Should death penalty be abolished? Whenever the word “death penalty ” comes up, extremists from both sides speak up for their arguments. One side says deterrence, the other side says it’s still likely for murderers to kill innocent people again; one side says the money on the criminals would result in tremendous money waste, the other side says criminals can instead contribute to the gross domestic product; one side says justice, retribution, and punishment, the other side says execution is murder. Therefore, this topic has been a controversial issue for centuries. After I read all the three articles about this issue, I come to the conclusion that death penalty should be abolished because criminals who are innocent are able to reunite with their families, immerse themselves into community services, and make the world better off.
People think that “death penalty” is the best policy to protect them from harm. First, the death penalty can be a warning sign and deter people who are intended to commit crimes. Especially those who are not afraid of breaking the law challenge the power of it. If the government abolishes the death penalty, they can be easily released on parole. Afterward, they are able to kill people because they don’t dread violating the law but enjoy killing. Second, the death penalty can get rid of the unnecessary waste on money for the criminals because they don’t need to be sentenced to life imprisonment and spend tremendous money of income tax from domestic people. Then the government can make the best of the income tax to contribute to more public facilities. Third, the death penalty can make the victims’ friends and parents feel much better. According to the Old Testament, “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and a life for a life.” By this saying, people can understand the definition of justice and realize the core of justice.
“Capital punishment all too frequently results in the execution of innocent people. Even worse, it might be racism.” (Rainella and Ford) Generally speaking, murderers can be divided into two groups, the premeditated murders and unpremeditated murders. Under the theory that capital punishment will deter crime, one who contemplates to murder will be deterred because he knows that if he is convicted he can be sentenced to death. This is widely believable. However, one who commits crimes because of his emotional arousal. Maybe one isn’t committing it and is set up by someone else. Is this kind of capital punishment working out? Besides, after they are executed, some of them are proved to be innocent. How can we save those executed people that are innocent in reality? Furthermore, “The blacks have committed forty-nine percent of all murders, and the whites are thirty-nine.”(Leykis) Are blacks more stupid and more barbarous than whites? Is the standard of capital punishment really fair to everyone?
The government is exaggerating the cost of imprisoning criminals nowadays and the rate of violent crime is increasing. “Most advocates of capital punishment exaggerate the expense of keeping a criminal in prison.”(Ford) Instead, people who are sentenced to life imprisonment can involve themselves into community service so that they can still contribute to the society. Through this method, our world will be better off. “Over the past 31 years in the U.S., the more Catholics there are in a given jurisdiction, the fewer the execution.”(Recinella) Through the influence of religion, people can become more rational and intelligent. Thereby, this phenomenon proves that the expense of keeping a criminal in prison is not pricey. Besides, criminals are not a lot in the world right now and imprisonment are not waste of money at all.
Does the death penalty really mean justice in terms of victims’ parents and friends? “We shouldn’t place only money and good and services in the balance”(Ford) Crimes are divided into two kinds, reversible and irreversible crimes. If someone steals your money, one just needs to put it back. Nevertheless, one burns your house or stabs your eyes. You also burn one’s house and one’s eyes. Does it make you intact or make you feel better? Under this condition, it’s not clear how the crime can be balanced. You are certainly not better off because one is balanced. The sufferings of victims for their family and friends have been devastatingly painful. How can one recompense them for their suffering? How can one alleviate their suffering? Furthermore, people who executed murderers are under a lot of pressure. As for executors, they are really killing people now. Who would pity their feelings? Is this so-called justice? Apparently, it’s not.
I am for abolishing the death penalty. Some people think that death penalty is the best way to prevent people from hard; others think that death penalty can’t reduce the crime rate at all. Nevertheless, I can’t see why some people support death penalty. As long as the government abolishes the death penalty, citizens can benefit a lot from the act according to the above situations. Hence, we need to open our eyes and abolish the death penalty, so the world will become Shangri-la.
