More U.S. States Should Follow Illinois’ Example

Published in Svenska Dagbladet
(Sweden) on 11 March 2011
by Sanna Rayman (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Grace Olaison. Edited by Gheanna Emelia.
Almost all countries that include the death penalty in their range of punishment are in Africa or Asia. Regardless of where in the world a country with capital punishment may be, it belongs in a global minority. The norm, thankfully, is to not exercise the right to execute one’s citizens. Ever.

Thus, the U.S. is unusual in more than one way. Here, the death penalty is found in the one of the world’s largest democracies. It’s nothing short of a disgrace. That is why the news that Illinois has abolished capital punishment is extremely welcome. Governor Pat Quinn took the opportunity to change the penalty for the 15 death row prisoners to life imprisonment.

An important catalyst for the change in legislation was the debate that started in 1999 when a group of students was able to prove that an innocent man was condemned to death — right here in Illinois, which ultimately proved that the death penalty holds dire risks. For most, the risks seem fairly obvious, but it is nevertheless excellent news that the students succeeded in getting more people to understand this. More states should follow Illinois’ example.


Nästan alla länder som begagnar sig av dödsstraff i straffskalan ligger i Afrika eller Asien. Oavsett var i världen en stat som har dödsstraff ligger så tillhör det en global minoritet. Det vanligaste är, tack och lov, att inte ta sig rätten att avrätta medborgare. Alls.

USA är således ovanligt på fler än ett sätt. Här finns dödsstraffet i en av världens största demokratier. Det är inget annat än en skamfläck. Därför är nyheten att delstaten Illinois har avskaffat dödsstraffet oerhört välkommen. Guvernör Pat Quinn passade samtidigt på att ändra straffet för 15 dödsdömda fångar till livstid.

En viktig katalysator för lagändringen är den debatt som startades när en grupp studenter 1999 lyckades bevisa att en oskyldig man dömts till döden, just i Illinois, vilket i förlängningen bevisade att dödsstraffet rymmer gräsliga risker. För de flesta ter sig den risken ganska självklar, men det är likväl en strålande nyhet att studenternas lyckades få fler att begripa detta. Fler borde göra som Illinois.

This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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