Issues Surrounding the Death Penalty

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Recommended: the positive affects that the death penalty has on preventing crime in society

Issues Surrounding the Death Penalty Does executing murderers really stop violent crime in the U.S.? Our government seems to think so. In many states the death penalty still exists or is being reinstated. Many people contend that the death penalty should be used in cases of heinous crime where guilt is obvious. Bill Clinton signed a bill adding 58 more crimes that are punishable by death. For example, if you see a murder or know of one and do not report it, you could be executed. If you know a gang killing, you could report it and be killed in a revenge, or you could remain silent and let the government kill you. Is this justice? (Biringer 1) It has been statistically proven that the death penalty doesn’t deter crime. In 1982, Texas reinstated the death penalty. From 1982 to 1991 the national crime rate increased five percent, while Texas crime rate rose by twenty-four percent. Their violent crime rate rose by fourty-six percent (Hughes). Obviously killing criminals did nothing to curb crime. Races are targeted by the death penalty. Killers of whites are 4.3 times more likely to be executed than killers of blacks. In total, 18,000 people have been executed in the United States, only thirty-one involved a white person killing a black person. Is justice truly color blind? (Vandeberg 2) The death penalty is a convenient and easy answer that may appeal to some but which,unfortunately, fails to tackle the problems it’s supposed to solve, There is always the one problem that executionists face; the risk of executing the innocent. In the United States, where one of the fairest judicial systems exists, 350 people were wrongly convicted of capital crimes between 1900 and 1985. Over hal... ... middle of paper ... ... months before being executed without trial. In the United States, there is a law against having a child on death row. In Iran they comment, “A nine year old girl is considered mature. So there is no difference to us between a nine year old child and forty year old man, and it does not prohibit us from issuing any kind of sentence.”(128) The death penalty will be a battled issue probably for the rest of our lives. many agree if you take the life of another than you lose your right live, simple as that. Everyday innocent people are sentenced to the death penalty. Everyday guilty people are let off death row from lack of evidence or other substantial reasons. Is that justice? Many will say no. Bibliography: Deathpenalty.com "Legal Rights..." Prodeathpenalty.com "For ao against?"

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