The Death Penalty Essay
opinion Essay
1732 words
I remember earlier this year watching an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, where one of the character’s was supposed to be receiving the death penalty in a week. He had been stabbed in the spine though, so he was in the hospital and in need of surgery, but he was trying to convince the doctors to just let him die so he didn’t have to receive the death penalty. I remember watching that episode and thinking, “this guy murdered several people he needs to get what he deserves.” However, I do not think that is the death penalty. The death penalty should never be used on anyone even if they’re a criminal. The history of the death penalty in the United States can be traced back to the 1600’s where the first death sentence was carried out in Virginia (Dwankowski, …show more content…
In this essay, the author
- Explains that 69 people have been released from death row since 1973 because of evidence that they are innocent. if the death penalty didn't exist, these people could still live long and happy lives.
- Opines that the money being used for the death penalty could be used on more effective violence prevention programs. everyone on death row should just be taken off and put in permanent imprisonment.
- Explains that the states that don't use the death penalty have lower rates of murder than those that do. the money for the death penalty should be put into programs to help communities become safer.
- Opines that the death penalty is traumatizing for the families and puts the focus on the legal consequences, instead of the human consequences.
- Opines that if a good lawyer can get someone out of the death penalty, they shouldn't even have it.
- Opines that the death penalty should never be used on anyone even if they’re a criminal.
- Opines that the death penalty is a better option for everyone, since it cuts the cost for tax-payers and keeps violent offenders off the streets forever.
Today, there are nineteen states without the Death Penalty including Massachusetts, Hawaii, Connecticut, and Minnesota ("States With and Without the Death Penalty"). Since 1973, a total of 69 people have been released from death row because of evidence that they are innocent (Dieter, "Innocence and the Death Penalty: The Increasing Danger of Executing the Innocent"). What if those 69 people were killed by the Death Penalty? The cops falsely accuse the wrong people of committing crimes all the time. Yeah, they have evidence to support it, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they have all the evidence or the right evidence. We are killing innocent people with the Death Penalty. In 1992, Cameron …show more content…
By doing this, it cuts the cost for tax-payers, and keeps the violent offenders off the streets forever ("Death Penalty Focus: Alternatives to the Death Penalty"). A sentence of Life Without Parole allows for mistakes to be corrected ("Death Penalty Focus: Alternatives to the Death Penalty"). The people who are actually innocent, but they thought were guilty than get a chance to prove themselves. They wouldn’t get that chance if they were dead because of the Death Penalty. It’s just a much better option for everyone. According to California Governor’s office, seven people were released since 1977 because they were able to prove themselves innocent ("Death Penalty Focus: Alternatives to the Death Penalty"). If they had gotten the Death Penalty than they wouldn’t be able to prove their innocence or continue to live their
Related
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- Persuasive Essay Against The Death Penaltyopinion essayGandhi said, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” Losing one life is enough, the government should not take another. The death penalty is the sentence of execution for murder or other capital crimes. In the United States, thirty-one states currently have the death penalty. The only crime that is punishable by death at the state level is murder. In October of 2015, Gallup reported that 61% of people were in favor of the death penalty, 37% of people opposed the death penalty, and 2% had no opinion (Gallup). The death penalty in America should be abolished in all 50 states because it is immoral and economically ineffective.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the death penalty should be abolished in all 50 states because it is immoral and economically ineffective.
- Opines that the death penalty should be removed from every justice system across america because it puts the lives of innocent people at risk.
- Opines that life in prison without parole is an alternative to the death penalty which can be just as effective.
- Explains that the death penalty is immoral and economically ineffective, and states governments would be better off if life in prison without parole was used instead.
- Argues that if every state abolished the death penalty, and instead used the alternative, life in prison without parole for capital crimes, they would save millions of dollars. the rehabilitation process would help lower the rate of reincarceration of prisoners.
- Concludes that the death penalty should be abolished across the nation because it is immoral and economically irresponsible to use in practice.
898 wordsRead More - Pros And Cons Of The Death Penaltyopinion essayThe death penalty is also known by many names such as Capital Punishment. The death penalty is the often referred to as the” death sentence. Since the year 1976 there has been 1,419 executions in the United States. Presently the death Penalty is legal 19 states, including Connecticut and illegal in 31 states. There are many pros and cons to death penalty. With the death penalty there are many bias as well.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the death penalty is also known as capital punishment. since 1976 there have been 1,419 executions in the united states.
