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Abolishing The Death Penalty : A Values Debate Essay

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Abolishing the Death Penalty: A Values Debate Is society better off without its most heinous criminals? Does the justice system have the right to determine who lives or who dies? For centuries, human civilizations have pondered similar questions regarding the philosophical ideologies surrounding capital punishment. The discordance within the United States creates deep divides between proponents and opponents of the death penalty; nonetheless, these schisms are inconsequential due to the continued use of capital punishment for the entirety of American history. With the rise of critical statistical analysis, however, evidence opposing the death penalty paints a clear picture: the policy creates more harm than good. Despite claims that the death penalty makes society safer, the United States should abolish capital punishment because state-sanctioned executions are associated with inefficiency and inequality.

The Popularity of Security Conflicting values dominate the debate surrounding capital punishment; and, the arguments made by supporters are easily encapsulated by the value of security. Integral to the defense of the death penalty is the contention that individuals and society should be safe, free of insecurity or worry. In order to provide for the security of Americans, proponents assert that the death penalty serves as a deterrent for crime while also eliminating the potential threat of dangerous criminals. These perspectives are highly popular; according to a Gallup

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