How would you feel if your mother or father was slaughtered slowly and painfully, should the person that did this to them still have the opportunity to live? I believe the death penalty should be legal throughout the entire nation. There are many reasons for why I believe the death penalty should be legalized in […]
Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “There is a certain right by which we many deprive a man of life, but none by which we may deprive him of death; this is mere cruelty.” With that being said, I strongly disagree with the death penalty. David Hume’s wrote about “Enquiry concerning human understanding” and stated in those […]
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Get startedThe ethics of death penalty is already a huge controversy itself. However, when an individual whose goal is to make others live participates in such an action, the public and critics undeniably retaliate against it. Just how an ambulance intentionally crashing into a person is contradictory, physician participation in the death penalty is not any […]
Cruelty has been poisoning the earth for as long as we can remember. More effort has been applied to creative punishments rather than addressing the problem. Since the eighteenth century man has found reason to execute human beings. For many years this execution process has come with numerous difficulties, and recently has become more of […]
For decades, the death penalty has taken its place in the group of controversial topics. Philosophers, scientists, biologists, physicians, and people from various professions have asserted their ideas on the ethics of death penalty. The intentional action to kill a human being for his/her “wrongdoing” is what sparks the argument against death penalty. In the […]
Through this paper, the authors would like to analyze the merits and demerits of capital punishment and also the position of capital punishment in India and other nations. Firstly, authors will explain the meaning ,nature and definition of death penalty. Then, authors will analyze position of capital punishment in Indian nation, important case laws related […]
Today right now will discuss capital punishment, and in the event that I concur or differ with this alternative. Capital punishment is an extreme discipline and an unforgiving one. Before giving my conclusion about this contention, you should know a little about this subject. The possibility of the death penalty was brought over from England, […]
The two controversial topics that have grasped people’s attention are euthanasia and death penalization. The subject itself has roots that have been developed from the beginning of humankind. It is interesting to learn about this subject of matter because it may be useful to know in certain situations. Also, learning if there is a right […]
Intro In 1992 a senior citizen who was around for the Clinton presidential campaign and administration decided to support capital punishment. The imbalance of death row requires abolition to America support and effect save lives. In philosophy perspective, as we human beings think that the death row is wrong and brutal. Other perhaps to think […]
Ethical discussions surrounding the Judicial System can be a delicate subject. Personal bias and emotions can stand in the way when the preservation of human life is the topic. The death penalty is seen by some as an appropriate punishment, while others view it as a crime against humanity. The arguments for the death penalty […]
To summarize the current situation in the United States with respect to capital punishment for minors suggests that most of the 38 capital punishment states puts minors in a position to be subject to the death penalty and bypassing adult criminal court. Many believe that minors shouldn’t be held to same standards as adults, even […]
Justice to a criminal should not be a dragged out death by injection of drugs or an electric chair, but by a mental suffering of not knowing what will happen next. The death penalty isn’t worth the money put into it. Killing off a criminal for a capital murder doesn’t resolve anything, it causes more […]
“Being on death row, It ain’t like nothin’. You don’t live for tomorrow, next week, or next month. Cause you don’t know if you’ve got tomorrow, next week, or next month. You live for today.” a quote by a man on death row. The death penalty also known as capital punishment. Is punishing someone via […]
The death penalty has always been and always will be an extremely controversial topic. While some people believe that it is wrong to take another person’s life after the victim’s life has been taken, others believe that capital punishment is justifiable. Each state in America has their own set of rules and regulations for this […]
When it comes to the topic of the “Death Penalty” and communities will always see two sides on the very Controversial topic. The loss of life is it up to God or up to the judicial system? This debate may go on forever, however there are many factors to come up with the final verdict. […]
There are many different views on the death penalty. Some believe it’s right some believe it’s right some believe it’s wrong. Some believe that it should be extinguish all together and some believe that only certain really bad people should have to deal with it. Over the last few months I’ve done a lot of […]