- Opines that the death penalty would keep people safe. it would put a balance between good and evil in the world.
- Opines that if someone is a serial rapist/murder it would be in the best interest of the community to have that person put on death row.
- Explains that the death penalty contributes to one of the major problems that we face in jails and prisons today.
- Opines that using the death penalty would reduce overpopulation and deter people from committing crimes if they knew there was a higher chance for them to be put to death.
- Asks how many innocent people were put to death before improvements in dna testing and technology. should there be a review process of inmates on death row to make sure they are truly guilty?
- Explains the financial costs of the death penalty, stating that maintaining each death row prisoner costs taxpayers $90,000 more per year than a general population.
- Opines that abolishing the death penalty would save taxpayers money, but there are some people who believe that inmates deserve what they have coming to them.
- Opines that the youngest person ever put to death in america was a 14-year-old boy.
- Opines that the vatican has weighed in on this topic saying the death penalty is not only a refusal of the right to life, but it also is an affront to human dignity.
- Explains that there have been victims of crimes who still hold strong beliefs and were/are against the death penalty. in connecticut there has been a ruling stating that any remaining inmates on death row will not be put to death.
- Explains the pros and cons of a life sentence, comparing it to the death sentence.
- Opines that a life sentence would make sure there would be no more inmates. more than 200 innocent men and women have been freed in california alone.
- Explains that the life sentence does not put innocent lives at risk unlike the death penalty.
- Explains that life in prison is less costly than the death penalty, so more resources could be put into solving other crimes or investigating the crimes of those on death row.
- Explains that life in prison saves the taxpayers money. an article by the american civil liberates union of northern california found that housing prisoners on death row costs californians an additional $90,000 per prisoner per year.
- Opines that life in prison is a very severe sentence, as there is an over population problem in many prisons.
- Opines that a life sentence is worse than spending 30+ years in an over populated prison. prisons are kept away from the general population and locked down for 23 hours depending on the case.
- Explains that a person who is serving life sentence normally will not have parole. there is the small chance of clemency, but ronald reagan commuted the death sentence of an inmate to life
- Opines that some but not all individuals who are family members of the person who commits these crimes would rather have a loved one receive life sentences than be put to death.
- Explains that a life sentence is living out your remaining days in prison, and sometimes multiple life sentences will make sure that the person won't walk freely again. is this fair?
- Opines that the inmate deserves life in prison and that they deserve to sit in a cell for the rest of their life and think about the crime they committed.
- Opines that the death penalty would keep the streets safe. juveniles should be allowed to get the life in prison sentence.
- Opines that both life in prison and the death penalty have pros and cons. they view both as a "deepening on the case" way.
1678 wordsRead More - Death Penalty Persuasive Essayopinion essayThe death penalty was originally codified within Hammurabi’s code dating back to 1750 BC. From there, it made its way across the globe and was first utilized in America in 1608. In 1791 the Bill of Rights is ratified, including the Eighth Amendment, prohibiting the implement of cruel and unusual punishment, but the practice of capital punishment is still accepted. Originally, the punishment was public, used as a deterrent. At first the crowds viewed the site as unpleasant and disturbing, but later transformed in to chaotic, carnival-like spectacles becoming increasingly violent. Since then, states have required private killings of the criminals. Michigan was the first to abolish the death penalty in 1846, quickly followed by Rhode Island in
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the death penalty is not a strong enough deterrent, worth the cost, and equally just towards race.
- Explains that in 2013, the average time from sentence to execution for all inmates is fifteen and a half years.
- Argues that the most realistic reform for the death penalty would be to restrict its usage for only the heinous crimes, such as clayton lockett's, which are driven by evil.
- Argues that capital punishment is incredibly racially biased, expensive, and not a strong deterrent. the state should not be allowed to take away anything they are unable to give back.
- Explains that the effectiveness of capital punishment as a deterrent has shrunk exponentially in the last thirty years.
- Opines that although the death penalty has its flaws, it does provide positive outcomes. clayton lockett was convicted of murder, rape, forcible sodomy, kidnapping, assault, and battery in 2000.
- Opines that if we fail to execute murderers, and doing so would have deterred other murders, we have allowed the killing of a bunch of innocent victims.
