The death penalty is a controversial topic that most people believe to be a good thing.I am against the death penalty, not only is it a waste of taxpayers money, a crime, and a sin, it also could be considered cruel and unusual punishment. How would you feel if the person you love was sentenced to the death penalty? Your viewpoint of the death penalty may certainly change considering it's a love one's life at stake. Would your feelings about the death penalty change?
An excessive amount of money is involved in the death penalty. "An Urban Institute study of Maryland's experience with the death penalty found that a single death–penalty trial cost $1.9 million more than a non–death–penalty trial. Since 1978, the cost to taxpayers for the five executions the state carried out was $37.2 million dollars – each." "The Cost of the Death Penalty." The Cost of Death Penalty, 9 Dec. 2011, deathpenaltyfacts.wordpress.com/the–cost–of–the–death–penalty–3/. Why spend extreme amounts of money only to end another's life? "In California, the current system costs $137 million per year; it would cost $11.5 million for a system without the death penalty.""Death Penalty Cost – Amnesty International USA." Amnesty International USA, www.amnestyusa.org/issues/death–penalty/death–penalty–facts/death–penalty–cost/. I understand the want to give victims families justice, but in reality, justice isn't served. Consider the crime one committed was murder, the person who has committed that crime also has to lose their life, doesn't that mean there are now two murders? Now the person in charge of these executions is just as wrong as the person who committed the crime. Two wrongs don't make a situation right. There no need to continue the death penalty. Who makes the decision to take a criminal's life? They may have done a bad crime to get them in the predicament they're in, but it's not okay for another human being(judge) to decide when someone should be sentenced to death. It could at the least be decided by multiple individuals, that one judge may have a bias feeling towards the criminal, or the judge may be prejudice towards different races, there are too many factors against why this important decision should not be made by one person.
Death Penalty Argumentative Essay
The death penalty, or capital punishment, is the execution of an offender that is sentenced to death by a court of law for a criminal offense. This type of punishment for inmates is involved in controversy over whether or not it is an acceptable form of punishment for criminals and also whether or not it is immoral. There are many arguments for both sides of the debate, each making valid points and pointing out the flaws of the opposing position. Many religions are either for or against capital punishment, due to them either being against killing or for it. The controversy surrounding the death penalty laws in the United States is made up of various arguments. Other arguments surrounding the use of the death penalty include whether...show more content...
The constitution guarantees the due process of law and equal protection under the law. Supporters of the death penalty also believe that it is an intolerable act of denial of civil liberties and that it is not consistent with the values that are upheld by our democratic system. Those that support capitol punishment claim that it has an effect on potentially violent criminals where as the threat of imprisonment for life is not sufficient, while those against capitol punishment have shown research that has stated that it is not more effect at deterring criminal motives then a life–long prison sentence. The people who support capital punishment believe that it is possible to only have the people that are truly deserving of the death are executed by having laws and procedures fashioned in that way. They state that the capital punishment in the United States argue that the death penalty is a very humane way of punishing those who have taken another life and are brutal killers. Those who support it believes that it a constitutional way of punishing the criminals and deterring violent crimes. The United States is the only English–speaking Western democracy in which the death penalty is still in use. Capitol Punishment was reinstated by the U.S. Supreme Court after a four–year moratorium in 1976. Religion also plays a role in the case of the death penalty. The American
Argumentative Essay On Death Penalty
Cruelty of Death Penalty There are many controversial topics in this country's politics and criminal justice system. These topics range from mass incarceration to racial profiling to three strikes and to the death penalty. The death penalty for many years has been a topic in which many cannot come to a consensus on, both in the state and the federal level. Although both sides to the death penalty argument have legitimate reasons, it is now seen that the death penalty is becoming less and less famous. It seems as if despite its vengeance for blood thirsty people, the death penalty has no positive effect. Death penalty should be abolished because it puts innocent lives in danger, it is expensive, and life without parole is better. The death penalty puts innocent lives in danger. Rarely, innocent people have been put on the death row for a homicide. Studies show that as of October 2015, the U.S. have executed over 1,414 individuals since 1976. 156 individuals have been exonerated from death row––that is, found to be innocent and released – since 1973 (Innocence Database). In other words, 1.1 in 10 prisoners in the death row are innocent. Some of them get reimbursed by suing the state government for putting their lives in danger, for wasting their time, and disrupt their families. Then again, if these people were executed before appeal, it is irreversible, and there is no way to reimburse their lives. For example, Carlos De Luna, a man found near a crime scene where a gas
Argumentative Essay On The Death Penalty
Capital punishment is commonly known as the Death Penalty. The Death Penalty is killing someone as a punishment for a crime through legal terms. In 2014, six hundred thirty–four people that are 18 years and older out of one thousand seventeen people were in favor of the death penalty (Gallup). We use this punishment to serve justice for the life of the victim that has been taken. I am in favor of the death penalty and it should be issued in all states for people who commit heinous crimes. The death penalty is constitutional in that it does not violate the Eighth Amendment and an eye for an eye should be deserved.
The Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty is not a violation of the 8th Amendment. Criminals do not want to face the...show more content...
Irwin Isenberg said, "when you kill a man with premeditation, you do something different than stealing from him." You are taking away a person's life and acts of premeditation must be punished by death. An assailant has the power of the judicial process who protects their constitutional rights when they have been incarcerated and charged. Does anyone stop and think about the victim? The officers, family, and friends may have compassion towards the assailant. The criminals lawyer helps them gain publicity and usually turns the criminal into a victim, making them plead not guilty in the eyes of the jury; knowing otherwise that they are guilty. Criminals must not get away with murder and their best punishment should be the death penalty. George W. Bush said, "... capital punishment is a deterrent against future violence and will save other innocent lives." Punishing murderers is the only way to discourage future people into committing murder to save lives. Justice should be served for the victims' death in that the murderer should die too. This punishment is reserved for the most heinous murders; murderers who do not get the death penalty and are released from prison and will most likely kill again; these people deserve to be punished by death.
It has been argued that the death penalty is inhumane and that it should be abolished because of it being cruel and unusual. Life in prison is punishment enough, some would say. Minors and people who suffer from
Argumentative Essay On The Death Penalty
The Death Penalty has a powerful meaning to it; it's not just a punishment for those criminals who commit a horrific crime. The Death Penalty offers the execution, gas chamber, lethal injection, hanging, and firing squad. The capital punishment is a topic that can cause arguments because some say it helps and some say it cannot help in anyway. The death penalty has saved lives after an execution, but it has caused many issues for families.
The Death Penalty was established "far back as the Eighteenth Century B.C. in the Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon, which codified the death penalty for 25 different crimes" ("History"). It was also apart of the "Fourteen Century B.C.'s Hittite Code, in the Seventh Century B.C.'s Draconian Code of Athens, which made death the only punishment for all crimes; and in the Fifth Century B.C.'s Roman Law of the Twelve Tablets" ("History"). The Death Penalty was carried out if it was drowning, crucifixion, burning while being alive, impalement, and beating to death. As the time went on by the Eighteen Century A.D. a man named William the Conqueror would not allow people to be hung unless it was a murder case. As the years carried on in 1608 Caption George Kendall was the first man who got executed while being record in his colony. Jane Champion was the first woman who got executed in her colony in 1632. The Death Penalty all started and it did minimize crimes stated in the early 1800.
Furthermore, the Death Penalty is only an execution for
Argumentative Essay On Death Penalty
Maddison Higdon
Mrs. Gallos
English 3
21 November 2017
The Death Penalty
From 1973 to mid 2017, the death penalty has been used over 1,400. This highly opinionated topic has been intensely debated among the country's top scholars.
Justice along with closure, is a large argument that most people bring up while debating this topic. "But the only reason Belinda Crites needs to support the death penalty is 'what Eric Nance did to my cousin.'" (Santhanam). The argument of whether families of the victim get closure or not is entirely based on opinions. Though most people say that it is more revenge than justice, many families believe that with the proper execution of the criminal, it sets their mind at ease. "The verdict, undoubtedly a...show more content...