“Controversial, giving rise or likely to giving rise to public disagreement.” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). The Death Penalty defines controversy, the subject of whether your going to kill someone for a specific crime or give them jail-time. This topic has many different viewpoints, because of the objective of granting someone’s death. The Death Penalty, although very controversial […]
The persistent hum of a fluorescent bulb fails to drown the sound of your heartbeat, your thoughts, the faint weeping of your mother. A warm sensation travels through cold veins, there is no return now. Perhaps a lifetime in supermax would have been worse, but perhaps you should not have slaughtered that girl. Did you? […]
Plainly speaking, and dispensing with all paraphrases, punishment is nothing but a means of society to defend itself against the infraction of its vital conditions, whatever may be their character. In the present time, Capital Punishment is one of the most criticized and debated punishment. Jurists are of the view that the death penalty serves […]
By the end of 2017, 106 countries had completely abolished the death penalty. The United States has 30 states who still use the death penalty as punishment. Many argue if Capital Punishment – the death penalty- should still be used in today’s time. Capital Punishment should be abolished in the United States because it violates […]
According to a report by the Prison Policy Initiative, Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2018, 2.3 million people in the U.S. are in the prison system (Prison Policy Initiative, 2018). The criminal justice system is an expensive, inadequate government program that fails to provide equal justice, especially to the poor and people of color. Equally […]
The United States of America is currently the only Western country to continue to permit the death penalty in this day and age. 137 countries have abolished the death penalty. 31 out of 50 American states use the death penalty, as long as the government may allow. The death penalty may have been the most […]
Since ancient times, people have used the death penalty to punish criminals for the wrongs they did. In the past, executions were carried out by beheading, in gas chambers, or by the firing squad. Today, lethal injection is most widely used for capital punishment.
As barbaric as this practice might seem, it is still legal in many civilized countries like the United States. Despite all democratic, technological, and educational breakthroughs, the US remains the only advanced democracy that hasn’t prohibited the death penalty.
Hence, the debate is ongoing about the reasons for not abolishing it and its effectiveness in reality. Can capital punishment deter crime, and do we need it to become a better version of ourselves?
The controversy about whether this punishment should get obliviated offers rich land for argumentative essays about the death penalty. Teachers want to hear your opinion, be it in the form of a speech or research paper, so they often assign this topic to students. Whatever your preference, your work must follow a specific outline that consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion to get your points across to the audience.
Before writing, we suggest reading a few essay examples on death penalty at SupremeStudy. Besides understanding the pros and cons of the concept, these samples will help you craft compelling thesis statements and arguments. Below you will find numerous essay topics worth considering. Alternatively, we offer practical online help with research, summary composition, citing, and editing services.
The justice system is a system that is based upon the evidence given in court, where a jury or a judge then makes a verdict. The most heinous verdict of all is to be sentenced to death. The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is issued by the government where the convicted are killed by the state through execution (Issitt, 2013). We as human beings have no right to decide, based on evidence which could be falsified, to take away someone’s life.
As humans, we make mistakes and are nowhere near perfect, so therefore our system is not one hundred percent qualified to make the decision on whether to take a life or not. Even if that person has done the most vicious crime there is, who are we to play God? It is believable that a more fitting punishment is for the convicted to be sentenced to life in prison. Living in a violent environment without any type of liberty will hopefully discourage any potential criminals. The death penalty should not be allowed in all cases because there is a dark side to it, there is both a moral and financial toll to execution, and it is discriminatory towards certain groups.
Capital punishment started as far back in the 18th century BC where the penalty had been established as a punishment for crimes (Reggio). It was also practiced by Greeks and Romans in ancient times. In the United States, the first person to be executed as a criminal was a man by the name of George Kendall in Virginia in 1608 due to the act of espionage (Reggio). This is not surprising when it comes to society and its thoughts and opinions on the topic the matter at hand; there are two sides to this debate. Some people believe that it brings closure for the victim’s family; there would be contemptuous feelings towards the killer and there would be a desire for them to receive punishment.
