Ethics survey

Terrorism & capital punishment

In August 2003 we conducted an informal online ethics survey on the issue of Terrorism & capital punishment. The results of this survey are outlined below.

Read an article about Terrorism & Capital Punishment and this survey written by Simon Longstaff of St James Ethics Centre.

Simon was also interviewed for an ABC Radio (Australia) documentary on the issue of 'Capital Punishment - a brief history'.

Many survey respondents made comments about this important ethical issue.

We hope the survey will generate discussion and thinking about this issue, which you can discuss on our ethics forum.

About the survey

The conviction of the Indonesian citizen, Amrozi, and his sentence of death by firing squad have galvanised debate in Australia about the appropriateness of capital punishment. The Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, has encouraged a broad public debate about the issue - especially in relation to the question of whether or not the death penalty should be imposed as a possible penalty for those convicted of acts of terrorism in Australia.

St James Ethics Centre sought the views of its members and the public on this important ethical issue and recently conducted an informal online survey, the results of which are below.

Survey results

1. The convicted terrorist, Amrozi, ought to be executed.

2. Australia's political leaders should express clear support for Australia's official policy opposing the application of the death penalty

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3. Australia should reverse its opposition to the death penalty and impose it on those convicted of lethal acts of terrorism in Australia.

4. Australian governments should never express opposition to decisions lawfully made in other countries and where Australian citizens are not directly affected.

5. The state has the right to decide that some crimes are sufficiently heinous to justify the imposition of the death penalty.