Death Penalty is no more a deterrent punishment in veiw of neuroscientific discoveries of "Reptile Brain" and "Amygdala" in our brain.
There can be many reasons to explain why Death Penalty has ceased to have deterrent effects and why they do not prevent future crimes.
Here, I mention two neuroscibtific discoveries.
There are many parts in our brain over which we have no control. Even our thoughts and decisions depend on chemical balances in body and brain.
1) Reptile Brain: The muscle which extends from neck and on which our head rests, is identified as "Reptile Brain". It has no thinking mechanism. It controls many parts of our body. It can issue on its own commands to fight, to breath, to sex etc.
2) Amygdala is an another "small brain" below cortex of main "Thinking Brain". When we are angry or suddenly frightened, the messages reach direct to Amygdala, by passing "Thinking Brain". Then body acts without consulting brain.
3) Death Penalty has deterrent effect only on "Thinking Brain". When body is acting through Reptile Brain or Amygdala, it is not controlled by "Thinking Brain".
These may be some of the reasons to argue why Death Penalty has lost its deterrent value.
In fact, the whole Sentencology needs to be reviewed by criminologists.
Haresh Raichura 29/9/2016