On the other hand, there are people who believe that is morally wrong to take away someone’s life away. It is true that the debate for this argument in society will never end. There will never be a clear answer of whether it is right or wrong. There are many who believe that this punishment violates a person’s eighth amendment rights. Almost half or 49% of Americans say that they would prefer life imprisonment for convicted murders over the death penalty (Wilson, 2014). Currently in our nation, there are only nineteen states who have abolished the death penalty and have made it illegal to utilize. Meanwhile, there are still thirty-one states where the punishment is still legal. However, in 1972, there were only three states where the death penalty was legal.
Humans are not perfect; therefore, there is no way for our justice system to be perfect with no flaws. People make mistakes everyday so why is there power given to individuals to take someone’s life away? There are innocent people every day that get accused based off of false evidence and are sentenced. It then usually takes a significant amount of time to notice the mistakes made and that they are in fact not guilty. What happens if that person is sentenced to death? What happens after we have already executed them for a crime they did not commit?
For example, in 1994, a 14-year-old boy named George Stinney Jr. was put on trial for murder (Beaver, 2014). It took only 10 minutes for the jury to convict a child and sentence him to execution (Beaver, 2014). They put a 100 lb. child in an electric chair where the straps were too big to fit him due to his frail body (Beaver, 2014). These electric chairs or lethal injections don’t instantly kill individual; in fact, they are prone to failure and are known to cause extreme pain.
The people being executed usually die from the excruciating pain. That is what we as human beings put a child through, even though only to find out 70 years after his execution he was innocent (Beaver, 2014). It is abhorrent to think people are being sentenced to a slow death because of a crime they committed; such behavior is painful and torturing. We are torturing them slowly and painfully. Additionally, killing someone for a crime they committed would not bring the dead back to life; instead it would cost tax payers millions of dollars. For these reasons, the death penalty should be banned in our society.
Death penalty is government sponsored ‘murder’ which is morally and ethically wrong. Some people might call it retribution, but at the core level, it is a civilized nation deliberately ending the life of a sentient living being. The fore fathers of United States of America fought for the God-given rights of liberty, life and pursuit of happiness, and believed that it is the job of the government to preserve those rights (Declaration of Independence). To them, the death penalty would seem like a tyrannical act, something they have fought so hard to avoid. The sanctity of life is echoed by the various religions around the world; almost all the major religions denounce the use of death penalty.
As stated by Pope John Paul II, “Human life from the beginning involved the ‘creative action of God’ and remains forever in a special relationship with the Creator, only God is the master of life.” (Williams, 2017). Aside from the moral and ethical dilemma, death penalty goes against the basic rights set by the eighth amendment. It states that “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” (The Bill of Rights: A Transcription, 2018). Death penalty falls under the cruel and unusual punishment since it extinguishes life in a violent and painful manner.
Death penalty takes a heavy toll on the taxpayers. There are numerous trials and appeals associated with the death penalty to lower the chances of convicting an innocent person. The cost of prosecution lies with the taxpayers and in some cases the cost of public defender as well, not to mention the cost of decades-long prison times while awaiting execution due to appeals. According to Bureau of Justice Statistics, on average, it costs $23,000 a year to keep someone in prison depending on the security.
Additionally, the death rows are among the costliest due to high security (Urbina, 2009). Even with the high cost of incarceration, a 2008 study of Maryland by Urban Institute concluded that it costs the state $2 million more to carry on death sentence than carrying on a life sentence (Urbina, 2009,). Similarly, the average cost of a federal death penalty case is $620,932 which is about 8 times higher than a non-death penalty murder case (Costs of the Death Penalty, 2018).
Since the taxpayers are ultimately responsible for the cases, it indirectly affects the budget for public services. It might also have to increase tax or levy higher fines to cover costs. A report by National Bureau of Economic research estimates that between 1982 and 1997 the extra cost of capital trial was 1.6 billion and to manage the cost, the local counties decreased the funding for highways and police and increased taxes (Costs of the Death Penalty, 2018).
