Understanding Contemporary Society – The Social and Behavioural Sciences

Question

The mandatory death penalty (MDP) in Singapore is reserved only for the most serious crimes including intentional murder, kidnapping and drug trafficking. As part of Singapore’s broader criminal justice review in 2012, the applicability of the MDP on the possible range of crimes has narrowed, giving the courts more discretion to mete out other punishments than the death penalty. But new changes in 2024 have also curtailed the rights of those on death row to make appeals for their cases. The MDP debate has two main camps – the retentionists and abolitionists. Retentionists argue that the MDP is necessary to deter serious crimes in Singapore, but abolitionists question the effectiveness of the MDP in doing so.

Ministry of Home Affairs Singapore Survey on Singapore resident’s attitudes towards the death penalty 2023. The death penalty: Seeking an honest conversation (2025, September 26) https://www.jom.media/the-death-penalty-seeking-an-honest-conversation/  

(a) From the state’s perspective, identify and explain three key justifications for the retention of the mandatory death penalty in Singapore.

(b) Critically analyse how convincing these justifications are, referencing the available evidence and arguments used; and discuss the limitations of the justifications. Use relevant up-to-date statistics, examples, and evidence from reliable sources to support your responses.

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Three important justification for the retention of the mandatory death penalty in Singapore

The first one is the deterrence of serious crimes because it is believed that mandatory death penalty is a strong deterrent against serious crimes such as drug trafficking and intentional murder. The second major reason is the protection of society, as that penalty helps in removing the individuals who have committed extremely serious crimes. The third important justification is maintaining law and order because Singapore is known as enforcing strict law to maintain public safety and stability.

Analysis of these justifications

With respect to the deterrence argument, there is limited overall evidence available that shows that capital punishment is more effective than long term imprisonment. There are mixed results identified within the studies in criminology which shows that death penalty reduces crime rates. With respect to the protection of society, critics argue that life imprisonment without parole can achieve the same objective without taking a life. Finally, with respect to maintaining law and order, supporters believe that strict penalties can result in reinforcing respect for the legal system and contribute positively towards low crime rates.

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