The Pros And Cons Of The Death Penalty Deter Crime

The argument on whether or not the death penalty should be used on criminals in the Michigan and other states without the death penalty is very diverse and complex. Many studies have shown, that the death penalty does not deter crime. Every year, hundreds of people are murdered in Michigan. The proponents of the death penalty argued that if Michigan was a death penalty state, our murder rate would be much lower. History and data tell a different story. In fact, more murders occur in death penalty states than non-death penalty states. According to Death Penalty Information Center, in 2013, there were 4.72 murders per 100,000 people in death penalty states compared with 3.88 murders per 100,000 people in non-death penalty states. Further

While answering the door, one spring day in 1972, when 17 year old David Bennett, asked if he could borrow her phone to call for a mechanic as his car had broken down. Not thinking anything of it, Vivian Berry allowed this young teen in her house, and went to get the yellow pages, to get him the phone for the mechanic. David Bennett took this crime of opportunity to rob Mrs. Berry of her money and stab her 72 times. When her young daughter arrived from high school, she found her partially clothed mother, lying on the garage floor, in a pool of blood. The criminal, David Bennett, was captured and spots of blood were visible on his shoes. As of this writing, he continues to sit in a Michigan prison where he has already served 43 years and will not see the day of light, for the rest of his life. (People v. Bennett, Court of Appeals of Michigan, April 30, 1974). For the Berry family, they continue to feel a sense of justice as they know, he continues to suffer in a prison cell. All they have to do is look up his face on the Michigan Prison System, and they will see a 61 year old rotting human. (Michigan Department of Corrections) That to them, is a greater justice, then giving this criminal a dose of injection to terminate his

Others have argued that mistakes can be made in the judicial system where an innocent person is wrongly convicted. When that happens, and a person is sent to prison for life, that person can be later released, once the mistake is found. On the other hand, once a criminal is executed, you can never bring that person back from the dead. Another argument is that a murder can be rehabilitated and can make up for his crime, by serving his prison term, and paying back society. Once a criminal is executed, there is no chance for rehabilitation or paying back