Christmas Op-ed by Howard Zehr
CHRISTMAS LESSON: DEATH PENALTY FUELS CRIME
I am with a group of men in prison. We are in a seminar I have beenleading for some weeks. Most are many years into serving life sentences.One young man, however, expects to be released soon.We get to talking about justice. “When we were outside,” the older mensay, “if someone dis’ed (wronged) us, we had to fight but we didn’t haveto win. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be a man.”“You’re out of touch,” says the younger man. “If someone dis’s me, I haveto waste them – I have to kill them.” His classmates – all of whom havebeen convicted of taking a life – are appalled.My argument is this: the death penalty fuels the very phenomenon it claimsto suppress. Taking a life – whether on the streets or in the courtroom –is driven by the same motive: to do justice. Both are part of the samecycle of violence.At this Christmas season, it bears considering that this cycle of violenceis what Jesus was trying to break when he preached against vengeance, evenwhen someone is clearly wronged, as Jesus was when put to death. This isnot just mushy idealism or preachy Christianity. Actually the lesson Jesustaught is supported by current experience.In Canada, homicides actually decreased when the death penalty waseliminated. Homicides sometimes rise after executions and homicide ratesare often higher in locales that use the death penalty. Why?Perhaps it is linked to an observation made by James Gilligan, auniversity-based psychiatrist who treated and studied Massachusettsprisoners for more than 10 years: “All violence is an effort to dojustice, or to undo injustice.” In my experience, Gilligan’s observationrings true – whether it is ordinary street crime or terrorism. Violencereflects a tit-for-tat worldview: it is people giving to other people whatthey “deserve.”No credible evidence exists that the death penalty deters would-be killersor causes the murder rate to go down. Gilligan offers a possibleexplanation for why the contrary seems to be true. Rather than undermine atit-for-tat worldview – as Jesus tried to do – it confirms it. Rather thanslowing the cycle, it feeds it.Giving people what they deserve – death for death – thus does not makerational or empirical sense. But it does make emotional and intuitivesense. In working with victims of crimes over many years, I have come tosome understanding of why they wish the one who killed their loved one tosuffer. Unlike Jesus who said, “Father, forgive them, for they know notwhat they do,” I too feel the urge for vengeance sometimes. But I try toresist the urge to act on this feeling, as I believe our society shouldsimilarly resist it.I don’t discount the need for victims to “balance the score.” In fact, Ithink it reflects the human need for making things even. When you receivea gift, don’t you feel an obligation to return the favor in most cases?Ironically, the urge to exchange Christmas gifts and the urge to revengemay come from the same instinct: a need for reciprocity or balance. Yetthere are other, more life-giving, ways to achieve this sense ofreciprocity and justice.Victims and society at large need validation and vindication after murderor other violent crimes. The death penalty, however, is not the way toaccomplish this. In fact, it apparently leads to more murders. What ifJesus had taught the opposite – if he had told his followers to exact an“eye for an eye” for every wrongdoing committed against them? If so, Idoubt many of us Christians would be around to celebrate his birth at this season.##
Howard Zehr studied the history of crime for his PhD. He has written oredited numerous books and other publications on “restorative justice,”including the top-selling book in the field, The Little Book ofRestorative Justice (Good Books, 2nd edition, 2005). His bookTranscending: Reflections of Crime Victims (Good Books, 2001) explores theperspectives and needs of crime victims. He is co-director of the Centerfor Justice and Peacbuilding at Eastern Mennonite University inHarrisonburg, Virginia.# # # #CONTACT INFO:Howard's e-mail is zehrh@emu.edu and his office phone no is (540)432-4492. He responds to messages promptly.His professional bio and photo is at http://www.emu.edu/ctp/ctp-all.html.(He graduated from Morehouse College, the first white person to do so.)
I am with a group of men in prison. We are in a seminar I have beenleading for some weeks. Most are many years into serving life sentences.One young man, however, expects to be released soon.We get to talking about justice. “When we were outside,” the older mensay, “if someone dis’ed (wronged) us, we had to fight but we didn’t haveto win. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be a man.”“You’re out of touch,” says the younger man. “If someone dis’s me, I haveto waste them – I have to kill them.” His classmates – all of whom havebeen convicted of taking a life – are appalled.My argument is this: the death penalty fuels the very phenomenon it claimsto suppress. Taking a life – whether on the streets or in the courtroom –is driven by the same motive: to do justice. Both are part of the samecycle of violence.At this Christmas season, it bears considering that this cycle of violenceis what Jesus was trying to break when he preached against vengeance, evenwhen someone is clearly wronged, as Jesus was when put to death. This isnot just mushy idealism or preachy Christianity. Actually the lesson Jesustaught is supported by current experience.In Canada, homicides actually decreased when the death penalty waseliminated. Homicides sometimes rise after executions and homicide ratesare often higher in locales that use the death penalty. Why?Perhaps it is linked to an observation made by James Gilligan, auniversity-based psychiatrist who treated and studied Massachusettsprisoners for more than 10 years: “All violence is an effort to dojustice, or to undo injustice.” In my experience, Gilligan’s observationrings true – whether it is ordinary street crime or terrorism. Violencereflects a tit-for-tat worldview: it is people giving to other people whatthey “deserve.”No credible evidence exists that the death penalty deters would-be killersor causes the murder rate to go down. Gilligan offers a possibleexplanation for why the contrary seems to be true. Rather than undermine atit-for-tat worldview – as Jesus tried to do – it confirms it. Rather thanslowing the cycle, it feeds it.Giving people what they deserve – death for death – thus does not makerational or empirical sense. But it does make emotional and intuitivesense. In working with victims of crimes over many years, I have come tosome understanding of why they wish the one who killed their loved one tosuffer. Unlike Jesus who said, “Father, forgive them, for they know notwhat they do,” I too feel the urge for vengeance sometimes. But I try toresist the urge to act on this feeling, as I believe our society shouldsimilarly resist it.I don’t discount the need for victims to “balance the score.” In fact, Ithink it reflects the human need for making things even. When you receivea gift, don’t you feel an obligation to return the favor in most cases?Ironically, the urge to exchange Christmas gifts and the urge to revengemay come from the same instinct: a need for reciprocity or balance. Yetthere are other, more life-giving, ways to achieve this sense ofreciprocity and justice.Victims and society at large need validation and vindication after murderor other violent crimes. The death penalty, however, is not the way toaccomplish this. In fact, it apparently leads to more murders. What ifJesus had taught the opposite – if he had told his followers to exact an“eye for an eye” for every wrongdoing committed against them? If so, Idoubt many of us Christians would be around to celebrate his birth at this season.##
Howard Zehr studied the history of crime for his PhD. He has written oredited numerous books and other publications on “restorative justice,”including the top-selling book in the field, The Little Book ofRestorative Justice (Good Books, 2nd edition, 2005). His bookTranscending: Reflections of Crime Victims (Good Books, 2001) explores theperspectives and needs of crime victims. He is co-director of the Centerfor Justice and Peacbuilding at Eastern Mennonite University inHarrisonburg, Virginia.# # # #CONTACT INFO:Howard's e-mail is zehrh@emu.edu and his office phone no is (540)432-4492. He responds to messages promptly.His professional bio and photo is at http://www.emu.edu/ctp/ctp-all.html.(He graduated from Morehouse College, the first white person to do so.)
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