Korey Karriker Ms.

Patroni English 111 1 November 2013 The Death Penalty The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is a highly controversial subject in the world today. Many countries have outlawed the death penalty, but many, like the United States, continue to practice capital punishment. Most debates over the concept of capital punishment revolve around the legal, ethical, and economic ramifications of the death penalty (Issitt, and Newton). The biggest debate of all is the morality of the death penalty. Is the death penalty wrong, or is it okay to kill murderers? What if we dont use capital punishment, and then serial killers find ways to kill again? Many people wonder what the death penaltys main purpose is. Many people will say that the death penalty serves no main purpose. The death penalty is needed in the United States for many reasons. With the death penalty comes the responsibility of containing it. We cannot issue the death penalty to someone who is undeserving of that punishment. Only a select few crimes warrant the death penalty, and it has to stay that way. Murder is a crime that warrants the death penalty. Dont we all agree that a victim of murder, and that victims family, deserve justice? Killing a man who kills, does not bring his victims back, but it does ensure that he never kills again. Capital punishment eliminates that risk, unlike any other punishment that can or will be handed out. A

life sentence will always leave the possibility of a murderer getting to murder someone again (Pearce). Another reason that capital punishment is needed is the deterrence of potential crimes. Deterrence is when someone doesnt commit a crime because they are afraid of the consequences. The death penalty can deter someone from committing a crime because they are unwilling to face the outcome of that crime. The death penalty can prevent someone from becoming a murderer because they dont want to get the death penalty. That is how capital punishment works, it not only takes away the killers and the murderers, but it also prevents people from killing and murdering as well. The death penalty has this effect on people without them even realizing it. Some people just assume they would never kill, but I think we would all be surprised at how many more killers were walking the streets if there wasn t a worthy punishment. The death penalty keeps a lot of people from killing because they dont want to be killed. If there was no death penalty, then someone who may have been deterred by it, could end up becoming a serial killer. The death penalty saves many lives every day by taking the lives of those who will take them (Pearce). Those who oppose the death penalty use the argument that death is a cruel and unusual punishment, which is supported by the Eighth Amendment in the United States Constitution. The death penalty is morally wrong because it makes them no better than the murderer himself. Those who oppose also believe that the death penalty does nothing to deter people from killing (Ballaro, and Cushman). Death penalty opponents frequently argue that murderers act out of their own impulses, and ignore the consequences of their actions (Pearce).

These are all valid arguments, which is why capital punishment remains as highly controversial as it is. Opponents argue that the death penalty does not deter potential killers from committing murder, but there is statistical evidence that states otherwise. From 1966 through 1980, the murder rate nearly doubled, going from 5.6 to 10.2 per 100,000 people. During that time, only four executions took place. The rate fell back down to 5.7 in 1999, when executions hit an all-time high of 98 (Pearce). Those who still believe that the death penalty has no effect on those numbers, should also consider that capital punishment is about the punishment of a crime, not the deterrence of all crime (Bowman and DiLascio). If we execute murderers and there is in fact no deterrent effect, we have killed a bunch of murderers. If we fail to execute murderers and doing so would in fact have deterred other murders, we have allowed the killing of a bunch of innocent victims. said John McAdams (Pearce). The death penalty is a result of killing, so the people who dont want to die will not kill. The death penalty deters many people from killing. The death penalty will always be frowned upon by some, because it does require the killing of a human being. I agree with the opponents who say that murder is wrong, but a serial killers life is not more valuable than his victims, and his victims do not get to live. For those who say that no action warrants the death penalty; what if we dont kill them, and then they kill again? What do we say when we sentence a murderer to a life sentence, and then he finds a way to kill in prison? Whose life is more valuable? The numbers speak for themselves; the death penalty helps to prevent murders from happening, and prevent murderers from killing again. The death penalty is essential to preventing the crime of murder from happening in the United States of America.

Works Cited Ballaro, Beverly and Cushman, C Ames. Point: Capital Punishment Should Be Abolished. 2011 p2-2. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 13 November 2013. Bowman, Jeffrey and DiLascio, Tracey M. Counterpoint: The Death Penalty is Necessary. 2011 p3-3. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 13 November 2013. Issitt, Micha L and Newton, Heather. Death Penalty: An Overview. 2011 p1-1. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 13 November 2013. Pearce, Matt. Counterpoint: Defending the Death Penalty. 2011 p6-6. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 13 November 2013.