《英语阅读》课程教学资源（PPT课件）02 英语阅读（四）Unit 2 Crime and Punishment

Unit 2Crime and PunishmentPleasereturnuponcheck-out

Unit 2 Crime and Punishment

Interpretation ofthequotationsWhenpeoplecommitcrimes,weshouldpunishorsentencethemto deathwithouthesitationIn order to show that murdering is totally notacceptable,thestatepays executioners to killthose criminalswho areunableto protectthemselves when they are subjected to thedeathpenalty.In otherwords,“in orderto showthat killing is wrong, we kill."This seems verymuchcontradictoryandinsensibleWeareagainstthedeathpenaltynotonlyforwhatitdoestothosepeople whocommittedextremely evil crimes,butforwhatit doesto allof us: it gives us the distorted belief that we canprotectourlives bytakingotherpeople'slives

Interpretation of the quotations • When people commit crimes, we should punish or sentence them to death without hesitation. • In order to show that murdering is totally not acceptable, the state pays executioners to kill those criminals who are unable to protect themselves when they are subjected to the death penalty. In other words, “in order to show that killing is wrong, we kill.” This seems very much contradictory and insensible. • We are against the death penalty not only for what it does to those people who committed extremely evil crimes, but for what it does to all of us: it gives us the distorted belief that we can protect our lives by taking other people’s lives

Capitalpunishment,orthedeathpenalty,is the execution of a personbyjudicialprocessasapunishmentfor an offense. Crimes thatcanresult in a deathpenalty areknownascapitalcrimesorcapitaloffencesThe term capital originates fromLatin capitalis, literally"regardingthe head"(Latin caput).Hence, acapital crimewasoriginallyonepunishedbythe severing of thehead

• Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is the execution of a person by judicial process as a punishment for an offense. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from Latin capitalis, literally "regarding the head" (Latin caput). Hence, a capital crime was originally one punished by the severing of the head

Capitalpunishmenthasinthepastbeenpracticed in virtually every society, althoughcurrentlyonly58nations activelypractice it,with 95 countries abolishing it (the remainderhavingnotuseditfor10yearsorallowingitonlyinexceptionalcircumstancessuchaswartime). It is a matter of active controversyin various countries and states,andpositionscan vary within a single political ideology orcultural region.IntheEuropeanUnionmember states, Article 2 of the Charter ofFundamentalRightsoftheEuropeanUnionprohibits the use of capital punishment

• Capital punishment has in the past been practiced in virtually every society, although currently only 58 nations actively practice it, with 95 countries abolishing it (the remainder having not used it for 10 years or allowing it only in exceptional circumstances such as wartime). It is a matter of active controversy in various countries and states, and positions can vary within a single political ideology or cultural region. In the European Union member states, Article 2 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union prohibits the use of capital punishment

Today, most countries are considered byAmnestyInternational asabolitionist.which allowed a vote on a nonbindingresolutionto the UNto promote theabolition of the deathpenalty.Howeverover60%of theworld'spopulation liveincountries whereexecutionstakeplaceinsofaras thefourmostpopulouscountriesintheworld(the People'sRepublicof China,India,UnitedStatesandIndonesia)applythedeathpenaltyand are unlikely to abolish it in the nearfuture

• Today, most countries are considered by Amnesty International as abolitionist, which allowed a vote on a nonbinding resolution to the UN to promote the abolition of the death penalty. However, over 60% of the world's population live in countries where executions take place insofar as the four most populous countries in the world (the People's Republic of China, India, United States and Indonesia) apply the death penalty and are unlikely to abolish it in the near future

China'scriminal lawto be revisedonce moreAdraftofthecriminallawamendment-whichwillincluderecommendationssuchasreducingthenumberof capitaloffencesandincreasingthelengthofprisonsentences-willreportedlybesubmittedtotheStandingCommitteeoftheNationalPeople'sCongressnextmonth.Thedraftcallsforthreetypesofcrimestobetaken off the list of capital offenses,includingincitingotherstocommitcrimes,economiccrimesandcrimesthatcanbetackledthroughincreasedlegislation, such as abduction and kidnapping.'Convictedcriminalsovertheageof 70or75shouldalso beexemptfromcapital punishment,accordingtothedraft

