Januarius N. K. Akpabli
As at 2020, the Global Prison Trends recorded over 11 million people held in prison worldwide. The reports states that from the year 2000 to 2014, there has been 84% increase in the number of life sentence. The numbers in the US records is about 206,268 serving life with parole out of the 1.4 million prison population in the US.
All over the world, many youthful lives are lost and families are disorganised or destroyed by this penalty of life sentence which is to serve as a deterent to others. It is said to be a better option to death sentence. A research by Injustice Watch, looked at three forms of life sentences served by people at the state and federal prisons across the U.S.: life with parole, life without parole, and de facto life sentences (sentences of 50 years or more). Concerned people are asking so many questions which has become an ongoing debate all over the world between human right lawyers and States.
Dirk Van Zyl Smit, a legal expert, said that legally life imprisonment gives the state the power to keep incarcerated for the rest of their lives those persons on whom the sentences has been imposed. For the state it is a way of keeping the society free from very dangerous and criminal people and also it is a way to reform the sentenced.
Some critics of life sentence are of the view that are inappropriate, they do not serve as effective deterrents and do not meaningfully enhance community safety. Some proponents of life imprisonment like Mirk Bagaric (Swinburne Law School, Melbourne), say whiles they agree partially with critics, he is still of the view that in the case of first-degree murder, life sentence will not deter other offenders but will impose suffering on the offender. He added that life terms for these offenses are the only legal response that is proportionate to the devastation inflicted on the victim. He continued, only a permanent loss of liberty is commensurate with the harm caused by fisrt-degree murder can uphold the importance of human life and preserve the intergrity of the criminal justice system.
For the respect and dignity of human life and the right to life, opponents of life sentence state that since the purpose of imprisonment is or reformation and rehabilitation, 25 years in prison is enough for a person to be reformed and rehabilitated and be resocialized into the community. They argue that such lives must not be allowed to be wasted in prison. Such lives are as precious as the one that was lost. Losing two lives will be a lost to their families, communities, nations and the world at large. They believe that when people are given a second chance they can become better people and be of benefit to their families and the nation.
The Washington Post, on 19th February 2024, reported the latest sentence of Mr. Ream who has been sentenced for life for the murder of Dorian Hurd, a basketball star, in 2021. Whereas this is legal in many countries in the world, it must be noted that in South and Central America life sentenced have been abolished. The maximun sentenced ranges from 25 to 75 years depending on the country one is in.
People must be punished when they go against the laws of the state but their punishment must be in proportion to their crimes. Certainly, the world by and large is moving away from death sentence. Religious experts are of the view that this is just prolonging the death of a prisoner causing them to deteriorate morally. This is because they know they have no chance of coming out. These religious experts believe that if these offenders are offered the chance to come out of prison one day, they will put in some effort in their rehabilitation and This remains a delicate issue for the United Nation human right advocates to consider.
Acta Diurna 