1414 wordsRead More - Death Penalty Essayanalytical essayThe people in support of the death penalty say that if murderers are sentenced to death, future committers will think about the consequences before they actually proceed with the crime. However, most murderers don’t expect or plan to be caught and weigh their fate. Because, murders are committed when the murderer is angry or passionate, or by drug abusers and people under the influence of drugs or alcohol ("Deterrence (In Opposition to the Death Penalty)”). Therefore, it will not deter future crimes and will actually increase the amount of murders because of society. As previously stated, the death penalty isn’t proven to prevent future murders and/or crimes because it actually increases the likelihood of committing murder. It doesn’t prevent future murders because it would upset the family and friends of the person who was executed. For example, if someone was executed by the death penalty and it was someones family member, then the person who lost their loved one by the execution would most likely commit murder in anger. If that person was executed the next family member would get angry and so on. The cycle would never end and would have more murders. There is no final proof that the death penalty is a better deterrent than other options. Not having the death penalty would be better because it could save many lives. For example, United States a country that uses the death penalty has a higher murder rate than Europe or Canada which are countries that do not use the death penalty. To get a little specific, the states in the United States that do not use the death penalty have a lower murder rate than the states that do.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that the death penalty isn't proven to prevent future murders and/or crimes because it increases the likelihood of committing murder.
- Argues that the death penalty isn't just a response to murder because it's like revenge or pay-back, which makes the executor and the victims family murderers.
- Opines that the death penalty is unreliable and not properly used because most trials have serious errors.
777 wordsRead More - Death Penalty Persuasive Essayexplanatory essaySince the reestablishment of the death penalty in 1976, one hundred and thirty-eight innocent men and women, have been released from death row, some just weeks, or even days before their scheduled execution. The amount of time of time inmates spend on death row is almost equivalent to life with parole, some inmates are even dying before they can follow through with the costly execution. The US should eliminate the death penalty and sentence the convicted to life without parole. Elimination of the death penalty could save the US millions of dollars spent towards trials and executions, and save innocent people sent to be executed.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the us should eliminate the death penalty and sentence the convicted to life without parole.
- Explains that death row cases cost taxpayers ninety-thousand more per year than a prisoner in general population.
- Explains that some death row inmates spend decades in solitary confinement with no visitation or interaction while they await execution due to mental illnesses. leon brown and henry mccollum were exonerated and released from a north carolina prison on september 2, 2014.
- Explains that for every ten people that have been convicted since the reestablishment of death row, one person has been set free.
1010 wordsRead More - Persuasive Essay On The Death Penaltyopinion essayDeath Penalty The issue of putting a human to death is difficult to assimilate. Although there always will be people who agree with capital punishment and others opposed, both groups have different, but effective points to make. The decision depends on each person’s perspective. Even though there are 32 states that still allow capital punishment, there is no proof the death penalty deters the crime rate in those states.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the issue of putting a human to death is difficult to assimilate. although there are 32 states that still allow capital punishment, there is no proof the death penalty deters the crime rate.
- Opines that capital punishment should be abolished because criminals have the potential to change. in a death in texas by steve earle, jonathan wayne nobles is a true example of how people can change when in prison.
- Explains that incarceration is a basic tool of criminal justice and is essential to offer to the offenders an opportunity to change and take part in society.
- Explains that inmates sentenced to life prison would try to help and change the direction of others offender’s life by talking, giving advice as to how they can change their behavior, telling them what are the pros and cons of keep committing crimes.
- Opines that capital punishment should be abolished because people can change and innocent people could be wrongfully executed. many people falsely confess because they are tempted to accommodate and agree with authority officers.
- Explains that snitch testimony is one of the leading causes of wrongful convictions in capital executions.
- Explains that eyewitness misidentification is the leading cause of wrongful convictions.
- Explains that high levels of stress can reduce the accuracy of eyewitness memory. the human memory is unreliable and can distort perceptions.
- Argues that capital punishment should be abolished because innocent people can wrongfully be executed and because it is against human rights. life is a human right.
- Opines that capital punishment is an inhumane punishment that undermines human dignity and exposes the criminal to get sick or commit suicide.
- Concludes that every human being has the potential to be a different person, even if he has committed crimes in the past.
1961 wordsRead More - Argumentative Essay: The Fight For The Death Penaltyanalytical essayFight for the death penalty The death penalty honors human dignity by treating the defendant as a moral able to control his/her own destiny for good or bad behavior. I believe it is an asset to society. The death penalty should not be abolished because it will reduce crime rate, it will save us and the government money, and It helps our society.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that the death penalty honors human dignity by treating the defendant as a moral able to control his/her destiny for good or bad behavior.
