V. Points for discussion.

1. Why is the author sarcastic about people?s attitude to criminals these days? 2. Is society to blame for the appearance of social misfits? 3. Why does the author believe that the suspension of capital punishment is absolutely senseless? 4. What examples does the author cite to prove his viewpoint that criminals today are given VIP treatment? Are only the masses to blame for the upsurge of crime and people?s positive attitude to criminals? 5. Is capital punishment a good deterrent? 6. What does the author mean when he says that ?the hardened criminal is cuddled and cosseted by the sociologists on the one hand and adored as a hero by the masses on the other?? 7. What mood does the final paragraph set? 8. Do you share the author?s stand on the matter? Give reasons.

VI. Speak about your stand on capital punishment as ?the only way to deter criminals?. To back up either of your viewpoints use the key statements.

The argument: key words

1. Criminals should carry cards: Fragile: Handle With Care.

2. We mustn?t refer to them as thugs, but as ?social misfits?.

3. Killer who murders old lady for savings needs ?hospital treatment?.

4. ?Society is to blame? argument ? why aren?t we all criminals?

5. We have done away with absurdly harsh laws: that?s enough.

6. Suspension of capital punishment: senseless.

7. Violent criminal: a hero figure.

8. Glorified on screen and by press.

9. Great demand for crime stories.

10. Train robbers: a glorious resistance movement?

11. Cuddled by sociologists, adored by masses, the criminal is a privileged person.

12. He expects and receives VIP treatment.

13. Capital punishment was once a major deterrent: the robber, the poisoner.

14. It protected unarmed policemen, young children.

15. Now the criminal can get away with murder.

16. ?Life sentence?: ten years ?good conduct? and then freedom to live on the proceeds of crime.

17. People hold liberal views at the expense of others.

18. Were victims consulted before suspension of capital punishment? No: they were dead.

Counter-argument: key words

1. We shouldn?t be blinded by emotional arguments: glorification of criminal on screen, etc., irrelevant.

2. What are the facts? E.g. in Britain capital crime has not increased since suspension of capital punishment.

3. This has been proved many times in the past: relaxation of harsh laws has never led to increase in crime.

4. Therefore the ?deterrent? argument is absurd: capital punishment never protected anyone.

5. Those in favour of capital punishment are motivated only by desire for revenge and retaliation.

6. There has been a marked trend in society towards the humane treatment of less fortunate members.

7. E.g. compare the treatment of the insane in the past with today.

8. This same attitude characterises our approach to crime.

9. Hanging, electric chairs, garroting, etc., are barbaric practices, unworthy of human beings.

10. Suspension of capital punishment is enlightened and civilised.

11. Capital punishment creates, it does not solve problems.

12. Solution lies elsewhere: society is to blame.

13. Overcrowding, slums, poverty, broken homes: these are the factors that lead to crime.

14. Crime can only be drastically reduced by the elimination of social injustices ? not by creating so-called ?deterrents? when the real problems remain unsolved.

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Date: 2016-06-12; view: 214