In this argumentative essay about death penalty, our professional essay writers are digging deep into the main reason why death sentence was established. We look into arguments for and against death penalty, and bring you evidence why capital punishment should be abolished altogether. We are also revealing to you the alarming rate of capital punishment in the United States, and methods used to execute death row victims.
Argumentative essay about death penalty/capital punishment
A lot has certainly been said about death sentence. Opinions regarding death penalty topic differ from country to country, and some countries have resolved to abolish it altogether. The uselessness of death penalty can simply be calculated by crime rate that is steadily rising year by year. This indeed proves that the number of criminal acts cannot simply be controlled by issuing a death sentence.
It is amazing how some governments quickly think of executing their citizens, instead of helping them out of crime. The fact that some of those sentenced to death are innocent is without a doubt very disturbing. All that we need to do is to find the causes of crimes committed, and provide lasting solutions. If the rising crime rate is as a result of high numbers of unemployed youth, let governments create employment for their young men and women.
Why was capital punishment established?
It is obvious that death penalty was initiated with a main aim of curbing rising crime rate around the world. Figures, nonetheless, indicate that death penalty has not achieved the missions for which it was established. Indeed, there are no positive results related to death sentence. Some people however think otherwise, as we will later see in our argumentative essay about death penalty. Were it as successful as expected, statistics would certainly indicate a lower crime rate in countries like the US, which are yet to abolish death penalty in their 29 states.
Statistics show contrary results, which simply mean that death penalty is doing poorly than it was expected. As soon as it was established by the American Colonies, its main reason for establishment was buried. Revenge is arguably one of the main aims of capital punishment, and this certainly is against human rights.
Is death penalty effective?
To date, not a single person has produced substantial evidence to prove that death penalty is an effective way of controlling crime rate. Nonetheless, there are ample facts to confirm that the disadvantages of death penalty outweigh its advantages. Inasmuch as those subjected to death penalty may have been proved guilty beyond reasonable doubts, there are also possibilities that some who received the death penalty sentence could actually be innocent.
There are certainly no statistical figures to indicate the number of people subjected to death penalty since its establishment. There are however high chances that an innocent person could have been executed for crimes they never committed in the first place. Two wrongs certainly don’t make a right. It is obvious that you cannot bring back a murder victim by simply executing their murderers. No doubt, death penalty brings us more bad than good. Death penalty should therefore be sentenced to death.
If a certain percentage of people executed are not guilty, It is for sure reasonable enough to put an end to death penalty. Every country operates with ease on well established infrastructure. Some of the countries that are yet to abolish death penalty certainly do not have any infrastructure to boast for. What good does it bring a country to use millions of dollars to execute its citizens? Cant they build roads and feed their people using money set aside to execute death row victims?
Alarming capital punishment rate
Moreover, there is another alarming fact. In the United States, the African American population is close to 14%. Logically, the number of African Americans on the death row should simply be as low as their population in the entire US. Ironically, the number of African
Americans who are on the execution list is close to 50%. Alarming, isn’t it? What does this mean? Is it that African Americans are more likely to commit capital offences than Native Americans? What other statistical facts do governments need to abolish death penalty?
No doubt, this death penalty thing is more of a disadvantage to African Americans than it is to natives. Nonetheless, it does not mean that death penalty should be abolished just because there are more African Americans on the death row. Without a doubt, execution is execution. The color of skin that was or is on the death row to be executed does not matter. Whether black or white, execution is against humanity, and should be sitting at the verge of abolition.
Capital Punishment Execution Methods
Lethal injection, which is the most widely-used execution method, hanging, lethal gas, electrocution or firing squad are all painful, and in fact, very cruel to any human being, regardless of their race or crimes committed for that matter. If death penalty succeeded in reducing crime rates around the world, its existence would have been justified.
There are however no substantiated facts to indicate that death penalty has succeeded in achieving its main establishment goal. No doubt, abolishing death penalty is the way to go. Nations that are yet to abolish capital punishment should abolish it sooner rather than later.
