feeling, thinking, social relation and daily functions hence they committed capital crimes against their wish and will. Mental illness is associated with various medical conditions, these include depression, intellectual disability bipolar disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and personality changes disorders.

In cases of mental illness, there is the application of the different legal system. According to the Supreme Court of the United States, minors are considered to have suffered from mental retardation. This, therefore, means that they make impaired decisions as compared to their adult's counterparts. Minors are considered as a special group of offenders hence less culpable in committing capital crimes. Many abolitionist claims that minors are inexperienced, less educative and less intelligence quotient hence they cannot be able to evaluate the consequences of the crimes that they have committed. Many abolitionists also believe that minors could have committed a capital crime because of peer pressure which is associated with younger age and thus they are subjected to irresponsible conduct.