Georgia. Gregg was charged with armed robbery and murder, he plead that his sentence to death was cruel and unusual. The judges ruled that it was neither cruel nor unusual punishment. With this man's death people now understood that he would no longer cause any harm to the community or to others around him. "'Two men convicted of killing two police officers in Hattiesburg, MS will not do any more killing. That's for sure.'"(Should the Death). Along with many other cases the criminal's career was ended. And in the long run, made society a better place for people to live.If a person had a problem with something bad in their life, they would most likely eliminate it. Much like criminals, the court system made it a rule to euthanize people whose crimes are too radical to be rehabilitated. The court cost are high in the death penalty cases, due to the fact that they are not a common occurrence. If it was used more often, the court time would be cut down and it would be less money. The process of euthanizing a criminal is only around $100, though now with costs of court time it can be over a million dollars per case. Ending a criminal's life is a permanent end to their crimes and burden on society. Overcrowded prisons are more of a concern for the prisoners than the death penalty.
Each day more and more people are poorly cared for and are starving in our state prisons due to overpopulation."Prison overcrowding is one of the
Argumentative Essay On Death Penalty
Write an argumentative essay in which you convince an audience to support your claim about a debatable idea. Use your research and experience to support your argument.
Psst, copy and paste your CBA here. Look at the checklist on pg. 156 in your SpringBoard to help you out.
The Death Penalty is very debatable I however am against it because of its cost to America and undeserving families I'm also against it because of how people think it deters murder when it does not.The last part of the fifth amendment states that "No person shall be held for capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury,Nor be deprived of life liberty or property." meaning that no matter what we do our government should not decide when our life is being taken away. Innocent people sit in jail on death row for most of their lives just to find out that it was a mistake, what happens when the wrong person get killed will the government have the same consequences for killing an innocent person?
The death penalty is not good for the non deterrence. People will always cover up the death penalty by saying it is stopping people from committing crimes obviously it isn't. Wouldn't you think that if it really did deter crime people would eventually stop committing the crime. In my opinion if the death penalty isn't going to deter crime then why should we have it. It's not going to make a difference on whether people kill or not. In Other words if you are a killer
Argumentative Essay On Death Penalty
Hanson Yang
Professor Littlefield
English 111
23 July 2017
Death Penalty
Every society has a set of laws that are used to maintain order within the society. Crime laws are enforced to reduce crimes. If the laws were broken, people would receive consequences that are equal to the magnitude of the crime. Although all sanctions should equal the crime, there is a controversial method: the death penalty. Death punishment is a cruel fate even for a criminal who had cause great harms. The death penalty has more negative impacts than benefits. It is an ineffective method to punish someone for a crime because of its high percentage of error and the high costs of performing such sanction. It is also an outdated practice that many countries have...show more content...
However, some were unfortunate and their innocence was proven after they were executed.
An example of an unjustifiable execution is the death of Caryl Chessman. In 1948 in Los Angeles, there was a series of robbery and rape conducted by the "Red Light Bandit". This criminal drove a car with a red light that was similar to the sirens on police cars. The criminal used this light to stop drivers and rob or rape them. Chessman became a suspect because he had a car with a similar red light. He declared his innocence but was still taken into custody. The jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to death. On May 2, 1960, as Chessman was being strapped into the chair in the gas chamber at San Quentin, an attorney was in Sacramento, presenting a motion to the Judge of the California Supreme Court. The presentation is about the "real" culprit, Charles Terranova, who fit the description provided by victims of the "Red Light Bandit." The Judge tried to call the Warden at San Quentin to halt the execution, but his secretary misdialed the number until it was too late: the execution had already begun. And with that, Chessman was falsely accused of a crime he did not committed and was sentenced to an unjustifiable death.
Nevertheless to say, the time and the effort that was placed into a case like Chessman's was a total waste. The cost of death penalty is far more than other punishments because more
The Death Penalty In The American Justice System
Argument Essay: Death Penalty
The American Justice System has been using the death penalty, also known as capital punishment, as a way to serve a prisoner's sentence usually due to the crime of murder. The death penalty in the American Justice System has been used for many years now. Although in 18 states the death penalty has already been abolished, there are still 32 states where it is still legal. The death penalty should not be legal in the American Justice System, because it is immoral, unjust, and ineffective.