- Argues that the death penalty should not be abolished because it will save us and the government money.
- Argues that the death penalty should not be abolished because it helps keep our society safer. opponents argue that it makes the crime go up and the streets more dangerous.
- Opines that the death penalty should not be abolished because it will reduce crime rates, save the us and the government money, and it helps our society.
737 wordsRead More - The death penaltyanalytical essayThere are many crimes that are being committed through out America, burglary, car theft, rape, pick pocketing, and murder. There are many different forms of “murder”, manslaughter (killing someone without it being previously thought out); vehicular manslaughter (hitting someone with your car and killing them) and other forms of accidental deaths may be thought of in the same sense of “murder”. The death penalty applies to the murders that are committed violently (murders that are done on purpose). The way to prevent some of these violent murders is to use the death penalty more. Some people say that the death penalty is cruel, unjust and it is in moral. I feel that the death penalty, if it was in forced, would be a deterrent for crime. There are many strengths and weaknesses surrounding the death penalty. There also have been many arguments in favor of the death penalty.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that the death penalty is a limited one and should not be overstated.
- Explains schonebaum, stephen e. does capital punishment deter crime? 1998 greenhaven press inc.
- Explains rein, mei ling capital punishment cruel and unusual?
- Argues that the death penalty is cruel, unjust, and moral.
978 wordsRead More - Death Penalty Irrevocable Mistakeanalytical essayThe death penalty also known as capital punishment has existed for centuries in countries throughout the world. It is an execution primarily by means of lethal injection. Whether through death penalty or murder taking a life is wrong. Many consider it to be unethical and immoral. The death penalty system is not perfect and taking the life of an innocent citizen can be an irrevocable mistake. The death penalty wrongly gives the government the power to take human life and may cause social injustice.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the death penalty, also known as capital punishment, has existed for centuries in countries throughout the world.
- Explains that the us constitution places limits on the criminal justice practice of the states through the eighth amendment.
- Argues that the death penalty is immoral and unjust response to criminal acts. glen ford was released from death row after 30 years of being incarcerated for a murder he did not commit.
- Opines that retribution is understandable but not always the best response. the death penalty violates human rights.
- Explains that race and economic status play a role in determining who lives and dies. almost 50% of those on death row are african-american. poor quality defense leaves many for the death sentence.
714 wordsRead More - For the Death Penaltyopinion essayInnocent people have not been executed either. Criminals on death row have been convicted of brutal, heinous crimes and murders and are not “model citizens.” There has not been a case in which an inmate sentenced to death was found innocent postmortem. Inmates whose innocence is proven while imprisoned a...
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the death penalty should be legalized in all states and the united states should utilize it because it is economical and has deterrent and incapacitating effects.
- Explains that the national death row has a population of 3726 criminals, consisting of 3669 men and 57 women, and only 712 convicts have been executed since 1976.
- Compares the cost of the death penalty to life sentencing, stating that life without parole costs $5.53 million per prisoner, while death sentence costs only $1.91 million.
- Opines that innocent people have not been executed. criminals on death row have been convicted of brutal, heinous crimes and murders and are not "model citizens." inmates whose innocence is proven while imprisoned are released.
- Opines that some people who oppose capital punishment believe that executions are unequally applied to caucasians and african-americans.
- Explains that public opinion of the death penalty generally supports it, stating that 68 percent of americans favored it for murder convicts.
- Explains that the death penalty is used to prevent criminals from escaping prison. lee john knoch and aaron o'hara escaped the snake river correctional institution in 2001.
- Opines that the death penalty could have prevented additional crimes. benny lee chaffin kidnapped, raped, and murdered a nine-year-old springfield, oregon girl in 1984.
- Recounts how richard biegenwald murdered a store owner in new jersey in 1957 and was sentenced to life in prison. he violated his parole, was returned to prison, but was paroled again in 1980.
- Opines that capital punishment could deter future criminals. if felons believe that they are more likely to be arrested, convicted, and executed, they will be less inclined commit homicide.
- Explains the sentencing process for capital punishment cases is long and thorough. the criminal must be arrested and indicted for the crime, then found guilty.
- Explains that execution is the last step in the death penalty process. lethal injection, electrocution, hanging, gas chamber, and firing squad are used.
- Argues that capital punishment should be available in all states because it deters crime, incapacitates criminals, and is a humane sentence with many chances to appeal.
960 wordsRead More