Furthermore, another reason why the death penalty should be illegal is because it disproportionately affects those of a minority race or a lower economic status. The death penalty often targets those who identify as a race that is not Caucasian. In 2017 study done, it was found that about 41% of those on death row were classified as African-American, while 13% were classified as Hispanic (MacDougall, Williams, 2018). On the other hand, within the federal system, it was found that about 42.6% of those on death row, about 26 out of 61 inmates, were classified as African American, while 13% of those on death row, about 7 out of 61 inmates, were classified as Hispanic (MacDougall, Williams, 2018).
Racial discrimination affects the death penalty in court cases as well. In the years 1995 to 2000, 682 cases were given to the Department of Justice to review in order to make an informed decision about whether the death penalty should be given (MacDougall, Williams, 2018). Out of all these cases, 324 perpetrators were classified as African-American, while 195 perpetrators were classified as Hispanic (MacDougall, Williams, 2018). In contrast, about 20% of these death penalty cases had Caucasian perpetrators (MacDougall, Williams, 2018).
Not only does the death penalty unlawfully affect minorities, it also affects those lower on the socio-economic scale. Individuals at an economic disadvantage cannot actually hire proper representation (Bright, 2002). The lack of proper legal defense is a significant factor in death penalty cases that involve innocent individuals (Bright, 2002). When a person’s lawyers have completed an incompetent job in trying to defend in their court case and leave out important facts to give to the jury, and in turn they are then are more likely to be sentenced to death row (Bright, 2002).
Advocates of capital punishment ground their reinforcement of the penalization on the fact that execution perpetually eradicates the worst felons from society (Michigan State University and Death Penalty Center). It serves as an illustration and reminder that society can take tough initiative when required (Michigan State University and Death Penalty Center). Society is better by getting rid of murderers. Society has constantly used chastisement to dissuade prospective felons from criminal deeds (Michigan State University and Death Penalty Center).
Since society has the uppermost concentration in avoiding manslaughter, it should use the sturdiest punishment obtainable to prevent murder, and that is the death penalty (Michigan State University and Death Penalty Center). If murders are condemned to death and executed, possible murderers will deliberate before murdering on behalf of terror of losing their individual existence (Michigan State University and Death Penalty Center). Conclusively, the death penalty unquestionably ‘deters’ the killer who is eradicated (Michigan State University and Death Penalty Center).
Malicious murderers should be executed to avoid them from killing again, in prison, in society if they would be released from prison (Michigan State University and Death Penalty Center). Together as a warning and as a form of everlasting incapacitation, the death penalty aids to preclude impending criminal activities (Michigan State University and Death Penalty Center).
Some would say that the death penalty deters individuals from committing atrocious crimes (Issitt, 2013). However, according to data and studies executed, the crime rates are shown as decreased in states that have forbidden capital punishment as an option for a prisoner (Issitt, 2013). As stated by the Death Penalty Information Center, in 2015, it was found that the most murders were committed in the Southern region of the United States, which also happens to be the area that executes the most prisoners (Issitt, 2013). It has been found that neither supporters nor opponents of the death penalty have been able to produce evidence that conclusively determines the role of capital punishment in crime deterrence” (Issitt, 2013). Also, according to the top criminologists in the country, eighty-eight percent of them believe that the death penalty does not deter individuals from homicide (DPIC, 2018). Seventy-five percent of these criminologists also believe that “debates about the death penalty distract Congress and state legislatures from focusing on real solutions to crime problems” (DPIC, 2018).
Overall, the death penalty is a controversial topic today. Proponents of the death penalty claim that it is a vital contrivance for upholding rules, dissuades corruption, and has less expenditures than life imprisonment. Opponents of the death penalty declare it that it does not at all deter crime, erroneously provides governments the authority to murder an individual, and immortalizes social prejudices. The death penalty is the process by which convicted criminals are executed by a governing authority. In layman’s terms, it is murder committed by governments under the pretense of social justice, also known as capital punishment. The advantage of not sanctioning the death penalty is that innocent people will not be executed, and there is a lower chance of both heinous crimes being committed and more of a prison labor force.
