Psychological Aspects of Capital Punishment

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Introduction

Capital punishment is commonly associated with death penalty. Capital punishment is for inmates on death row. The psychological aspect associated with capital punishment is a subject of interest. According to many, the execution of capital punishment and especially to inmates on death row is one horrible event. Some inmates are psychologically tortured by the thought of a death sentence. On the other hand, there are death row inmates who are insensitive to a death sentence.

The transition period between the life in incarceration and the day of execution, provides an insight into the psychological aspects associated with capital punishment. Several studies have tried to understand the transformation experienced by death row inmates while under incarceration. In fact, studies have shown that death row inmates exhibit behavioral patterns similar to those of violent criminals (Pallone & Hennessy, 1992).

However, such is deemed to change when they are sentenced to a death penalty. In this respect, capital punishment has become a contentious issue in the American justice system. Human rights activists perceive capital punishment and especially death penalty as a violation of human rights. On the other hand, psychologists allege that the behavioral patterns and transformation of behavior among death row inmates, can determine the insanity of an inmate.

Thesis Statement

Death row inmates exhibit behavioral patterns similar to those evidenced in violent criminals. Once these inmates are sentenced to a death sentence, the criminals undergo a psychological transformation. Such transformation is a result of new methods used to induce death sentence. These methods are cruel and cause death row syndrome among the death row inmates.

Death row history

History indicates that death penalty records are traceable back to the year 1930 (Bedau, 1998). In the history of American judicial system, laws and statutes have been designed to determine cases of first-degree murder and 18 aggravating circumstances. Once such laws determine that violation of such circumstances has occurred, the aggressor is sentenced to a death penalty.

An example of such circumstances is raping of a child, which constitutes to a death penalty (Death Penalty Information Center, 2013). In other countries like Afghanistan and China, an act of adultery results to a death sentence. The history of the death penalty in the United States and in other countries indicates that capital punishment is commonly used.

According to Gershman (2005), inmates on death row were executed by hanging. However, human rights activists complained that such a sentence was slow, painful and agonizing. By the late 19^th and throughout the 20th century, the use of a firing squad became common. During the 290^th century, inmates on death row were being electrocuted or subjected to a gas chamber. However, these developments have evolved to the use of a lethal injection in the recent years (Gershman, 2005).

Death row is the designated area where inmates sentenced to a death penalty are executed. Death row inmates spend several years before their execution. This is usually done to determine, whether their sentencing was legitimate. For a long time, death row inmates are not accorded rights to education, job and socialization with other inmates. Death row means total seclusion and isolation from other inmate and from the outside world.

Characteristics of violent criminals

According to Kocsis (2009), most of the violent criminals are usually incarcerated for the most heinous acts. Examples of such acts include robbery with violence, rape, murder and assault. Unlike other criminal offenders, violent criminals cannot be categorized as a homogenous group. Basically, violent criminals exhibit characters of depression, aggression and hostility (Kocsis, 2009).

In some instances, violent criminals exhibit psychopathic and tension behaviors. An in-depth analysis on violent criminals would reveal that the individuals suffer from a personality disorder or a suicidal history (Kocsis, 2009). Violent criminals have a tendency to abuse drugs and have employment-related problems. The mental ability of violent criminals is something to focus on, since they normally exhibit cognitive distortion (Kocsis, 2009).

Death row inmates

Death row inmates have the same character as those of violent criminals. Death row inmates are regarded as mentally unstable. According to Cunningham and Vigen (2002), most of the death row inmates have deficiency in both intellect and academics. In this respect, it is pretty easy to conclude that the death row inmates have unemployment related problems. In this case, the inmates could have tried to engage in alternative economic means such as robbery and crime (Cunningham & Vigen, 2002).

An important observation in most of the death row inmates is their mental characteristics. The inmates’ mental ability exhibits psychotic elements. For example, death row inmates have innate or delusional beliefs that show they are mentally retarded. According to research done by Freedman and Hemenway (2000) on a group of death row inmates, it was established that almost a two-thirds of the death row inmates are retarded. Moreover, the study found that death row inmates exhibit elements of borderline intellectual functioning.