When something is immoral it usually means that it is unacceptable in our social or ethical principles. Not only do we go against murder, but also there are some people who say this and are for the death penalty and want the...show more content...
A capital punishment is something that cannot be undone and is irreversible.
Fig. 1. Innocent people released from death row.
In the case of Cameron Todd Willingham we are able to see how unfair and unjust Cameron was executed for murders he did not commit. The case of Cameron had many questionable evidence that was not investigated further and because of these mistake, Cameron Willingham was sentenced with the death penalty and executed. The death penalty is also lacks proper justice because it denies prisoners rehab. Many of the crimes committed were due to the influence of drugs and alcohol. According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), 50% of jail and prison inmates are clinically addicted to either drugs, alcohol, or even both. This study shows that since they are clinically addicted it could also mean that they could have been using the substance while committing the crime. We should not be putting people on the death penalty if they were unable to make rational decisions due to their addiction to drugs or alcohol. Mentally ill people are also affected with the death penalty and there are cases where a person was executed and had a mental disability. It is wrong to sentence someone to the capital punishment knowing that they were unable to make correct decisions due to their state of health. We should be able to provide the help
Death Penalty Argumentative Essay
A man who spent nearly 25 years on death row for the kidnapping, rape and murder of a 15–year–old girl has been executed in Missouri.
Roderick Nunley, 50, had admitted his guilt in court and on Tuesday Missouri Governor Jay Nixon denied a clemency request – filed by opponents of the death penalty – which argued that a plea DEAL had been refused because of racial bias.
In March 1989, Ann Harrison DISAPPEARED in Kansas City while waiting for a school bus on her driveway.
Nunley and Michael Taylor made a spur–of–the–moment decision to abduct her after driving by in a stolen CAR.
Ann's body was found in the boot of the abandoned car three days later.
Both men were sentenced to death in 1991. Taylor was executed last year.
Chris Koster, Missouri...show more content...
Nunley and Taylor were both black, while their victim was white.
The US Supreme Court DENIED several appeals by lawyers representing Nunley, including one which stated that the death penalty amounted to cruel and unusual punishment.
Pete Edlund, a RETIRED Kansas City detective, told Associated Press news agency: "They just take forever to do the deed.
"The delay in executing these two is just nuts because it didn't have anything to do with their guilt. It was legal mumbo jumbo nonsense."
ACCORDINGto prosecutors, Nunley and Taylor had taken cocaine when they stole a CAR on 22 March, 1989.
At one point, a police officer had chased the car from Lee Summit, but was called off after it crossed into Kansas City.
They kidnapped Ann and took her to Nunley's mother's home, where they raped her and then stabbed her repeatedly in the stomach and neck.
Nunley and Taylor were arrested after a man in jail for a robbery turned them in. Some of Ann's hair was found in carpet at the home where they attacked
Argumentative Essay On The Death Penalty
The death Penalty is a very controversial topic to many. Some believe that the death penalty should not only be in place but there should be more executions every year. While others believe that the death penalty is going out of style and it is not serving its purpose of deterring crime as it did before. Although there are many claims supporting both sides still over half of Americans are for capital punishment in some way, but what causes someone to be sentenced to death? According to the article "Against the American System of Capital Punishment" by Jack Greenberg the worst crime is, "a putative killer of one's parent or child" (Greenberg). What makes this the worst crime? And out of the few executions are these the only people getting...show more content...
