Pro/Con Essay
The death penalty is a highly contested issue in regards to legality, ethics, and methods throughout the world. Currently, the sentencing of people to death is used only against the world’s toughest criminals and in most cases the general public can agree that the executions are justifiable. Executions have been known to act as a deterrent for future criminal acts and put to death those who really are dangers to society. However, issues surrounding the legality and morality of the death penalty have arisen. The methods in which criminals are executed, people being found innocent following incarceration and whether it works as an effective deterrent have been contested amongst scholars and editors constantly. The death penalty has its pros and cons, some argue its ability to make for a safer society and some argue it does more harm than good.
The death penalty does what it is supposed to do: eliminate criminals deemed unfit for society. In only the most brutal of cases involving acts of violence so terrible that the punishment of death is justifiable, will execution be discussed as an option for punishment. While most states have outlawed capital punishment and other states that allow it have implemented increasingly stringent regulations on those facing death row, the death penalty serves an important role of putting to death those proven unable to safely reenter society following time served. Other reasons for its positive side include helping with the overcrowding of prisons, and modern DNA testing technology being able to mitigate almost all uncertainty as to a person’s innocence (Messerli). The problems with the death penalty prior to the development of modern technology was that many criminals were being executed and later found innocent when further evidence was discovered. This creates a general lack of faith in the judicial system to properly submit solid evidence prior to an issuance of capital punishment. The overcrowding of the prison system in the U.S. has become a major political issue and the death penalty helps to mitigate some issues with that despite only taking out a small percentage of the prisons population. The death penalty is considered by many in today’s society to be an essential part of the judicial system. It stands as a factor of fear to criminals and those who are considering committing a crime by making them think twice about the consequences versus the reward. Support for the death penalty can be seen around the nation, even people who may oppose the killing of a human being on behalf of a crime they committed, they understand that this is viable solution to a major problem in our society.
Death penalty has also been subject to much scrutiny in recent years. This has been due to many factors including financial issues, the deterrent factor and the fact that it sends the wrong message to the public about executing those who have killed others as a way of justification. The execution of even the world’s most dangerous criminals is most often viewed in a negative light due to its barbaric nature and the fact that it costs taxpayers large sums of money. This is due to the longevity of the trials and the countless appeals processes that may result. According to BalancedPoltics.org, it is not uncommon for death row criminals to be held for upwards of 15-20 years (Messerli). Additionally, the endless hearings, trials and appeals lead to a clog in the court system since cases involving in capital punishment tend to get the most attention by judicial officials. Aside from the judicial issues, the death penalty is often falsely advertised to be a deterrent from violent crime when most evidence has shown no connection to execution halting violent crime. According to one source, “…violent crimes such as murder are often illogical and expressive acts…” (Smith). This proves that there is no relationship between execution rates and violent crime rates. Some see the death penalty as a justifiable way of punishing a criminal for their acts, but some see it in a different light. Some would agree that the death penalty is indeed barbaric in nature and that the “eye for an eye” mentality behind the execution of violent criminals. Executing convicted criminals will only send a message that it is acceptable to use killing as a way of settling crime and not allowing the prisoner to imbue any personal changes since they know they are condemned to death. Some would argue that serving a life sentence does more than executing a criminal on the spot because it allows the convicted felon time to reflect on the past and may result in drastic enough changes that parole may be possible. There is strong support for abolishing of the death penalty because of its nature and moral and financial issues as well as it being an inhumane method of dealing with societal issues..
The death penalty has been a highly contested issue for many years. It has been around since before modern times and centuries ago it was considered common practice to execute those found guilty of even petty crimes. Since then, society has come a long way to determine that executing everyone found guilty of a crime does not solve any problems. However, society does still see the need for punishments that fit the crime which in some cases of violent crime, that punishment is death. This creates the current argument in modern society of whether or not capital punishment is a viable method of dealing with criminals. While there are many issues, there are just as many pros to having capital punishment as a punishment in our judicial system. Overall there is a strong argument on both sides and both give solid evidence backing each position up.
Works Cited
- Smith, Candace. “Sociology Lens.” Sociology Lens RSS. The Society Pages, 14 Aug. 2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.
- Messerli, Joe. “BalancedPolitics.org – Death Penalty (Pros & Cons, Arguments For and Against, Advantages & Disadvantages).” BalancedPolitics.org – Death Penalty (Pros & Cons, Arguments For and Against, Advantages & Disadvantages). N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2015.