Hanging debate | Socialist Action 1983

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BOB Pennington finished his article on hanging saying 'as socialists we must do everylning in our power to make sure the death penalty never comes back'.

Why then, Bob, did you not do everything in vol ace o cone down against hanging! Your artice wa reminiscent of a piece I read recentiv in the Christian Science Monitor (per chance!).

I'm sick and bloody tired of hearing how horrific and barbaric hanging is — it reminds me or lose stories you hear at Labour Party Young Socialists conferences each year about OPsters Iosing fingers on unguarded machinery.

It's all very mo ving I'm sure. And important. But as socialists we have so much more at our fingertips to analyse the problem.

For example, a little matter such as scientifically collected evidence. Internationally there are almost 50 reports on the effects of -hanging from New Zealand to Canada. Onlv one of these reports purports to have evidence to show that hanging is a deterrent, and this report THE FRAGRANCE