According to this article "How the Death Penalty Saves Lives" by David B, Muhlhausen the death death penalty is more widely agreed upon that it should be in place than it shouldn't. The author makes the argument that with the death penalty in place it deters the crimes that have this punishment from happening. He also argues about how the constitution plays a role but how it supports it. He claims that it uphold constitutional protections such as due process and equal protection of law. Muhlhausen believes the death penalty should be in place simply because there are more Americans for it than against it. He believes that this should be in place because it is what America wants and the constitution supports it through the constitutional protections of due process, and equal protection of law.Muhlhausen has many main points similar to Greenberg but Muhlhausen doesn't have as much evidence or support to back up all of his arguments. He has some strong points but it could be supported better. Between Jack Greenberg's, "Against the American System of Capital Punishment" and David B. Muhlhausen, "How the Death Penalty Saves Lives" the points they are arguing tend to be fairly similar. They both argue whether the death penalty is a good or bad deter for the "worst crime," which is claimed to be killing that person's parents or children. Another similar point they have
Argumentative Essay On Death Penalty
The death penalty is a cruel barbaric treatment practiced in many countries. It has influenced the United States to use more than any other country. It has been used in the eighteenth century and is currently being performed today in some states. There are five different methods of execution that will lead the perpetrator to an intensifying and painful death. This treatment should be banished and the system should find an alternate route to serve justice. According to Teh Anget's Pro Death Arguments on Youtube, he believes there are a few valid reasons this treatment should be put into action in our society, and the other reasons are not as significant but I disagree.
Anget says the death penalty is generally supposed to eliminate and have a removal of threats to the public eye from the potential victims. I actually agree that death penalty can be a deterrent towards future crime. In fact, if we penalized speeding by the death penalty, I would drastically reduce speeding and obey the limit on the road. I certainly would not drive the way I would if I knew I could be killed for it. Acts like that would make the perpetrator more afraid. "Most people already have a true fear of death. If every murderer who killed someone died instantly, the homicide rate would be very low because no one likes to die", says Bedau, H from Ornellas Paper. The death penalty gives a sense of protection that your life is less in danger, therefore, you can live your life according. It is the judicial system solution to curve criminal behavior and shows a way to promote a safer country for their citizens.
Secondly, this treatment can be an effective form of closure for the victim's families to cope with losing a loved one. "It's easy to understand why people would seek the hardest punishment in general, and capital punishment in particular, it actually brings the relief and peace of mind the victims deserve", said Jason Marsh from CNN. Like Anget said, Families that have been taken advantage of from their loved one, mostly feel it is right to seek out revenge in order to feel better. Scott Vollum a criminologist at the University of Minnesota has done media interviews with families or friends on murder victims while the offender
Argumentative Essay On Death Penalty
Vishaldeep 1
Vishaldeep Singh
Instructor Michal Latala
English 103
15 June 2017
Sentence on another person, regardless of how much they deserve it, is beyond my own understanding. The death penalty is something that many people do not have a clear decision on. Many people support the death penalty, while others wish for the death penalty to be abolished, and there are some that support the death penalty, but only in certain cases. My personal opinion on the death penalty is, it should be administered only in cases of particularly cruel crimes, or serial crimes such as serial murder. Opponents of capital punishment have basically four arguments.
The first is that there is a possibility of error. However, the chance that there might be an error is separate from the issue of whether the death penalty can be justified or not. If an error does occur, and an innocent person is put to death, then the problem lies in the court system, not in the death penalty. Furthermore, most activities in our world, in which humans are involved, possess a possibility of injury or death. Construction, sports, driving, and air travel all offer the possibility of accidental death, even though the highest levels of precautions are taken. These activities continue to take place, and continue to occasionally take human lives, because we have all decided, as a society, that the advantages outweigh the unplanned loss. We have also decided that the advantages of having dangerous murderers removed from our society surpass the losses of the offender.
The second argument against capital punishment is that it is unfair in its administration. Statistics show that the poor and minorities are more likely to receive the death penalty. Once again, this is a separate issue. The rich are more likely to get off with a lesser sentence, and this bias is wrong. However, this is yet another problem of our current court system. The racial and economic bias is not a valid argument against the death penalty. It is an argument against the courts and their unfair system of sentencing.
