Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Capital Punishment: Good or Bad? By Trina Porter and Nick Buchholz

Capital punishment or the death penalty is the killing of an individual by judicial process as a punishment for an offense. Capital punishment is used in an attempt to deter crimes but is a very controversial topic. For some, capital punishment should be used when an act is so vile, heinous, and destructive that a community may feel it’d be justifiable to deny that person’s life. For others, capital punishment violates morality and is unethical.

There are many compelling arguments about capital punishment that some who stand into consideration who stand outside the realm of morality. There is a possibility of error-what if the person on death row was innocent? Some suggest an unfair administration, claiming capital punishment is inflicted relatively on minorities. What about moderate circumstances such as many who commit heinous crimes have suffered from neglect, emotional trauma, cruelty, and lack of love that for some would make it unfair to hold them fully accountable for their wrongful acts.
In several states like New Jersey, they are abolishing the death penalty. They say that it is cruel and unusual punishment and feel that life without parole is just as good as using the death penalty. Just like from the question stated earlier, there have been several cases where a man or woman has been on death row and later acquitted of their charges because they were found innocent. Not only may it not be morally right, but it can also be economically wrong too because on average New Jersey is paying $11 million per year to enforce the death penalty even if it was not used that year. To counter that though, people may argue the fact that if someone murders someone, they should not be allowed to keep their life in prison without parole. Leaving these people in prison without parole is taking up the space to bring in other criminals charged with less heinous crimes. Also to keep these people alive in prison cells costs just about the same as it does to enforce the death penalty.
The real question is up to the people though. Do we think that it is unfair to use capital punishment to sentence criminals? Is it considered cruel and unusual punishment?

3 comments:

  1. Well I mean it is extremely cruel to put somebody on the death penalty especially if there is chance for error; however, if there is enough evidence to thoroughly conclude that the suspect is the murderer, wouldn't it be safe to say that what they did to the victim is cruel to?

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  2. Think about this, we are going to sentence someone to death, for killing someone. Doesn't that seem ironic? Punishing someone for what we are about to do? I think the death penalty should be banned, just as the criminal shouldn't kill someone, neither should we.

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  3. Think about this instead, a cereal killer is given the death sentence. This is a man who killed numerous people in the most disgusting and volatile ways. Does he not deserve to die? Do his numerous killings not justify his single death. He is placed in prison where he kills other prisoners with a lighter sentence. His insanity can not be cured, but by death. Do we really want to spend our tax dollars to keep this sick man alive. I know i don't and I'm sure the families of those he killed are sickened by the thought that their taxes are keeping their loved one's killer alive.

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