Hidden Victims Essay
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Introduction
The Hidden Victims is a book which frankly talks about the victims of death penalties. The writer of this book makes us reflect on the feelings and emotions of those who face their loved ones that get this penalty. The writer was quick to point out that the families of those who are sentenced to death face the largest sorrow. The writer wanted to bring the aspect that death penalty is not the only solution to ending crime. Death penalty has increasingly been used as a form of ending crime mostly in the US. Sharp wanted to clarify that there are other ways which could be used to stop the sorrow that the relatives of the criminals face. Death penalty is not the only solution to curbing crime. The media is one of the institutions that have made many people believe in death penalties. This is attributed to the fact that they stream every personal detail involving the criminal to the public, making the public believe that death penalty is the only solution.
The writer of the book gives the insight that death penalty is not the solution to terminating crime. The writer brings out the pain that those who are related to the criminal face after an incidence of death penalty. The writer clarifies that those left face the largest conflict as they have to fight their sorrow of losing their loved one. The writer aspires to make everyone believe that criminals are people who were raised like other people, and that they should not be subjected to death penalty as it is commonly done. The writer wanted to make sure that those left are saved from the anguish of sorrow. This is one very interesting book which should help ease our minds in the way we view criminals and the judgment they face.
As I perused the pages of this book, I became interested in knowing more about the judicial system of the US. Many of the biggest criminals face death penalties. This idea shows that Americans are obsessed with murder. This is what professor Sharp states in this book. I came along various cases of those who explain what and how it is after a death penalty is granted to their loved one. One example of the case I encountered is the case of Jeffrey Dahmer. His crimes and what he had confessed was enough proof that he was a criminal. The media coverage made this case reach a point that everything that Jeffrey did was a public concern. The media portrayed all that he had committed and this made the public make a fuss about it. This shows that the media did not care about what those related to the criminal felt and that it wanted the public to push for a death penalty as the answer to the problem.
Governor George Ryan is one of the people in this book who constantly object to capital punishment. George is among those who views capital punishment as not lawful or right. Hugh Adam Bedau is another person who strictly refutes capital punishment. Hugh observes that capital punishment has led to unfairness and that many of those who face these are not whites. This clearly states that Hugh identified discrimination cropped up as a reason for capital punishment discrimination. These two people clearly show that they had a vision that capital punishment was not the solution to treating crime. These people saw that it was not fair to treat people by use of capital punishment as it resulted in nothing, but sorrows to those left.
As identified, these people acted on their own behalf and had constantly studied those who faced these punishments. They clearly show that they wanted to show the others that capital punishment did nothing, but just increased sorrows. George clearly states that capital punishment is not the solution to ending crime. He states that this is based on the law which people make and it is also not fair. These two people had one common vision – they wanted to see discrimination, and unfairness end, and that justice would be fair. The two also wanted the public to disregard the fact that capital punishment was the solution to ending crime. They wanted to show the world that capital punishment only brought about discrimination, and unfairness.
As you peruse through the pages of this book, you come to identify that some of the death penalties were imposed on innocent people. The writer wanted to know what really would be done to the families of those whose loved one was given a death penalty and was later identified to be innocent. Some of these murders as explained by professor Sharp were conducted unfairly, particularly to those who were not whites. The writer emphasizes that proper investigation should be undertaken and that death penalties should be abolished. As indicated, the system does not even care about those who are wrongfully convicted. This, she explains, should be rectified as many innocent people are killed every year. She also suggests that the American people should be clarified that death penalty will not terminate crime.
This clearly shows that innocent people will still receive death penalties even when they have committed no crime. This indicates that whether one is innocent, there is still a chance that they can face justice for crimes they have not done. This indicates how insecure people are from justice. Perfection of the judicial system should be enhanced to ensure that innocent people are not murdered in the search for justice. This indicates that the system that should protect us is the same system that convicts us. The system should be eliminated from discrimination and unfairness to ensure that innocent people do not suffer for mistakes they have not committed.
Families of those convicted to death penalty face a lot of emotions and feelings. This has made them suffer the consequences of those who are related to them. This sorrow that they face is very stressing and they have to live with it until they die. Children are affected most as they have to grow up with the feeling that they are related to a criminal. The families of those convicted have to bear the thought of misery among the others as a result of the criminal. Based on the fact that some of the people convicted are innocent, it is better for the people to effectively identify the innocence of the criminal. The family tries as much as they can to stay away from the person convicted to ensure that they do not face a lot of sorrows and humiliation from the people. This is illustrated in the book by two ladies whose father was convicted to death penalty. The two lived private lives and no one knew what they did. This states that the best idea is for the family to retreat and stay away from the people and also from the criminal. This saves them the frustration and sorrows they have to meet daily.
Families of the victims who face death penalties should be allowed to participate in the jury. This is also the case with those who oppose the death penalties. These people represent the fact that they understand what the families and relatives of those convicted go through. Their opposition in the jury indicates that the jury is biased. They should be allowed to share their views as they represent the families and the people who oppose death penalties. This indicates that the jury does what the people expect and does not care about those who are related to the victim. This shows that the jury has never understood the implications of death penalties to those who are related to the victim. The jury should understand that there are better ways which can be used to curb crime and that death penalties are never a realistic way to do so and should be abolished. The people who oppose death penalties should be allowed to speak for the victim and also their families. The jury should understand that the family and relatives of the victim face the greatest challenge in coping up with sorrows after death penalties.
Based on the findings that professor Sharp illustrated, I find it convenient for the government to understand that death penalties should be abolished. The media should be regulated in the information that it displays to the public. This implies that the media should not concentrate much on the personal life of any criminal convicted of any crime. The media should give a brief representation of the victim to avoid chaos among the people. The media should also ensure that it educates the public on the dangers of death penalties to the nation and also to the families of the victims. Each criminal should also be credited in terms of innocence to ensure that persecution of innocent people is stopped. The jury should ensure that it abolishes discrimination and unfairness to enhance that it serves justice in the fair way.
Conclusion
Each person should ensure that they read this book. This will help educate the people on the implications of death penalties. Capital punishments should be eluded from the constitution as there are means of ending and controlling crime without the use of death penalties. Each person should understand the implications that those related to the victim face. The media should be used to end the illusion that death penalty is the only way to end crime. The media should also be advised to reduce the coverage of criminal life and their persecution.
References
Sharp, S. F. (2005). Hidden victims: The effects of the death penalty on families of the accused. New Brunswick, N.J: Rutgers University Press.
