Those who judge and pass sentence say the death penalty is necessary. Firstly because it is important to remove from the social body a member that has harmed it once and might harm it again. If it were simply a question of that, then life imprisonment would be sufficient. What use does death serve? You argue that people can escape from prison. You had better go and take a look at one. If you think the iron bars are not strong enough then how come you have zoos?
No need for an executioner when there is a jailer.
[Ceux qui jugent et qui condamnent disent la peine de mort nécessaire. D’abord, — parce qu’il importe de retrancher de la communauté sociale un membre qui lui a déjà nui et qui pourrait lui nuire encore. — S’il ne s’agissait que de cela, la prison perpétuelle suffirait. À quoi bon la mort ? Vous objectez qu’on peut s’échapper d’une prison ? faites mieux votre ronde. Si vous ne croyez pas à la solidité des barreaux de fer, comment osez-vous avoir des ménageries ?
Pas de bourreau où le geôlier suffit.]
Victor Hugo (1802–1885) French writer, journalist, human rights activist, politician
Last Day of a Condemned Man [Le Dernier Jour d’un Condamné], 1832 Preface (1829) [tr. Moncrieff (2009)]
More about (and translations of) this quote: wist.info/hugo-victor/86929/
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