Reading:

I think that the article of Conrad, and Moore “What Stops the Torture?” is a significant analytical piece in measuring to determine the detriments of torture on individual states; whilst measuring the likelihood these states will change their torture norms in the future. However, they start off by stating that the 93% of countries who use torture will continue torture- this is pretty obvious considering countries that use torture on prisoners and captives. It its very significant that they analyze governments reasons to use torture at an executive level but also at the level in which officials administer the torture. They also discuss that in some democracies even if at the executive level, torture is not appropriate sometimes it is difficult to control those in the jails and interrogation administering the torture if it is not being reported back to the officials. As such, they argue that some democracies create institutions to secure that torture isn’t used as a form of interrogation or punishment in jails. However, they determine through their data countries that present torture as a form of violence usually have an imminent threat. One of the variables they measure to determine the likelihood that torture is terminated is through a countries free press level of freedom, and popular suffrage. There is a positive relationship that exists for when countries exhibit higher levels of the variables of freedom coinciding with a decrease in the national violence it is more likely that these countries will terminate their torture allowances. The likelihood of a country having democratic institutions is expected to eventually or progressively stop their torture. However, they come to understand that torture- is normal state-wide, and is commonly used whatever the regime type, and secondly we as the public, as the press and as political leaders are unaware and less informed on the matter- perhaps because a country that is democratic will execute the torture off the countries mainland…or in a secluded area or in a high security jail…I immediately thought of Guantanamo Bay. The scholars overall claim that firstly, the way the problem will be solved if more scholars, politicians, and the general public acknowledge its happening and define it globally from country to country in order to figure out the probability of it becoming terminated within an international consensus.