今回の Topic は、英検１級２０１６年第３回の問題です。

１. Topic     

     Should the death penalty be banned in Japan? 

２. Structure

a) Thesis Statement

   In my opinion, Japan should ban death penalty so that we could avoid serious human error and respect basic human rights.

b) Body の部分を構成する３つの Paragraph の Main Idea は、

第１ Paragraph　人為的なミスによって無実の人間の生命を奪う可能性のある死刑を存続させてはならない

第２ Paragraph　死刑は”生きる権利”を既定している国際法（国際人権規約）の精神に反する

第３ Paragraph　社会を重大犯罪から保護するという点についても、死刑と無期懲役で大差ないことを考慮すると、非人道的な死刑は廃止すべきである

３. Sample

　 In my opinion, Japan should ban death penalty so that we could avoid serious human error and respect basic human rights.  

     To begin with, Japan must abolish death penalty since we must not kill innocent people by serious human errors.  As we know from our past experiences that we cannot be too careful in judging the accused guilty.  As human beings, all of us could make mistakes during criminal investigations or at court.  If innocent people were to be misjudged, our legal system would kill those who didn’t commit crimes.  However, if the accused were to serve a lifetime imprisonment, he or she could have chances to restore their honors. 

 

     In addition, Japan ought to do away with death penalty because it is incompatible with the right to life prescribed in Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenants on Human Rights.  Given that everyone has right to life, we cannot execute death penalty even if he or she committed the most serious crimes such as homicide.  If we are to respect basic human rights, value of human life has to be given the highest priority. 

 

     Finally, Japan should repeal death penalty in that there is not enough evidence that capital punishment actually decreases crime rate.  Any criminal who thought he would be caught would find the prospect of being in prison for the remainder of his or her life intolerable.  Therefore, in terms of deterrence of crime, capital punishment is not much more effective than lifetime imprisonment.  Considering the inhumane nature of death penalty, it is not necessary for social protection from serious crimes.    

 

     In conclusion, Japan should ban death penalty because of the three reasons I mentioned above.   

 

To be continued.