As indicated earlier, death row inmates have psychotic problems. Death row inmates awaiting trial or execution have higher rates of schizophrenic symptoms or paranoia. The reasons as to why such psychological behaviors become proficient are not clear. For example, there is an assumption that the reality of facing the execution contributes to these behaviors.

Death row inmates always have a history of abuse, either drug abuse or sexual abuse. In some inmates, signs of sexual abuse at tender age are exhibited. In most cases, this is as a result of dysfunctional families. Some death row inmates grow up in families that tolerate violence and sexual abuse. Lack of better family relationship becomes a critical factor in the growth and development of an individual. Individuals who lack good family relationship develop an anti-social perception toward members of the society.

Inmates’ insanity

According to laws that constitute death row, it is important that criminals be subjected to death sentence once they are criminally insane. In this respect, the justice system recommends that an inmate should only be executed either after agreeing to take medication. Some death row inmates are required to take psychotropic medications to ensure that they minimize their psychotic situations.

A Supreme Court ruling in the year 1986 ruled out that executing insane inmates is inhuman. In this regard, the inmates’ level of competency is determined before execution. This justifies the reason for the delayed death execution. This provides the inmates with a chance to be competent enough to determine their sanity during the crime and the trial period. However, it is important to acknowledge the fact that a delay on execution results to a death row syndrome.

Death row syndrome

The death row syndrome is a phenomenon associated with the psychological torture that a death row inmate suffers before execution (Garrison, 2008). The delayed period before a death execution prompts distress to an inmate.

The inmate becomes remorseful and the psychological aspects behind the cause of the crime become evident. The inmate at times shows signs of delusions and may time exhibit suicidal behaviors. It is alleged that death row syndrome is also caused by the conditions at the death row section. As indicated earlier, there is isolation at death row and inmates rarely socialize.

When inmates socialize, tendencies of physical and sexual abuse are evidenced. Such occurrences may prompt the inmate to become more distressed when living in such conditions. If a convicted murderer is abused physically, then the murderer is triggered to develop murder instincts. The same can happen to a rapist who is sexually abused at the death row confinements. Such an offender can become abusive of others or may defend himself by killing another inmate.

Another tendency observed among inmates with death row syndrome is their tendency in trying to live a normal life. Some death row inmates try to come into terms with their fates by living normal. Some inmates change and transform to well-behaved individuals. Some individuals write books and memoirs about their lives. Some inmates transform and become teachers and counselors in prisons.

Examples of death row inmates

Richard Ramirez is a popular death row inmate, who has become a sensation among death row inmates in the United States. Ramirez who was sentenced to death in the year 1989 is yet to be executed. For some many years, the court proceedings on appeals made by Ramirez are still ongoing.

According to Valdez (2006), it is alleged that Ramirez experienced childhood trauma when he evidenced cold-blood murder. Family and friends allege that Ramirez had a normal childhood until his cousin killed his wife in front of young Ramirez.

It is alleged that Ramirez developed a fascination on death and later became obsessed with sex, burglary and drugs. While in California, Ramirez would perform his rituals on his murder victims before killing them. The psychotic behaviors became evidenced, when Ramirez commanded his victim to give allegiance to Satan by shouting “Hail Satan” (Valdez, 2006).

Indeed, Ramirez was violent and he tortured his victims, especially women. Interestingly, Ramirez had already made a following after he was arrested. He had made friends and followers who believed in his satanic ideologies. As indicated earlier, the death row syndrome also is evidenced in the case of Ramirez. For along time now, Ramirez has deliberated to live a normal life by marrying while in prison.

Although, death row inmates are not permitted to have conjugal rights, Ramirez has been able to marry one Dorren Lioy. Lioy who is a magazine editor is also alleged to have had a child with Ramirez, who now assumes the life of a normal inmate. Ramirez marriage is evidence that some death row inmates try to cope with life after long duration of time without their execution.

Michael Perry is another good example of a death row inmate, who exhibited death row inmate syndrome. Before the execution of the inmate in the year 2010, a documentary was done on the life of the inmate. From the documentary, it was confirmed that Perry’s childhood upbringing was clouded by a dysfunctional family. An exploration on Perry’s behavior suggests that he was mentally unstable and at one point was put under a mental institution.