Nonetheless, not everyone is against death penalty. There are many others who think that issuing death sentence is the best punishment for capital offenders. According to them, inmates who are facing treason, espionage, murder and other charges categorized under capital offences should not serve jail terms, but simply be executed.
What are the reasons why some people advocate for execution of capital offenders? Some pro-death penalty people think that death penalty helps in preventing impending murders. Others argue that any just society should think of issuing death sentences to capital offenders. Our death penalty essay digs deep into their arguments to see whether or not they have valid arguments regarding death penalty argumentative essay topic.
Does death penalty curb future murders?
Administering punishments to offenders has certainly been used for several years to prevent future unlawful acts. Because the society is keen on ensuring that crimes such are treason and murder are drastically reduced, some think that issuing tough punishments like execution is the best way. They argue that when potential murders see or hear of other murders being gotten rid of, they are likely to think otherwise for fear of going through the same process.
Moreover, some capital offenders are incorrigible. A number of them are likely to commit the same offenses that sent them to jail. If they serve jail terms and are released back to the society, they are likely to come out bitter and seek revenge. Executing them altogether will therefore ensure that the number of people with such ill motives is reduced and ultimately prevent future murders.
Death sentence for capital offenders in a just society
Every just society requires a death sentence for capital offenders.
The Old Testament phrase that states, an “eye for eye” and a “tooth for a tooth” has indeed been the heart of argument for those who are pro-death penalty. They think that an individual who ends the life of another deserves nothing but a very tough punishment, and execution is that punishment.
If a person commits a crime like murder, and they are beyond reasonable doubt proved guilty, and later on sent to jail for 20 years and released back to the society, the family of the victim will certainly feel cheated. They would feel that the criminal justice system failed them. To them, 20 years is not equivalent to the life of the murder victim.
On the other hand, if the murderer is subjected to any execution method, the family and even the society at large will think that the criminal justice system worked properly, and that the capital offender truly deserved to be executed. To some, any kind of punishment that is less that a death penalty for capital offenders is likely to challenge the society’s value when it comes to protecting lives.
Indeed, 20 years in jail cannot be enough to pay for the life of a murder victim. Execution is therefore the best punishment. Death penalty is for sure a fair process. States that are yet to embrace this mode of punishing capital offenders should be thinking of implementing it.
Conclusion of argumentative essay about death penalty
Death penalty is against humanity. There is no way we can make a right out of two wrongs. The saying that goes, an “eye for an eye” should not be taken literally. We should not execute a murderer for offenses they committed. Nonetheless, as a society that is keen on protecting lives, we cannot let those who end the lives of others to go unpunished. We should ensure that our criminal justice system gives murder victims the justice they deserve, and their families adequately compensated.
This therefore means that our justice system should come up with punishments that can replace death sentence. Serving life in prison would definitely be the best punishment for a murder. Execution will simply mean that we are going against our religious teachings that ask us not to kill, and to love one another.
What do you think? Are you also of the same opinion, or are you of the contrary opinion? If you think that death penalty is a perfect way of curbing crime rate in the society, and that it should be embraced by more countries, what part of “Thou Shall Not Kill” don’t you understand? Share your thoughts.
Works cited for argumentative essay about death penalty
Margaret Renkl. “What Part of ‘Thou Shalt not Kill’ Don’t We Understand?” The New York Times, 2019, .
Zaria Gorvett. “The people rethinking methods of execution, Criminal Myths” BBC Future, 2018, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20180604-is-there-a-humane-way-to-kill-a-criminal.
Denise-Marie Ordway. “Capital punishment and death row inmates: A research roundup” Journalist’s Resource, 2019, https://journalistsresource.org/studies/government/criminal-justice/capital-punishment-death-row-research/.
ProCon. “Federal Capital Offenses, US Capital Offences Punishable by Death” ProCon, 2012, https://deathpenalty.procon.org/federal-capital-offenses/
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