The reason for punishments is to act as a deterrent for those who consider breaking the rules, but what do you do when those who break the rules don't understand the deterrent? Last Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision that it is unconstitutional to execute the mentally retarded, those with IQs under 60 who commit a crime, because it is considered "cruel and unusual punishment." Not only is this the correct decision, but it also puts emphasis of what the death penalty -- or any form of punishment -- should stand for. The reasoning for the death penalty is to keep people from committing the act of murder, just as jail time or monetary fines are used as a deterrents for those who wish to break the law in any other form. Those who are mentally challenged simply do not have the capacity to truly grasp the meaning of these actions, therefore the deterrent is completely meaningless. For those who are unable to understand the consequences of their actions, the death penalty is less of a concern than an angry slap on the wrist from a family member. While there are those who do understand their actions that have below-average IQs, there are those mentally challenged individuals who cannot control their actions in any way, shape or form. How can you execute a 18-year-old, who is handicapped mentally, that kills a 5-year-old neighbor because in his or her mind, he or she was simply "playing" with a friend. While it is unlikely that any jury across in the U.S. would ever convict such an individual, and it is just as unlikely a judge would sentence the individual to death, the actions of the Supreme Court prevent a situation such as this from ever occurring. Now, this is not to say that a mentally challenged individual should not be punished for his or her actions, but it is to say that simply killing a mentally handicapped person just for the fact of making sure the tragedy of losing a life doesn't happen again, is cruel and unusual. The Supreme Court made the correct decision in this matter. Now, the 20 states that currently execute the mentally handicapped are forced to re-examine their death penalty standards, further clarifying the true meaning of the death penalty as a form of punishment in the U.S.
yes - no - abstain
