Death Penalty Paper
Mitch Paden
11/6/13
Let Justice Prevail
Almost all of us are familiar with the saying “An eye for an eye” and for most people, myself included, that is how the death penalty is viewed. In most people’s eyes, if a person is convicted of murdering someone, it is believed that they should pay for that crime with their own life. However, there are some people who believe that enforcing the death penalty makes society look just as guilty as the convicted. After all, if killing is wrong, what gives us the right to kill them? However, the death penalty eliminates the possibility of a convicted murderer to receive the freedom to commit another crime. Although controversial, in my opinion, enforcing the death penalty can create a safer environment for American citizens because capital punishment is capable of deterring criminals of committing future crimes that would eventually earn them the death penalty.
The death penalty has been used throughout history. It has evolved from stoning women to death for committing adultery to giving lethal injections to serial killers. Today, the death penalty is reserved only for the most horrific criminals. It is estimated there is only one execution for every 1600 murders in the United States, which means that the possibility of someone being put to death if they kill someone is extremely low (Sharp). Those against the death penalty claim that the death penalty is barbaric, unconstitutional, and should be banned. This view is the most prominent in the media. In fact 65% of Americans support the use of the death penalty (Koch). So why is the anti-death penalty movement so prominent today? As previously stated, the anti-death penalty activists in this country would have you believe that every time a murderer is executed the justice system has just committed murder as well and that every person on death row is a victim. What one needs to ask is what that person did to get onto death row in the first place? We must remember the people
11/6/13
Let Justice Prevail
Almost all of us are familiar with the saying “An eye for an eye” and for most people, myself included, that is how the death penalty is viewed. In most people’s eyes, if a person is convicted of murdering someone, it is believed that they should pay for that crime with their own life. However, there are some people who believe that enforcing the death penalty makes society look just as guilty as the convicted. After all, if killing is wrong, what gives us the right to kill them? However, the death penalty eliminates the possibility of a convicted murderer to receive the freedom to commit another crime. Although controversial, in my opinion, enforcing the death penalty can create a safer environment for American citizens because capital punishment is capable of deterring criminals of committing future crimes that would eventually earn them the death penalty.
The death penalty has been used throughout history. It has evolved from stoning women to death for committing adultery to giving lethal injections to serial killers. Today, the death penalty is reserved only for the most horrific criminals. It is estimated there is only one execution for every 1600 murders in the United States, which means that the possibility of someone being put to death if they kill someone is extremely low (Sharp). Those against the death penalty claim that the death penalty is barbaric, unconstitutional, and should be banned. This view is the most prominent in the media. In fact 65% of Americans support the use of the death penalty (Koch). So why is the anti-death penalty movement so prominent today? As previously stated, the anti-death penalty activists in this country would have you believe that every time a murderer is executed the justice system has just committed murder as well and that every person on death row is a victim. What one needs to ask is what that person did to get onto death row in the first place? We must remember the people