Opposing Arguments Concerning Morality Of The Death Penalty

Why is the death penalty used as a means of punishment for crime? Is this just a way to solve the nations growing problem of overcrowded prisons, or is justice really being served? Why do some view the taking of a life morally correct? These questions are discussed and debated upon in every state and national legislature throughout the country. Advantages and disadvantages for the death penalty exist, and many members of the United States, and individual State governments, have differing opinions. Yet it seems that the stronger arguments, and evidence such as cost effectiveness, should lead the common citizen to the opposition of Capital Punishment.

The debate on whether or not the death penalty should be abolished has been ongoing for quite a long period of time. While there are those who believe that the death penalty does not serve its intended purpose, proponents of the same are convinced that the relevance of the same cannot be overstated and hence it should not be abolished. In this text, I examine the arguments for and against the death penalty.

In the United States, the use of the death penalty continues to be a controversial issue. Every election year, politicians, wishing to appeal to the moral sentiments of voters, routinely compete with each other as to who will be toughest in extending the death penalty to those persons who have been convicted of first-degree murder. Both proponents and opponents of capital punishment present compelling arguments to support their claims. Often their arguments are made on different interpretations of what is moral in a just society. In this essay, I intend to present major arguments of those who support the death penalty and those who are opposed to state sanctioned executions application . However, I do intend to fairly and accurately

Capital punishment which is also known as the death penalty refers to the court-ordered execution of a prisoner. It is a punishment of a serious crime called the capital offense and generally involves felony murder and more. Not all states have laws that support the death penalty but those that do are prisoners sentenced to death. There are people who agree with the death penalty because people see capital punishment as payment for murder. Those who oppose capital punishment like me argue that the death penalty is unjust, immoral, and indefensible state sanctioned murder of a human being. Even though they have committed a heinous crime, that vengeance is not the answer for healing the grief of victim’s families or communities or other loved ones. It does not act as a deterrent to crime, and is not an acceptable alternative to long-term imprisonment because the death penalty carries the possibility of wrongful execution of an innocent person.

For many years, there has been a debate of whether or not the death penalty is morally justified. This debate has centered on whether humans have the right to take the lives of other human beings and has long divided people politically and socially. People who are in favor of the death penalty believe that, “Intentionally taking the life of an innocent human being is so evil…the perpetrator forfeits his own right to life”(Pojman, 232). Pojman is unambiguous about murderers as evildoers who do not deserve to live. On the other hand, people who are against the death penalty believe that it is morally wrong to take anyone’s life even if that person committed a heinous crime. The consequences of each position may determine its feasibility.

Some crimes cannot be forgiven. That is why we have the death penalty to punish those who did these heinous crimes. Some people oppose this and believe that it is wrong and cruel to put a person to death, no matter how awful the people who did these terrible deeds. I am here to oppose that argument, and to say that we absolutely need the death penalty, to end the lives of these hellish figures. However, the current capital punishment standards should change, as the system is not perfect. I will list my reasons on why we need the death penalty, and analyze the opposing side to the death penalty.

One of the first issues that are always brought up concerning the death penalty is its morality. Those for the death penalty, they addressed the fact that the opposition would suggest that the death penalty is inherently immoral because no one or one government should take someone’s life. In the cases sentences to the

One of the most heavily discussed topics today is the death penalty. On one side of the spectrum, many argue that death is the only form of justice for the most heinous crimes. On the other, many argue that it is a pointless waste of time. Recent studies have supported the latter argument. In 2011, states without the death penalty have had 18% less murder rates than states that do enforce it. For the ten years prior, the murder rates in the state without the death penalty have been consistently lower and even, at times, the murder rate in those states have been lower than average (”Deterrence: States Without the Death”). Furthermore, “In New Mexico, according to the legislative finance committee a death penalty case costs approximately $20-25,000, compared to $7-8,000 for a non-death penalty murder case” (de Leon). From a monetary front, the death penalty has been shown to cost more on average than a regular life sentence. Money is being wasted on a service that harms an individual. The death penalty is not an effective form of deterrence because studies have shown that states with the death penalty have higher crime rates, and it provides no form of justice to anyone.

