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Death Penalty, a Deterrent to Criminals

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Death Penalty, a Deterrent to Criminals
My views on the death penalty

Sociology

August 30, 2010

My views on the death penalty

Does the death penalty really serve as a deterrent to criminals? In my opinion “No” it does not. If someone is going to commit a crime they usually do not think far enough ahead to think what the punishment might be if they get caught. The death penalty information center “took a survey of the former and present presidents of the country’s top academic criminological societies, 88% of these experts rejected the notion that the death penalty acted as a deterrent (death penalty information center, Aug.30,2010) In my personal opinion on the death penalty is that of support for it. I believe that if you commit a crime you should have to pay for that crime. Whether it is with time and restitution for smaller crimes or it is death for more serious thought crimes. I do feel that if someone commits murder or rape shouldn’t be allowed to ever have a chance to do any of those crimes again. I know people say “well if they get life in prison they will not be able to commit these crimes again”. My response is what if they escape and come to your house while they are dodging the law, rape and kill your family would you still want them locked up for life? I wouldn’t I do not believe that your age should have anything to do with you receiving the death penalty, as long as you can discern right from wrong and be at least 12 years of age or older. If you are 12 years old or older and you commit a serious enough crime I think you should also be sentenced to death. I think if our country supported something like this it would deter younger people from committing such serious crimes. Anything younger than that is considered a child in my opinion. Currently today in the United States the laws vary from state to state on the age limits ranging from 16 in some states to 18 in most states, before someone can be


References: Schaefer, R. T (2009) Sociology a brief introduction 8th edition. New York, NY Death penalty statistics (2008) Amnesty International USA retrieved from http://www.amnestyUSA.org/death-penalty/International-death-penalty/death-penalty-statistics-2008/page.do?id=1011348 Facts about the death penalty (updated Aug.30, 2010) Death penalty information (2010) retrieved from http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/documents/factsheet.pdf
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