The third argument is actually a reply to a claim made by some supporters of the death penalty. The claim is that the
Argumentative Essay On Death Penalty
Argumentative Essay on Death Penalty
The death penalty is a controversial issue that many people have different opinions on. On one side you have people like me that believe people who commit heinous crimes should be put on death penalties. On the other side you have people, especially humanitarians, and relatives of death row inmates protesting death row. I am pro death penalty because there are mass murderers, terrorists, rapists, child molesters, and more that exist in today's world. In my mind, there is no place for such evil and it should be removed accordingly. Why would someone not want the Boston bomber put to death? He killed and injured dozens of innocent people that were simply watching a marathon traditional to Boston. Abolitionists forget that abolishing the death penalty allows people like him to stay alive. This capital offense punishment was started because of the bombing of the Boston marathon by Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev. The two brothers set off two bombs four hours into the race killing three people and wounding over two hundred and sixty people. After a two day man hunt Tamerlan was killed in a shootout with the police and Dzhokhar was arrested and taken in to the police station. Dzhokhar went through a two part trial and ended up getting sentenced to the death penalty. Most people, in fact a larger portion of people were happy with this decision but as usual human right activists came up in large numbers wanting their
Argumentative Essay On Death Penalty
Cruelty of Death Penalty
There are many controversial topics in this country's politics and criminal justice system. These topics range from mass incarceration to racial profiling to three strikes and to the death penalty. The death penalty for many years has been a topic in which many cannot come to a consensus on, both in the state and the federal level. Although both sides to the death penalty argument have legitimate reasons, it is now seen that the death penalty is becoming less and less famous. It seems as if despite its vengeance for blood thirsty people, the death penalty has no positive effect. Death penalty should be abolished because it puts innocent lives in danger, it is expensive, and life without parole is better. The death penalty puts innocent lives in danger. Rarely, innocent people have been put on the death row for a homicide. Studies show that as of October 2015, the U.S. have executed over 1,414 individuals since 1976. 156 individuals have been exonerated from death row––that is, found to be innocent and released – since 1973 (Innocence Database). In other words, 1.1 in 10 prisoners in the death row are innocent. Some of them get reimbursed by suing the state government for putting their lives in danger, for wasting their time, and disrupt their families. Then again, if these people were executed before appeal, it is irreversible, and there is no way to reimburse their lives. For example, Carlos De Luna, a man found near a crime scene where a gas
Argumentative Against Death Penalty
Abolishment of Capital Punishment
Capital punishment should be abolished for the following reasons. 1) It violates the Eight Amendment of the use of cruel and unusual punishment, for which the Supreme Court has vacillated. 2) It is a form of premeditated murder. 3) It promotes racism. 4) It can be administered to innocent individuals through tainted evidence. 5) The death penalty does not deter criminals from committing violent crimes.
The death penalty is a form of cruel and unusual punishment that violates citizen's Eighth Amendment which has forced the Supreme Court to step in and evaluate this form of punishment. The death penalty has not always been practiced in the United States; however, there have been about 13,000 people who...show more content...
The same DNA test that cleared Earl, implicated a known serial rapist, yet law enforcement and prosecution continue to claim Earl guilty, apparently believing that Earl raped the victim leaving another man's sperm. Nationwide over 100 condemned Americans have been exonerated since 1976 and walked off death row as free men (Ballard). Even though we have come a long way with DNA there will always be police officers who are pressured to solve cases too fast. Some may use whatever tools are necessary including planting evidence or falsifying documents to establish guilt. As with the case above most police officers, as well as district attorneys, do not want to admit when they are wrong, even if it spares the life of an innocent human.
It is heard time and time again that capital punishment helps to deter similar crimes. Evidence does not support this claim. Representative Maxine Waters stated that she does not believe you deter the taking of lives by others by having a death penalty. She went on to say that in the final analysis it does not work fairly if there's any such thing as being fair about killing people ("Reasons to Abolish Death Penalty")
Society tends to follow the trends and mindset of those around them. They often feel that since the Supreme Court has upheld the death penalty, it does not violate the rights of those citizens who have been tried and convicted of crimes that warrant this type of
Arguments Against The Death Penalty
Abstract
The death penalty has been a controversial issue for many years. Those who support the death penalty find it to be a fitting form of punishment for criminal actions. Others suggest that the death penalty is an inhumane practice, even towards criminals. Over the years, it is clear that there are some fatal flaws in how the death penalty operates. Too often in the past has the death penalty fallen victim to courtroom biases. Furthermore, the death penalty is an incredibly expensive and time–consuming process. However, the determining factor of whether the death penalty can be considered justice or not depends primarily on how it affects the overall crime rate. In light of this, William Tucker – the American Spectator's New York correspondent and CEO of TheElevator.com – and Eric M. Freedman – a professor at Hofstra University School of Law – present evidence of the effectiveness and ineffectiveness of the death penalty system.
