Lately, capital punishment has caught my attention because it is now a heated debate in Taiwan. After nearly five years of not executing anyone, the Ministry of Justice suddenly carried out the execution of four inmates that were sentenced to death, which shocked the entire country. Taiwan never officially abolished the death penalty, and although people have been sentenced to death before, it hasn't been carried out, so people generally think that it is just a kind of formality.
The interesting thing is that the general public in Taiwan supports capital punishment. Unlike the United States where people are split regarding this issue, the majority of people in Taiwan see capital punishment as something rather ordinary and compulsory. A specific example occurred when the former Minister of Justice resigned because of public pressure when she publicly announced her support for the abolition of the death penalty. In a way, instead of generating support of the abolition, she actually facilitated the renewal of the executions.
Unlike the United States where the death penalty lies within the state jurisdiction, it is in the hands of the federal government in Taiwan. Speaking of this, I was surprised when I first learned that the United States was one of the top countries that carry out executions, and even more puzzled when I learned that only certain states do so. I guess that is a perfect example of how federalism works in the United States.
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