Capital punishment has been part of the criminal justice system since the earliest of times. But opponents have argued that the death penalty is racist, economically unjustified, and in violation of the United States Constitution as "...cruel and unusual punishment" (“Chronology”). However, today much of the debate over capital punishment is about whether it is morally right to sentence a person who has committed a serious crime to death. This paper will address the moral issues in the controversy over whether capital punishment should be abolished.

The death penalty has become one of the more controversial discussions in America. There are two different perspectives when it comes to this controversial subject, the pros and the cons; people in America are either against the death penalty or for it. The common saying “treat others how you wanted to be treated” plays a vital part. I truly believe if a person is big enough to kill someone on purpose and take away not only a family member but a life as well, they are big enough to face death themselves. It is important to understand that, a person who kills an innocent human being for whatever reasons there are, is taking a life. The death penalty should continue in today’s society because of three important reasons; decreasing the

Capital punishment is execution, which can furthermore be identified as the death penalty, has been a hot topic in the public eye for a while. The question on lots of minds is whether it is acceptable for the state to terminate one’s life for the crime they have committed. A significant question that we will address is whether or not capital punishment should be allowed. By inquiring more information about this topic people should be able to formulate their own opinions on this debate. As I began to research further into this issue, I became aware that plenty of people agree with the idea of capital punishment being endorsed; however, I believe in order for the public to recognize all the factors that apply to this debate, asking this question will not only be the key to finally finding closure, but it will help them articulate their own views.

Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty is when a state executes someone mostly due to the person committing a serious crime. For the longest time, the death penalty was one of the only forms of punishment but clearly over the last several years that has changed dramatically. Over time the Supreme Court has put in an effort to make restrictions on the death penalty and have hoped that this has strengthened capital punishment in every aspect (Mitchell, 2017). The Supreme Court has taken the time out to make sure that it is a fair and reasonable sentence due to not wanting people behind bars for no apparent reason. Even though today in society citizens have viewed opinions, they either are for or against the death penalty and most have developed several reasons why.

The concept of the death penalty is one of the most debated issues from then until now. Stearman (2008) defines death penalty as the government action, which takes someone’s life as a punishment for wrongdoing. In the legal system, the death penalty is commonly known as the capital punishment, which is derived from the Latin language, meaning “lose your head and you lose your life” (Stearman, 2008). It is considered the most extreme punishment that a government can utilize on its citizens. In the history, there are several societies throughout the world that utilized death penalty, especially as their last option in a small number of cases. There are two opposing sides shared by people who support and oppose the death penalty even though not all crimes are punishable.

Growing up, we were told, “two wrongs don’t make a right”, why is it different now? People try to excuse the excessive use of the death penalty by saying it brings families closure or that it deters murder-these have proven incorrect. The death penalty violates the eighth amendment due to the fact that it does not always work. Which leads to a form of cruel and unusual punishment for those convicted. If the death penalty does not bring closure, does not deter crime, and fails over three percent of the time, how can it be right; what gives us, humans, the power to kill other humans? The death penalty is said to right a wrong, but killing is never right.

Capital punishment and the practice of the death penalty is an issue that is passionately debatable in the United States. There have been many contradictions on whether states should abolish the death penalty and continue with putting people in jail for the crime they have committed since those that did the crime will no longer be able to harm anyone. Although opponents of the death penalty believe that there is nothing solved from enforcing it, there are many supporters who believe the death penalty is a great solution to those who “deserve” it, like murderers or child rapists. As many surveys and different polls are done in different states and even countries, there will probably never be an agreement between those who oppose it and those who support the death penalty. In today’s society, we all have different opinions and believe in different ideas of solving an issue, but what it comes down to when speaking of a criminal issue is our justice system. The U.S. justice system isn’t always fair, and we all see it every day whether it’s reading an article, researching on an issue for a class, or most commonly watching/reading it on the news or social media. When speaking on reasons and different opinions of those who oppose the death penalty and those who support it, the topic becomes so controversial because both sides believe that they are right and because death is so permanent. This issue is one that sparks up a lot of trouble because everyone’s opinions differ