The death penalty, or capital punishment, is one of the most controversial topics that is still debated about in America today. People question whether it is morally justifiable, or even if it is actually about justice itself. The more people question these things, the clearer it becomes in the long run. The death penalty is about justice, not revenge, as it allows for justice to be dealt to those who have committed unimaginable crimes. It begins to make us feel safer knowing that these heinous criminals have been put down. It is sad that in today’s society something like murder occurs as frequently as it does. The death penalty is here to help instill fear in anyone who is contemplating murder. It helps ensure that they will never get away with something as awful as murder or even worse mass murder. Morals should not be questioned if these individuals themselves lack their own morals. The harsh truth is that the death penalty is a necessary evil that must be kept in place in today’s society. It helps to ensure that people know what will happen to them …show more content…
The death penalty is not about revenge because “killing someone who has murdered another human being is not revenge, but justice” (Plahn). The death penalty is nothing more than a proof of justice that should be a curtain of night in the hearts of criminals. By doing these actions were these criminals end up killing someone they end up forfeiting their own right to live in the process. The death penalty shows that law enforcement is not afraid to end these evil human beings’ lives. Justice is reserved and achieved for the worst crimes committed. Capital punishment “allows justice to be done to those who have committed the worst crimes out there” (Jacoby). Justice is shown each time a murderer’s life is ended by the death penalty. It allows for some peace, no matter how small, to be brought back to victim’s
Capital Punishment Punishment is the imposition of a penalty as retribution for a crime, and the retribution deserves those who do the crime. The main idea of this chapter is whether the killer deserves to die or not, and we ought to kill them or not. Stephen Nathanson argues against the punishment that leads to execution. He said that the actual and moral beliefs based on the death penalty are wrong and must be repealed. Many people said that the death penalty is the best way to deter murder and thus save lives.
In Edward Koch’s essay he argues that the death penalty can prevent murders and affirm life. Koch begins his counter argument by addressing the issue of the death penalty being barbaric; he argues that while it may not be the most pleasant way to lower the murder rate it is necessary in order to achieve that goal. Since no other major democracy has a murder rate as high as the United States, the death penalty is necessary for lowering it and eliminating the issue of multiple murders. There have been many cases of murders committing the crime again, so if capital punishment was enacted murderers would never get the chance to kill again. When capital punishment is used it highlights the value of human life because it has such a strict punishment,
There are strong advocates on both sides of the topic. A Santa Clara University study suggests, “Capital punishment is often defended on the grounds that society has a moral obligation to protect the safety and welfare of its citizens”(Andre). Still others argue that the death penalty is a cruel punishment and should be abolished. This topic should be addressed in schools as a way to open up all perspectives of students on capital punishment and encourage healthy
Currently, the death sentence is only applied to those who commit murder, however, in the past, it has also been used for rape and armed robbery. Arguing in favor it can seem justifiable to take the life of a person who unjustifiably took the life of someone else. And with murder being the only way to be sentenced to the death penalty it seems fitting. Along with that, it provides deterrence from committing murder for possibly many people. The deterrence that execution provides is a debated topic nested into another controversial topic.
Some see the death penalty as the only means to extract justice for victims. Others see it as a morally reprehensible act where a second wrong is committed in order to make something right. With recent issues surrounding the death penalty in which execution hasn 't gone as planned sparking a nationwide debate, this is my outlook on why I 'm for the death penalty not only being abolished in the state of Texas but in addition to the entirety of the US..
The Death Penalty The argument for criminals to receive the death penalty, also known as Capital Punishment, has been an on-going debate for years. This issue has been very hasty in the United States because people have their own opinion on this topic. A majority of people believes that the death penalty should be passed as a law in the states, but others think that criminals should just have life in prison. If a criminal was to commit a murder(s), the person should receive the same treatment as a person they killed, death.
David B. Muhlhausen wrote an article “How the death penalty saves lives,” With a heading of “Capital punishment curbs criminal behavior and promotes a safer country.” Muhlhausen talks about a man named Earl Ringo Jr, his purpose was to bring the question ‘How does the death penalty saves lives,’ into people's minds. The date of this article is Sept. 29, 2014, Muhlhausen works for US New and World Report. Muhlhausen informs ages 10 and up in this article because death penalty might be a little too harsh for little kids who still do not even know what death is yet. Therefor, Muhlhausen also states examples of how the death penalty can save lives.
There have been many controversies on the topic of capital punishment and its role within society. It is not likely that there will ever be a unified view on this topic. One of the first reasons why the death penalty should never be imposed is because of the possibility of killing an innocent person. True enough the DNA technology has decreased this probability but due to administrative bias innocent people can still be killed. There is no retribution for a dead man who was wrongly put to death.
Today capital punishment is much different. The punishment is now exclusively for the crime of murder. It is meant to provide closure to victims families, justice, and deter people from commiting murder. Theses goals do not rationalise the negatives. The United States should abolish the death penalty because it is cruel and unnecessary, extremely costly, and has not proven as effective deterrent of decreasing crime.
The Constitutional statement on the punishment of death states that it treats ‘members of the human race as nonhumans, as objects to be toyed with and discarded. [It is] thus inconsistent with the fundamental premise of the Clause that even the vilest criminal remains a human being possessed of common human dignity’. It states as well, no one can deprive any person of life, liberty, or property. Additionally, the death penalty is institutionalized revenge, emotional disclosure, and monetary cost. Although some would argue that the death penalty is needed for justice to balance out punishment with crime, the death penalty does not apply to even the worst murderers or even those who have never murdered, but has tortured or done great harm.
Today many old issues are being raised again about how and who the penalty is carried out on. Only 32 states in the United States still use the death penalty, other states have banned it for various reasons. One of those reasons is because the amount of money it costs to execute an inmate sometimes costs more than it would to just give them life imprisonment. Another reason is because the process of capital punishment can take up to fifteen years; so many states would rather just give life sentences than have to go through that. Even though there are reasons to ban the death penalty, there are reasons to keep it
The Death Penalty, loss of life due to previous crimes and actions, is believed by some to be extremely costly, inhumane, and cruel unlike some others whom believe it is just, right, and provides closure. The Death Penalty is not a quick and easy process. Most who get sentenced to deaths row wait years for their ultimate punishment of death. Some believe that it is not right to punish and kill a human for actions they have done because, they believe that the inmate should have another chance. Then others believe that it is right to punish someone for their actions especially if their actions involve killing another or multiple humans.
“Make your way to death row and speak with the tragic victims of criminality. As they prepare to make their pathetic walk to the electric chair, their hopeless cry is that society will not forgive. Capital punishment is society's final assertion that it will not forgive” (Martin Luther King, Jr.). The death penalty is a big issue that has been coming with us throughout centuries and is still a hot topic in today’s debates. To be precise, it’s been used since 1750 B.C. and what that means is that ever since that time thousands of people have been brutally killed for the crimes they have committed and yet people dare to call it justice.
It offers a better alternative to everyone involved, including the victim, the prisoner, the families of both, and society as a whole. Any person who takes the life, security, or peace of mind of another human being deserves the same in return. Those who deny the death penalty’s effectiveness give criminals a green light to murder, rape, and burglarize innocent members of society. By sustaining the death penalty, we stand up to injustice and crime in our
Capital punishment, also known as death penalty, is the court-ordered execution of a criminal offender who committed a capital crime such as murder. “The infliction of death for the purpose of retribution has been a facet of human existence since earliest times,” according to Henderson (2006, p. 5). It has even