The Death Penalty: Law, Ethics and Debate

Module 1 — History and Development of Capital Punishment

Students study history and development of capital punishment as part of this foundation course. This module develops understanding through explanation, examples, Treaty connections and practical learning.

Module 2 — Arguments Supporting Capital Punishment

Students study arguments supporting capital punishment as part of this foundation course. This module develops understanding through explanation, examples, Treaty connections and practical learning.

Module 3 — Arguments Against Capital Punishment

Students study arguments against capital punishment as part of this foundation course. This module develops understanding through explanation, examples, Treaty connections and practical learning.

Module 4 — Human Rights and International Standards

Students study human rights and international standards as part of this foundation course. This module develops understanding through explanation, examples, Treaty connections and practical learning.

Module 5 — Wrongful Convictions and Judicial Risk

Students study wrongful convictions and judicial risk as part of this foundation course. This module develops understanding through explanation, examples, Treaty connections and practical learning.

Module 6 — Balanced Assessment and Final Debate

Students study balanced assessment and final debate as part of this foundation course. This module develops understanding through explanation, examples, Treaty connections and practical learning.

Knowledge Test

1. What is the purpose of presenting arguments both for and against capital punishment?

To prevent students from understanding the issue To develop balanced legal and ethical analysis To promote one political party To avoid evidence

2. Why are wrongful convictions particularly important in death-penalty discussions?

Execution is irreversible They are irrelevant They only affect civil cases They eliminate the need for appeals

3. Should an empirical claim about deterrence be treated as proven merely because someone asserts it?

Yes No, it should be assessed against credible evidence Only if repeated Only in court

4. Can legal analysis and ethical analysis be the same thing?

Always No, they can overlap but answer different questions Only in criminal cases Only for judges

5. What skill is this course intended to develop?

Fair analysis of competing legal, ethical and empirical arguments Political campaigning Avoiding difficult questions Automatic sentencing