Capital Punishment

7 Pages 1720 Words

I. The Problem
There is a big controversy over the morality of capital punishment and whether or not it works. Capital punishment, in America, is only used in felony cases such as murder or a felony burglary, where there was an unintended murder because of a robbery. People who are in favor of the death penalty say that the criminals deserve it, and it is the only way for justice to be served. People who are against the death penalty, say that it is immoral, that no person should be sentenced to death, it has no place in a civilized society, and that since the death penalty cannot be racially bias it should be banished. Capital punishment is justified by several means. First of all, it greatly discourages violent crimes like murder and rape. Many murderers are not serving most of their sentences nowadays, due to early parole or overcrowded prisons. If a murderer is sentenced to life imprisonment, not only does it cost the taxpayers money to support him/her but also their life in the jail is more then often better than that which some citizens live everyday. These first two facts encourage crime rather than impede them. Also, a person who commits murder deserves a punishment that fits the crime. Premeditated murder, being the vilest crime committed, calls for the only fit punishment-- death. The problem with the death penalty is that there is a chance of getting life imprisonment and that makes some criminals think that it is okay to commit murder.

II. Facts and Others Solutions
Currently, there are thirty-seven states that have the death penalty. Even the military has the death penalty. The other states, most of them in the Midwest and Northeast have abolished it. The only two states to not ever have the death penalty are Alaska and Hawaii.
Every year approximately 250 new offenders are added to death row. In 1994 there were 2,850 persons awaiting execution. Yet no more than thirty-eight people have been executed a year since 197...