China's criminal law to be revised once more • A draft of the criminal law amendment - which will include recommendations such as reducing the number of capital offences and increasing the length of prison sentences - will reportedly be submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress next month. • The draft calls for three types of crimes to be taken off the list of capital offenses, including inciting others to commit crimes, economic crimes, and crimes that can be tackled through increased legislation, such as abduction and kidnapping." Convicted criminals over the age of 70 or 75 should also be exempt from capital punishment, according to the draft

Therearecurrently68crimesthatcanleadtocapitalpunishmentinChina,makingthisthecountrywiththe most capital offences intheworldChu Huaizhi, a professor of criminal law at PekingUniversity said,"There is no need to have somany capitaloffences.Firstly,itdoesnoteffectivelyreducethecrimerate.Andsecondly,itgives people aroundthe worlda negative imageof China."Otherscholarsofcriminallawalsorecommendcommutingdeathsentencestoextended timeinjail,and reducingthepossibilityforparole.Andthey suggest making surethatthosefoundguiltyofseriousviolentcrimescouldbesentencedtomorethan20yearsinjail

• There are currently 68 crimes that can lead to capital punishment in China, making this the country with the most capital offences in the world. • Chu Huaizhi, a professor of criminal law at Peking University said, "There is no need to have so many capital offences. Firstly, it does not effectively reduce the crime rate. And secondly, it gives people around the world a negative image of China." • Other scholars of criminal law also recommend commuting death sentences to extended time in jail, and reducing the possibility for parole. And they suggest making sure that those found guilty of serious violent crimes could be sentenced to more than 20 years in jail

MovementstowardshumaneexecutionInearlyNewEngland,publicexecutionswereavery solemnandsorrowfuloccasion,sometimesattended bylarge crowds,who also listened toaGospelmessageandremarksbylocalpreachersand politicians.The Connecticut Courant recordsonesuchpublicexecutiononDecember1,1803saying,"The assembly conducted throughthewholeinaveryorderlyandsolemnmanner,somuchso,astooccasionanobservinggentlemanacquainted with other countries as well as this, tosaythat suchan assembly,so decentand solemn,could not be collected anywhere but in NewEngland."Trends in most of the world have longbeentomovetolesspainful,ormorehumaneexecutions

Movements towards humane execution • In early New England, public executions were a very solemn and sorrowful occasion, sometimes attended by large crowds, who also listened to a Gospel message and remarks by local preachers and politicians. The Connecticut Courant records one such public execution on December 1, 1803, saying, "The assembly conducted through the whole in a very orderly and solemn manner, so much so, as to occasion an observing gentleman acquainted with other countries as well as this, to say that such an assembly, so decent and solemn, could not be collected anywhere but in New England." Trends in most of the world have long been to move to less painful, or more humane, executions

Expressionsthatarelikelytobe usedto reveal one's attitudestowardsthe death penalty. Pros:1.It isnot apleasant punishment, butajustandnecessaryone.2.Ibelievethatthedeathpenaltyisfairand necessary in some cases.。3. The death penalty preserves the dignityofhumanlife.·4.Thedeathpenaltysentencehasbeenarecognized andwidelyacceptedform ofpunishmentfrom time immemorial

Expressions that are likely to be used to reveal one’s attitudes towards the death penalty: • Pros: • 1. It is not a pleasant punishment, but a just and necessary one. • 2. I believe that the death penalty is fair and necessary in some cases. • 3. The death penalty preserves the dignity of human life. • 4. The death penalty sentence has been a recognized and widely accepted form of punishment from time immemorial

Cons:1.Thedeathpenaltyshouldbeabolished. 2. It is an inhuman or degrading form ofpunishment.3.It deniesan executed person's humanity.Thatunigue and irreplaceable humanlife isterminated;never againto exist, at least notinthe present life4.Itstripstheconvictedpersonofall dignityandtreatshimasanobjecttobe eliminated and/orannihilated bythe state under the guise ofmeeting outlawful punishment.5.It is my belief that the death penaltyis archaioandbarbaric

• Cons: • 1. The death penalty should be abolished. • 2. It is an inhuman or degrading form of punishment. • 3. It denies an executed person’s humanity. That unique and irreplaceable human life is terminated; never again to exist, at least not in the present life • 4. It strips the convicted person of all dignity and treats him as an object to be eliminated and / or annihilated by the state under the guise of meeting out lawful punishment. • 5．It is my belief that the death penalty is archaic and barbaric