Perry was subjected to mental scrutiny because he was suspected to have a bipolar disorder. Nonetheless, Perry was tested negative amid his consistency in unusual behavior. In this regard, he was still taken to a school for the troubled teenagers in Mexico. It is in the Mexican school that Perry continued to suffer from abuses and he had to run away back to the United States. From the confessions of the inmate before his execution, he shows psychosis symptoms. These symptoms include unusual beliefs and delusions.

Basically, Perry had been using drugs while in the United States and his psychotic problems may have been prompted by the use of drugs. It is alleged that Perry was forced to take medications. This worsened the psychological condition of the inmate while under incarceration. In his own words, Perry alleged that he was frustrated by the system for putting him under clinical depression (Miller, 1993). Perry’s case is just but an example on how the psychological aspects of the capital punishment can be detrimental to an inmate.

The case of Aileen Wuornos is another exemplary case of a death row inmate. She was tagged the name a serial killer, after she killed several men alleged to be her husbands (Scmid, 2006). Wuornos grew in a dysfunctional family. She was abandoned by her mother, while she was an infant. Moreover, she was raped by her grandfather and her grandfather’s friends. Wuornos sexual abuse continued when she got married and while working as a prostitute.

According to the conclusion of the judges, Wuornos was suffering from borderline personality disorder. Moreover, she also had developed an anti-social personality disorder. The inmate exhibited symptoms of illiteracy, mental retardation and emotional disturbance. This shows her incompetence during crime, trial and her execution. It alleged that she was manipulated to take medications before her execution. During her appeals, she narrated how she was being forced to take medications to commit suicide.

This is an example of how a death row inmate goes under psychological torture, when facing a capital punishment. This was later evidenced when a book author and detectives used Wuornos case to make money. While disguising as friends to Wuornos, they made money and tried to manipulate her to commit suicide. This shows the level of vulnerability that death row inmates go through. Wuornos experienced emotional emptiness brought by loneliness and a sense of helplessness.

Isolation versus general population

Death row inmates undergo psychological distress when under isolation compared to inmates who enjoy a general population environment. Isolation makes death row inmates to become vulnerable to manipulation and they can easily become suicidal.

At the same time, isolation offers a sense of diffuse danger considering the excluded environment. Death row inmates become mentally and physically weak, as they face long-term uncertainties. On the other hand, inmates in a general population face a lot of sexual and physical abuses. However, they also engage in mental and physical development activities like education and counseling programs. The general population inmates are offered conjugal rights.

Conclusion

The psychological aspect of capital punishment remains a painful issue for death row inmates. While capital punishment is still dubbed as cruel and inhumanly, the phenomenon is still remains in most of the states in the United States. The judicial policy to not execute death row inmates until proven beyond reasonable doubts is an important aspect in observation of human rights.

References

Bedau, H., A. (1998). The earth penalty in America: Current controversies. Oxford, OX: Oxford University Press.

Cunningham, M. D., & Vigen, M. P. (2002). Death row inmate characteristics, adjustment, and confinement: A critical review of the literature. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 20 (1-2), 191-210. Web.

Death Penalty Information Center. (2013). Death Penalty for Offenses Other Than Murder. Web.

Freedman D, Hemenway D. (2000). Precursors of lethal violence: a death row sample. Social Science and Medicine, 50(12), 1757–1770. Web.

Garrison, T., M. (2008). Death on the brain: The psychological effects of the death penalty based on the views of those condemned to die. Michigan, MI: ProQuest.

Gershman, G., P. (2005). Death penalty on trial: A handbook with cases, laws and documents. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.

Kocsis, R., N. (2009). Applied criminal psychology: A guide to forensic behavioral sciences. Springfield, IL: Charles C Thomas Publisher.

Miller, K., S. (1993). Executing the mentally ill: The criminal justice system and the case of Alvin Ford. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Pallone, N., J. & Hennessy, J., J. (1992). Criminal behavior: A process psychology analysis: Personal constructs, stimulus determinants, behavioral repertoires. Piscataway, NJ: Transaction Publishers.

Scmid, D. (2006). Natural born celebrities: Serial killers in American culture. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.

Valdez, D., W. (2006). The killing fields: Harvest of women: The truth about Mexico’s bloody boarder legacy. Charles City, VA: Peace.

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