Pro Death Penalty

The death penalty has been a huge part of many political debates for the past few decades. There are two sides, those for and those against its continued use and both have logical arguments. My research question is if it is ethical and or beneficial for the U.S. government to continue using the death penalty? To gain the attention of my audience, I am going to share two stories that my sources have on those with experience in the debate. The Forbes article, “Considering The Death Penalty: Your Tax Dollars At Work,” is an anti-death penalty piece explaining how an innocent man was on death row and his opinion on whether or not it should be used. He said in the piece that living out a life sentence without parole is worse than being executed.

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 first established death penalty laws date back to Ancient Babylon. Their tyrannical ruler Hammurabi established The code of Hammurabi most known to the laws an “eye for an eye and “tooth for a tooth”. Throughout the past this was the correct way of life, on the other hand the question is risen today, is the death penalty still reasonable? Coming to the question of bringing what makes our system better if we kill those who kill? The very idea of the state putting individuals to death is too much to endure. Capital punishment brings no benefits, undermining the constitution for reasons such as flawed executions, racism, innocents being framed, bias, revenge cost, and other critical reasoning. It is not only impractical, but it also does not prevent crime. Death row fails to recognize that people who are found guilty throughout the system have the potential to change, but how can they do that if they are denied the right to regain redemption in society. Nevertheless, the Death penalty should be eradicated based on the unlawful justice and its incapability to serve as a deterrent.

For centuries capital punishment has been used to “punish” criminals for a severe enough crime that they committed. It dates back to hundreds of years ago and has been enacted in many different countries, some that still have it today. Death penalty/capital punishment is the punishment of death an offender receives after having a court hearing and being convicted of a crime (ProCon.org, 2008). Once someone receives a death penalty sentence, they go on death row awaiting their execution. For a very long time, the controversy regarding whether or not the death penalty is ethical or just has been a topic of debate. I believe that the

Still today, the death penalty is a major controversy in numerous states all over the United States. It's hard to grasp the idea of putting another human to death. The death penalty is an execution style punishment which is usually used against criminal's who have committed a horrific crime. The are many arguments that the death penalty goes against the eighth amendment, which was struck down by the Supreme Court. I believe that the death penalty should be abolished everywhere in America. I think it should be abolished because it still isn't proven to deterrent future murders, it's used unfairly, and there is a risk of executing the innocent. The death penalty can be replaced with life in prison, suffering in prison for the rest of their

The death penalty is a punishment given to people who commit heinous crimes. Since 1976, there have been over 1,390 executions. But does that make the death penalty, necessarily, a correct and justifiable form of punishment? “The death penalty is our harshest punishment,” states Ernest van den Haag, author of “The Ultimate Punishment: a Defense.” Van den Haag, in his article, argues how the death penalty is effective and should be used. However, Jack Greenberg, James P. Gray, and Jeffery Reiman, all concur that the death penalty should not be used as a punishment for criminals. Jack Greenberg, author of “Against the American System of Capital Punishment,” argues how the death penalty is an

Capital punishment can be a tough topic to approach because people tend to have many different opinions on it. The death penalty is an advantage to society; it deters potential criminals as well as serves retribution to criminals. There is a huge difference in expenses of a lethal injection and life in prison. The death penalty can be an extremely beneficial tool in sentencing criminals that have committed some of the worst crimes known to

Life is precious and should not be taken for granted. In the United States capitol punishment has been abolished or overturned in 20 states. According to Citizens United for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, the nation's opinion is split right down the middle. The death penalty has been the topic of discussion in recent years, it has been very controversial primarily based on how it is permanent. Once action is taken and the punishment of death has been dealt wrongful execution of an innocent person would be an injustice that can never be rectified.

The death penalty today is a hot button question that many experts cannot agree on. The topic deals with justice, logistics, and human morality which leads to either a person remaining alive or losing their life. It is not an easy choice to make because the death penalty has so much to do with human desires for justice as it does the justice system carrying out just punishments for crimes committed. In almost all of human history, capital punishment has been a punishment that was used to punish individuals who broke laws the society upheld. The United States of America is no different as it still continues to use the death penalty as a punishment in many states across the nation. The United States has contemplated the legality of the death penalty, with multiple court decisions dictating if and what is legal, as discussed in the video produced by CNN (http://www.cnn.com/videos/crime/2014/05/06/orig-jag-death-penalty.cnn/video/playlists/death-penalty/).

“We oppose the death penalty for what it does to those guilty of heinous crimes, but for what it does to all of us; it offers the tragic illusion that we can defend life by taking life” by Joseph Fiorenza states that the death penalty is cruel and unjust. It may take lives of all those who are wrongfully convicted and may cost people millions of dollars. However, some may argue that the death of a criminal may bring closure to families of victims.

The most severe punishment attainable is the death penalty, and although it is extremely serious and irreversible, it is necessary for the justice of the United States. The death penalty is a controversial issue brought up for debate year after year in America. The country is split between supporters of capital punishment and non supporters. John Wayne Gacy was a man many people loved. His friends said he was a joyous guy who loved to entertain children, Gacy would dress up as Pogo the clown for neighborhood parties. Soon the name “Pogo” would change to “Killer.” In years later John was charged with raping and killing 33 boys and young men, 29 of whom were found underneath Gacy’s house (John). It is important that the death penalty is discussed, decided, and refined so the country can better agree on the

Should one person have the right to end another human's life? It is a question most people have the answer for when it comes to capital punishment. Capital punishment is known to some people one of the cruelest punishment to humanity. Some people believe giving a person the death penalty doe's not solve anything. While other's believe it is payback to the criminal for the crime they have committed. There have been 13,000 people executed since the colonial times, among 1900 and 1985 there were 139 innocent people sentence to death only 23 were executed. In 1967 lack of support and legal challenges cut the execution rate to zero bringing the practice to a complete end by 1972. Although the supreme court authorized its resumption in 1976

The Emory studies had also established that the capital punishment reduces the number of murders. The first study from the Emory group had concluded that each execution leads to eighteen fewer murders (Tanner, 2007). The second study used monthly murder and execution data from 1977 to 1999 and concluded that each death sentence led to 4.5 fewer murders and each execution resulted in three fewer murders (Radelet and Lacock, 2009). Through this study, it was found that executions had the greatest effect on murders of passion and those between friends and families, compared to murders between strangers. It was also found that shorter stays on death row led to one fewer murder for every 2.75 fewer years that a convict remains on death row before execution (Radelet and Lacock, 2009). The third study states that “91% of the states had higher homicide rates after they suspended the death penalty. Conversely, 70% of the states saw homicides decrease after the death penalty was reinstated” (Radelet and Lacock, 2009). The final study had found that “In the states that executed fewer than nine prisoners, there was either no deterrent effect or else the homicide rate actually

The death penalty is an issue that has continually created conflict in today’s society. Many people arguing whether or not the death penalty should exist. Who’s to say whether the death penalty is a form of justice and therefore a valid and appropriate punishment or whether it is a “cruel and unusual” form of punishment.

Should the death penalty be legal? This simple question sparks a lot of controversy and is the topic of many debates. For countries like China and Saudi Arabia, they say yes. But, for the United States, only about 62% of people agree. A number of execution methods have been used such as firing squad, hanging, electrocution, and most recently, lethal injection. Both Dave Anderson and Robert Blecker are supporters of the death penalty, but they both are not necessarily for the current execution methods available. Nick Gillespie and Jeffrey Toobin are against the death penalty, stating that it is not only immoral, but is expensive and violates the Eighth Amendment. While both sides of this debate provide reasonable arguments, neither side contributes enough to win the debate.