The Value of a Criminal Life The controversy over the death penalty has plagued the world for years. Individuals such as William Tucker – The American Spectator's New York correspondent and CEO of TheElevator.com – believe that the death penalty reduces crime. Meanwhile, those who oppose the death penalty, such as Eric M. Freedman – a professor at Hofstra University School of Law – argue that it is unneeded. Freedman's article The Case Against the Death Penalty and Tucker's article Why the Death Penalty Works reflect why
Argument Against the Death Penalty Essay
Argument Against the Death Penalty
Life is sacred. This is an ideal that the majority of people can agree upon to a certain extent. For this reason taking the life of another has always been considered the most deplorable of crimes, one worthy of the harshest available punishment. Thus arises one of the great moral dilemmas of our time. Should taking the life of one who has taken the life of others be considered an available punishment? Is a murderer's life any less sacred than the victim's is? Can capital punishment, the death penalty, execution, legal murder, or whatever a society wishes to call it, be morally justifiable? The underlying question in this issue is if any kind of killing, regardless of reason, can be accepted. In this...show more content...
Today our society is assaulted with a barrage of violent images, whether fictional or not. People no longer think twice when they see a character die in a movie or a bullet riddled high–schooler jump out of a second story window. The concept of human life has completely lost its meaning. Capital punishment contributes to this problem. A convict is not thought of as a person. All humanity associated with them is removed. This rationalization is required in order have a society where capital punishment is legal. If a society removes humanity from convicts, characters in movies, or people on the 6 o'clock news it will begin to remove humanity from people encountered in every day life.
With time violence may become such a commonplace that even seemingly sane people will see no problem murdering a store clerk, opening fire on someone that cut them off on the highway, or killing a disobedient child. "A society that chooses violent death as a solution to a social problem gives official sanction to a climate of violence." (Prejean, 57)
The next argument supporting the immorality of capital punishment is that the reality of it is hidden. The majority of Americans support the death penalty, yet a very small minority of them has actually witnessed an execution. Also, very few Americans have known an executed criminal.
These two facts contribute to the entire rationalization process. No matter how anyone looks at it, no one can deny the fact
Argumentative Essay On The Death Penalty
Capital punishment or death penalty is a form of punishment mostly used for people that murder somebody. It is a very complex issue in today's world. There are very strong opinions on both sides of the argument. Some believe that every state should have it, and others believe that none should. It is so controversial because both sides believe that they are right and because death is so permanent. If you make a mistake, once the death penalty is imposed, there is no taking it back. Here are some of the views held by people about the death penalty.
Some people strongly believe that the death penalty should be imposed on, at the very least, every murderer. Many believe that even lesser crimes warrant this punishment. They believe either that...show more content...
Capital punishment deters crime by causing world be murderers to fear arrest and conviction and by preventing convicted murderers from killing again. In recent years, violent crime in newyork has dropped dramatically, due in part to the restitution of the death penalty.since I took office in 1995 violent crime has dropped 23 per cent,assautlts are down 22 per cent and murders have dropped by nearly one–third. ... I believe this has occurred in part because of the strong signal that the death and our other tough new laws have sent to violent criminals and murderers. You will be punished with the full force of the law.
No:capital punishment actually makes the fight against crime more difficult. Executions waste valuable resources that could be applied to more promising efforts to protect the public. Additionally , innocent people are sometimes executed and the brutalizing effect executions have on society may result in more murders. In 1994, 6100 criminals were sentenced to the state prison in manhattan (New York) and 9000 more were sent to city jail. In 1975, when I became district attorney, there were 648 homicides inmanhattan; in 1994, there were 330. The number has been cut vitually in half without executions_ proof to me that they are not needed to continue that trend. ( George E.Pataki ,1995