Before an actual argument in favour of the eradication of the death penalty it is important to define what capital punishment actually i

Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves 'the creation of God', and it remains forever in a special relationship with the creator...[N]o one can in any circumstance, claim for himself the right to destroy directly an innocent human being. (Pope John Paul II, 94)

The use of the death penalty was condemned by Pope John Paul II last year in Missouri in front of one hundred thousand people. He even urged the people to spare even those who commit "great evil". According to the Pope, "modern society has the means of protecting itself without definitely denying criminals the to change to reform."( the star, Jan. 28/99) What he was really doing, however, was "...renew[ing] the appeal [he] made most recently at Christmas (1999) for a consensus to end the death penalty, which is both cruel and unnecessary." (the star, Jan. 28/99) He declared that "the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil." (the star, Jan.28/99) The Church strongly believes that " if bloodless means are sufficient to defend human lives against an aggressor and to protect public order and the safety of persons, public authority must limit each other to such means..." (Catechism, para.2267) Not only is the death penalty cruel and unnecessary, but it is also a grave act of disobedience to the moral law and to God Himself, the creator of the Law. Does the fifth commandment not forbid directly and intentionally killing a human being on the grounds that all life is sacred ? it does, and all those who do advocate the direct and intentional killing of a criminal are sinners in the eyes of the Church. In short, the Pope established the Church's position on the controversial issue of capital punishment in saying that "[He] confirm[s] that the direct and voluntary killing of an innocent human being is always gravely immoral." (Pope John Paul II, 101)

Only in the first case can the principle of double effect be invoked. Capital punishment is similar to the second case. It violates the principle in that through evil means, the execution of a human being, can a good end, the protection of the common good, be obtained. Another example how the principle of double effect works can be shown through a person who has a deadly tumor in his leg which must be removed, but may cause a problem with mobility. The procedure, there for, has two effect the preservation of life which is intended, and the crippling which is not intended. In this case, neither effect causes the other, but both are a result of the operation. One good, mobility, is denied by which another is affirmed, life. The benefit must be proportional to the harm. It would be wrong, however, to give consent to a procedure that cripples in order to attain money because the good end must not be obtained through evil means. The principle of double effect is similar to the argument that stresses the whole is greater than the part. For example, there is a hockey team with great potential, but there is one selfish player that hogs the puck, takes stupid penalty's, and takes long shifts. The selfish player must be dropped from the team in order for the team to progress, even though it means playing with one less player until they get use to it. I is not, however, a mater of obtaining a good end through an evil means, but rather curtailing the same team we intend to help. This makes the death penalty seem just, wrong. Once this criminal is behind bars, he is no longer an immediate threat to the larger part of the community, and therefore, the death penalty serves no purpose.

Catechism of the Catholic Church/ Austin Flannery,. O.P.copyrightc1992, Costello Publishing Company Inc.

although the death penalty may seem to be excellent solution for deterring violent crime and protecting society, it is quite obvious that it is immoral, has no empirical evidence to support the fact that it may be a deterrent. It violates the principle of double effect

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