Should Capital Punishment Be Abolished In America?

The death penalty has been argued about for years. Only 19 states (including district of Columbia) do not have the death penalty. Because of the cost of death vs. life in prison, irrevocable mistakes, and morality, the death penalty should definitely be discontinued.

In the United States, there are around 40 to 50 executions per year, Texas with 10 or more prisoners put to death each year. Texas has the highest rate of deaths out of all the other states with the death penalty. Texas currently has three prisoners put to death already. The United States has currently 31 states with the death penalty; the remaining states abolished it. The death penalty should be abolished because of the cost, it shortens punishment for the person who did the crime,and it puts innocent lives at risk.

The death penalty, or capital punishment, has been around as early as the Seventh Century B.C. and is still used in many countries today, including the United States. There are many arguments stating capital punishment should be abolished for many reasons, including that capital punishment violates the Bill of Rights, and life in prison is a more effective deterrent than capital punishment; there are also counter-arguments, saying that capital punishment should not be abolished for reasons such as capital punishment achieves justice for those who have been wronged and that it brings a sense of closure to families.

Across America there are 27 different states that have the death penalty. there are reasons that the death penalty should be used for example when someone kills other people or a group of people they should be put in the court with the death penalty to be an option.

According to Amnesty International, “today over two-thirds of the world’s nations have ended capital punishment in law and practice”. However capital punishment remains a part of the criminal justice system. One of many recent surveys among law officers in North Carolina find the majority of law enforcement supports the death penalty, while simultaneously acknowledging a flawed system that has convicted and executed innocent people in some cases. Given the slightest possibility of executing an innocent person, do you think America should follow the lead of some other countries that are completely abolishing capital punishment? Some say the threat of capital punishment can deter future violent crimes. Some theories point to the idea that

So what is capital punishment? It is defined as one person taking the life of another. In America alone there are 36 states that still use the capital punishment and Australia should do significantly more to convince countries like America, Pakistan and China to remove it from their forms of punishment? Although the Australian Government abolished capital punishment in 1967 for reasons such as the risks that come with executions, changes in verdicts and other ways around death like rehabilitation and these are the reasons why no matter what circumstances are present the death penalty will never be the answer. A quote from Mahatma Gandhi - “ Father of India”, political and spiritual leader stays, “ God alone can take life because he alone gives

Should the death penalty be abolished across the nation? Throughout the history of the United States, in a court of law the death penalty would be designated to a criminal whose crime was deemed worthy of a grueling penalty that is based on a verdict which may not be completely accurate in every circumstance. Although many feel as if it is the necessary form of punishment that must be given at times, the death penalty is a punishment that should not be made legal throughout the entire United States because of the fact that it is based on a verdict that may not be one hundred percent accurate. Additionally, this negates the chance of the victim’s innocence to be reinstated furthermore in time and decreases their chance to be given the

As of now 31 states still currently use capital punishment. These states have it for child rape, treason, and kidnapping. As time went on the states that remained using this have less methods of doing so. The remaining methods include lethal injection as well as even fewer have the electric chair. Many states refuse to use hanging.

There are still 19 states that currently don’t have the death penalty. (Dunham) Some states that don’t have the death penalty are Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, and Maine. 4 states have gubernatorial moratoria and the 4 states that have this are Colorado, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington. (Dunham) And 27 states do currently have the death penalty. Some states that have the death penalty are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, and Ohio. (Dunham)

Therefore, on behalf of these innocent people who have faced and become friends with hell daily in solitary on death row. For the sake of those who have developed death row syndrome while waiting for a solution from some good samaritan for a crime they never commit. In the good name of justice for those who were innocent nevertheless executed at the hands of their trusted government whom will never be able to give these innocent lives back; or pay for the lost years with loved ones. When considering those who spent years on death row whose life will never be the same with a fatal legacy called death row phenomenon. This illness will affect their family greatly because they have lost trust in humanity, hope, and contact with any social experiences for too many years.

Should capital punishment/ death penalty be abolished in the United States? Many feel that the death penalty is immoral and question whether the state and federal government deserve the right to kill those whom it has imprisoned. On the other hand, those opposed feel that by not acting upon the death penalty communities would plunge in anarchy and that by having the death penalty it honors human dignity by treating the defendant as a free moral actor able to control his/her own destiny for good or for ill. However, others believe it serves as a deterrent for citizens not to commit crimes, in fear of death. While others argue that there is no scientific evidence that supports this claim, that states that abolished the death penalty showed no significant change in crime or murder rate. States that have the death penalty did not have lower crime or murder rates. Therefore, the death penalty does not act as a deterrent. Although, abolitionist think killing the person who has killed someone close to you is simply to continue the cycle of violence, which ultimately destroys the avenger as well as the offender. Retribution is not really a rational response to a critical situation and it contaminates the otherwise good will which any human being needs to progress in love and understanding. In contrast, the opposition believes that society

Desmond Tutu, a social rights activist said, “To take a life when a life has been lost is revenge, not justice.” The death penalty does not reduce crime, restore families, or bring justice to the victims. The death penalty has been used as punishment for criminals who have later been exonerated after their execution. Since many death row cases are being reversed, the death penalty should be outlawed as a means for punishment. If the death penalty is outlawed, many innocent lives could be saved and more victims and their families will receive the justice they deserve.

When I first signed up for this philosophy course, I didn’t do it because I wanted to, but instead because it is a required course for my major. I honestly thought that it would be a boring course, and it would be super hard to get a good grade. However, as the course progressed, it turned out to be the only class that kept my attention the full semester, and I believe the main reason for that, was that I was interested in the subjects and learning other people point of view and opinions on the subject.

The Death Penalty has occurred long before 2500 BC, when first written law was created. Before that time, if a person committed a severe crime, like murder or rape, they were executed to maintain peace in the community and to bring comfort to those who knew the victim. Capital punishment has been used in almost every part of the world, but in the last few decades many countries have abolished it. The issue of capital punishment has been a sensitive topic for nations attempting a careful balancing act between prisoner’s rights and legal defense teams and society’s laws on cases of extreme gravity.

Capital punishment is the punishment of death for a crime given by the state. It is used for a variety of crimes such as murder, drug trafficking and treason. Many countries also have the death penalty for sexual crimes such as rape, incest and adultery. The lethal injection, the electric chair, hanging and stoning are all methods of execution used throughout the world. Capital punishment has been around since ancient times; it was used in ancient Rome, and one of the most famous people to be crucified was Jesus Christ. Capital punishment is now illegal in many countries, like the United Kingdom, France and Germany, but it is also legal in many other countries such as China and the USA. There is a large debate on whether or not capital