There are those who support the death penalty as pertinent for criminals who commit violent crimes, while others believe it to be intolerable in modern-day society. In my opinion, although the death penalty is perhaps the ultimate deterrent to recurring crime, there are more drawbacks than benefits.
The main advantage for keeping the death penalty is that it deters violent crime. It is justified as life for a life, and fair punishment for heinous crimes like first-degree murder, genocide or the abuse of minors. For victim’s families, it provides restitution since murderers on death row cannot recommit violent crimes. For the state, it provides an attractive alternative to life in prison due to the costs that can be saved. For example, America has one of the highest prison populations in the world and those locked away for life cost the most to maintain in jail.
However, I believe that the drawbacks of capital punishment outweigh the benefits. For one thing, the absolute nature of capital punishment means there is no going back if innocent people are condemned. Once someone is gone, they are gone and there is no reprieve if a person is wrongly convicted. Furthermore, there is little if any research to show that the death penalty reduces crime. Research shows that states in America without the death penalty have lower murder rates than the states that have it. Finally, of felons who are sentenced to death, few actually receive it. Death penalties can take decades to enact in some cases, costing the taxpayer as much as placing the concerned individual in prison for life.
To reiterate, the death penalty seems an impractical and expensive option for modern society with likely better options available to manage crime.
There are those who support the death
penalty
as pertinent for criminals who commit violent
crimes
, while others believe it to be intolerable in modern-day society. In my opinion, although the death
penalty
is perhaps the ultimate deterrent to recurring
crime
, there are more drawbacks than benefits.
The main advantage for keeping the death
penalty
is that it deters violent
crime
. It
is justified
as
life
for a
life
, and
fair
punishment for heinous
crimes
like
first
-degree murder, genocide or the abuse of minors. For victim’s families, it provides restitution since murderers on death row cannot recommit violent
crimes
. For the state, it provides an attractive alternative to
life
in prison due to the costs that can
be saved
.
For
example, America has one of the highest prison populations in the world and those locked away for
life
cost the most to maintain in jail.
However
, I believe that the drawbacks of capital punishment outweigh the benefits. For one thing, the absolute nature of capital punishment means there is no going back if innocent
people
are condemned
. Once someone
is gone
, they
are gone
and there is no reprieve if a person is
wrongly
convicted.
Furthermore
, there is
little
if any research to
show
that the death
penalty
reduces
crime
. Research
shows
that states in America without the death
penalty
have lower murder rates than the states that have it.
Finally
, of felons who
are sentenced
to death, few actually receive it. Death
penalties
can take decades to enact in
some
cases, costing the taxpayer as much as placing the concerned individual in prison for life.
To reiterate, the death
penalty
seems an impractical and expensive option for modern society with likely better options available to manage
crime
.