Death Penalty: Needed Sacrifice or Legal Homicide?

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One of the most controversial issues in our country is whether or not the death penalty should be abolished. The death penalty is an abomination to humanity. Through the abolition of the death penalty people are saved from a morally unjust death. No matter who they are, no one has the right to take another human beings life away from them. The death penalty has been around since the dawn of time and needs to be abolished. Thus, as the number of people on death row continues to rise, The United States Federal Government must abolish the death penalty due to ethics, religion, and unconstitutionality. Opponents of this position argue that the death penalty is a necessary evil. One of the top arguments is that you must punish offenders to discourage others from committing similar offenses (Radelet 44). Many people also feel that the victim’s families deserve closure. The prisoners have to pay for their crime and deserve the punishment that they get. Using the death penalty helps deal with the overpopulation in prisons. There are not enough resources or space to house prisoners for life. This statement can be true to a certain point. However, when talking about sacrificing one person’s life for the greater good of society, no man should have the authority to end someone’s life. One of the biggest issues that opponents argue is how much the victims suffer if the killer is not put to death. A murderer not only affects the person they kill, but also the victim’s friends and family’s life. They have to live with the grief of losing a loved one. If the killer is not put to death they could get the feeling that someone is out to get them. They will not be able to rest until the killer is tried and executed. Although this side of the argumen... ... middle of paper ... ...2006." Columbia Law Review 107.1 (2007): 1-130. Business Source Complete. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. Mulligan, Kenneth. "Pope John Paul II And Catholic Opinion Toward The Death Penalty And Abortion." Social Science Quarterly (Wiley-Blackwell) 87.3 (2006): 739-753. Business Source Complete. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. Murray, Gregg R. "Raising Considerations: Public Opinion And The Fair Application Of The Death Penalty." Social Science Quarterly (Wiley-Blackwell) 84.4 (2003): 753-770. Business Source Complete. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. Radelet, Michael L., and Marian J. Borg. "The Changing Nature Of Death Penalty Debates." Annual Review Of Sociology 26.1 (2000): 43. Business Source Complete. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. Sangiorgio, Chiara. "The Death Penalty And Public Information On Its Use." International Review Of Law, Computers & Technology 25.1/2 (2011): 33-41. Computer Source. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.

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