support of the death penalty
Jesse Jackson once stated, “Capital punishment turns the state into a murderer.” Capital punishment has existed for many years, with the first execution occurring in 1608 in the United States. In the modern world, the topic of the death penalty is controversial. Some argue that capital punishment deters crime, while others say that the death penalty is an unjust sentence. This paper is in support of the death penalty because it can prevent crime and save innocent lives.
The death penalty is significant in safeguarding innocent lives. This is because, by killing a murderer, societies are assured that the offender will never kill again. Capital punishment also affirms communities that they are safe from such criminals. Research indicates that 11404 people that had been found guilty of murder and freed in 1965 and 1973, 34 were sent back to prison after one year for similar crimes (Dismuke 9). Thus, to protect people from such criminals, governments need to execute such convicts.
Many people fear to die, which is inclusive of murderers and other criminals. Studies on capital punishment provide various conclusions that show the effectiveness of death penalties in deterring crime. The studies show that an increase in executions results in a decrease in murders while a reduction of punishment by death increases murders (“Does the Death Penalty Deter Crime?”). Thus, it can be argued that, by punishing offenders through death, can be a way of deterring crime in society because the offenders will be afraid of losing their lives due to their sins.
The death penalty is a quick and sure way of ensuring that a capital crime is not repeated. According to deterrence theory, it is more likely for individuals to refrain from committing an offense if the punishment is swift, precise, and severe. Thus, it can be argued that punishment through death is more effective in deterring crime than imprisonment because if a criminal is imprisoned, the chances are that the criminal still has the potential to commit the same crimes in prison or when released on parole. However, if the criminal is killed, society will be sure that the criminal will not determine the crimes again.
To conclude, even though some people are against capital punishment because of their concern about morality and preservation of human life, the death penalty is a sure way of ensuring that crimes like murders are not repeated, thus saving lives.