The death penalty is one of the most controversial topics in the United States. Supporters of the death penalty argue that it deters crime, provides justice for victims, and is an appropriate punishment for heinous crimes. Opponents, on the other hand, argue that the death penalty is immoral, ineffective, and disproportionately applied to people of color and those with low incomes. One of the main arguments against the death penalty is that it is not an effective deterrent to crime. Studies have shown that states with the death penalty actually have higher murder rates than those without it. Additionally, many people believe that the death penalty is immoral and violates the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Furthermore, many people who are sentenced to death are later found to be innocent. In some cases, people have been exonerated after spending decades on death row. Despite these problems, many people still support the death penalty. They argue that it provides justice for victims and their families, and that some crimes are so heinous that the death penalty is the only appropriate punishment.

The Death Penalty. Also known as capital punishment, is a legal process where a person is put to death by the state as a punishment for a crime that they have committed. The use of the death penalty varies widely between countries, with some countries having abolished it entirely, some having it only for certain crimes, and others using it more frequently. The death penalty is typically reserved for the most serious crimes, such as murder, treason, or espionage. In countries that still use the death penalty, the methods of execution also vary, and can include lethal injection, hanging, electrocution, or firing squad. The use of the death penalty is highly controversial, with proponents arguing that it is a necessary deterrent to serious crime and a just punishment for heinous crimes, while opponents argue that it is inhumane, ineffective at preventing crime, and prone to errors and biases in the justice system. There are various arguments that one can make about the death penalty. Some arguments for those who agree with the death penalty may argue that the death penalty provides a sense of closure and justice for the families of the victims, who may feel that the perpetrator has received a just punishment for their actions. It also serves as a strong deterrent to prevent people from committing serious crimes, as the fear of facing the ultimate punishment may discourage them from acting on their impulses. On the other hand, others might argue that it violates fundamental human rights, as it involves the state taking the life of a human being, which they see as a violation of the right to life and the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Critics of the death penalty point out that the justice system is not infallible, and that mistakes can be made, resulting in the execution of innocent people. They also argue that the death penalty is disproportionately applied to people who are poor, members of racial or ethnic minorities, or who do not have access to high-quality legal representation. Some opponents of the death penalty argue that it is not an effective deterrent to crime, as studies have shown that there is no clear evidence that it reduces crime rates more than other forms of punishment, such as life imprisonment. Therefore, this paper will go through all of the main points there are to go over for this very debatable topic. 

The death penalty may seem like justice however it violates one of the core rights we all have as human beings, the right to live.  Isn’t life in jail for these criminals enough? No one should determine the death of another despite the crimes they committed.”The death penalty completely negates the principle of rehabilitation in society and respect for human rights.” (“Execution does not serve Justice”). The death penalty shows that there is room for rehabilitation, no chance for them to reflect on what they have done. 372 Swedish prisoners were put in a Reasoning and Rehabilitation program where according to Berman “evaluation showed significant pro-social short-term improvements among program completers in sense of coherence, impulsiveness, venturesomeness, attitudes towards the law, courts and police, tolerance of law violation and criminal identification”(3). This shows that rehabilitation works better for prisoners and gives them a chance of obtaining knowledge and allows them to change for the better. This doesn’t excuse what they did but it makes sure they are less likely to do it if they leave prison. The death penalty has shown why it doesn’t truly work to deter crime. “During the last 20 years, the homicide rate in states with the death penalty has been 48% – 101% higher than in states without the death penalty.”(Death Pen Info Center). The numbers speak for themselves, crime is not deterred due to the death penalty, it doesn’t scare anyone into not committing a crime and it’s most likely due to crimes like murder happening while people are intoxicated. People who aren’t in the right mental state to begin with don’t think that the rash,impulsive decision of taking someone’s life would take their own too. The death penalty shouldn’t be continued. It is a violation of core human rights, it doesn’t deter crime, it doesn’t make the world a better place at all. People should pay for their crimes in prison, they have a right to live just like everyone else does. B.P

              There are several reasons regarding keeping the death penalty in our society. First and foremost, there is a serious risk of killing innocent people. The Innocence Project reports that 185 people had been cleared of all charges and freed from the death penalty in the United States as of September 2021, demonstrating the justice system’s vulnerability. Considering the death penalty is irreversible, this creates difficult moral and ethical issues.Studies also showed racial and socioeconomic differences in the delivery of the death penalty. African Americans, in particular, have a high percentage among prisoners of color on death row, according to research by the Death Penalty Information Center. This suggests that the justice system for criminals may be biased, undermining fairness and equality. Furthermore, there has been much discussion on the death penalty’s usefulness as a deterrent to crime. Numerous studies, like those from the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, propose that there is insufficient proof to prove that the death penalty is a more effective deterrent to crime than other types of punishment. The right to life is a fundamental human right that is violated by the death sentence, according to international organizations like the Amnesty International Organization and the United Nations Human Rights Council. All of these reasons illustrate how the death penalty needs to be reevaluated in order to advance justice, fairness, and human rights.

The death penalty should still exist because some crimes people commit are so bad that it warrants a person’s death. Some of the crimes that could be considered for the death penalty are “murder, treason, genocide, or the killing or kidnapping of a Congressman, the President, or a Supreme Court justice.” According to the DPIC, twenty-seven states still enact the death penalty, states such as Texas, Florida, and California. Keeping the people who like to commit these crimes or is mentally ill should not be kept alive just for the safety of others even if the person is sentenced to life in prison. One of the cases in which the death penalty should be used is the school shooting that took place in Parkland, Florida in 2018 where a 19-year-old kid killed seventeen people in a high school and was only sentenced to life in prison. This person not getting the death penalty is outrageous because he was the reason that multiple families are grieving their kids, the youngest being 14 years old. A student, who survived the shooting, says that, “I heard the shot that killed him. Remembering that bang, it haunts me.” Any crime that has to do with abusing, sexually assaulting and grooming a child should get someone the death penalty because destroying and traumatizing a kid’s mental health is one the worst things someone can do as a human. So many school shooters have been able to avoid the death penalty because of how messed up the system is. Since the person is attempting to kill innocent children, a school shooter should definitely get the death penalty no matter what the situation is. Overall, the death penalty should not be removed because it helps prevent the person from committing the crime again, and because some crimes people commit are so bad that it warrants a person’s death.   (Damani)

The death penalty is still a topic of discussion in the United States. Both supporters and opponents of the death penalty have strong cases that should be taken into account. Opponents argue that the death penalty is an unethical and ineffective punishment that impacts most underprivileged communities, while supporters argue that it is an appropriate punishment for horrible crimes and offers closure to the families of the victims. In the end, the choice to keep or abolish the death penalty must be decided after giving great thought to these complex considerations and with a dedication to making sure that justice is served in an equal way for all.