capital punishment argumentative essay topics

84 Capital Punishment Essay Topics & Examples

If you’ve looked for capital punishment essay topics, you’re in luck! Below, our experts have collected some death penalty title ideas and samples for your paper.

📝 Capital Punishment Essay Writing Tips

✔️ top death penalty title ideas, 🏆 best death penalty essay titles & examples, 💡 most interesting death penalty topics to write about, ❓ capital punishment research questions.

Capital punishment has been a debatable issue for decades. Some people believe that the death penalty plays a crucial role in the criminal justice system, while others think that this procedure is highly unethical.

An essay on capital punishment may be a challenging assignment because students should know much about the subject. Do not worry, we have got you covered! Read this article until the end and learn some important tips on writing capital punishment essays.

Start with choosing the subject for your paper. Here are some capital punishment essay topics that you can use:

• Capital punishment in the media
• Crime and punishment in today’s world: Death penalty
• Capital punishment essay: Arguments against death penalty
• The legal and ethical implications of capital punishment
• Capital punishment should be forbidden: Anti-death penalty arguments
• Why capital punishment may target the poor
• Death penalty: An issue of life and death

Remember that these are just examples of topics and titles for your paper. You can choose any related capital punishment essay titles. Once you have selected a topic of your essay, you can start working on the assignment. Here are the key points you should use to write an outstanding essay:

• Study the subject thoroughly. Use reliable sources to analyze the legal and ethical aspects of the death penalty. Select the sources you will use in the paper and remember that they should be credible.
• A well-developed outline is key. Make sure that your paper includes an introduction, a conclusion, and several body paragraphs.
• If you are not sure about the structure of your paper, check out essays online to see how they are organized. This step can also help you to see whether the selected problem is relevant. Remember that you should avoid copying the information you will find online. Plagiarism will make your essay look unreliable and get you a bad grade.
• Remember that you should present your capital punishment essay thesis in the last sentence of your introductory paragraph. Hint: Start working on your introductory paragraph after you research the subject. It will help you to present the background information correctly.
• Identify the goals of your paper clearly. Do you want to prove your point or provide insight on the issue? Answer these questions before starting to work on your assignment.
• Define capital punishment. You can discuss its legal implications, its prevalence in different countries, and the offenses that can potentially lead to a death penalty.
• When working on an opinion piece, state your viewpoint clearly. Do you think that all countries should legalize death penalties? Do you believe that capital punishment is unethical? Do some offenders deserve a death penalty more than others do? Answer these questions in detail.
• Remember that the purpose of your paper should be to help the reader understand capital punishment better. Your essay should motivate the audience to develop an opinion about the subject.
• Always support your arguments with evidence. Cite articles in an appropriate style (MLA, APA, Harvard, or other). The best type of sources for your paper is peer-reviewed articles and other scholarly publications.
• Restate your arguments and the thesis in a concluding section. Provide a summary of your findings along with recommendations for future research.

Need more ideas for your essay? Check out our free samples on the website!

• Why should the death penalty be abolished?
• What are some unusual punishments for crimes?
• Can the death penalty be compared to killing in cold blood?
• Is life imprisonment more just than the death penalty?
• Reasons to criticize capital punishment in China.
• Analyzing A Descending Spiral by Marc Bookman.
• What are the pros of capital punishment?
• Executing the innocent people: the issue of mistake.
• Abolishing the death penalty in Texas.
• Serial killers sentenced to capital punishment.
• Death Penalty: Utilitarian View on Capital Punishment Another significant benefit offered by the death penalty to the society is that it leads to the permanent incapacitation of the convicted person.
• Capital Punishment in the UK Should be Reintroduced? ‘Capital Punishment’ or the ‘Death Penalty’ is the judicially ordered, lawful infliction of death as a punishment for a serious crime called a ‘capital offence’ or a ‘capital crime.
• Analysis: Speech In Favor of Capital Punishment by John Stuart Mills Mills rightly points out that the very grounds of humanity used to support the removal of the death penalty should also be the ones used to support retaining of the sentence.
• Capital Punishment and Deterrence of Crime For the case of murder or crimes that necessitate capital punishment, the incentive to commit murder is directly related to the uncertainties that punishments for the crime will generate.
• Capital Punishment: Advantages and Disadvantages This paper examines death penalty from an impartial view by considering disadvantages and advantages of capital punishment in society. Thirdly, Teeters views that death penalty is a retribution action in which a victim is punished […]
• The Death Penalty in the Modern Society The cost of maintenance of the convicted individuals is also one of the reasons that necessitate the death penalty. The reaffirmation of the death penalty is also attributed to the teachings portrayed by most religions.
• Capital Punishment Role in the World However, it is wrong and unjustified because it is inhuman, unfair, violates the human right to life, and it does not aid in reduction of crime.
• Capital Punishment and the Death Penalty Furthermore, the defense and, in the United States, the prosecution has the right of vexatious challenge, which allows it to confront several participants without providing a reason.
• Capital Punishment Is Morally and Legally Wrong The problem of the death penalty is complex and multifaceted. It affects the political, legal, moral, cultural, and other fields of life.
• Justifications for Capital Punishment This statement mostly appeals to a general deterrence argument, as the fear of punishment emerged from showing its implementation, but not from other justifications effects.
• The Significance of Capital Punishment in the UAE Current analysis of the importance of the death penalty worldwide focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of the punishment. The UAE has a mandatory death penalty which is susceptible to the judgment of authorities and […]
• Capital Punishment: Utilitarianism and Retributivism Theories However, to rule out chances of an innocent person being punished, the theory advocates for justice; before punishment is administered, the court should proof beyond reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty.
• Capital Punishment Interpretation and Exceptions Under custody, the law applies to cases in which the conditions of custody are compromised and to situations where the suspect is held unfairly. The suspect responded with a yes and this was used as […]
• Capital Punishment Debates: Death Penalty The capital punishment has been practiced in almost all the societies and all epochs in the development of the mankind. The author educates the society as a whole on litigious issues of the death penalty […]
• Capital Punishment in Florida The system is erroneous and cases that almost end up in the ‘chair’ are overturned contrary to the expectations of the family members of the murdered.
• Capital Punishment: Term Definition In that regard, taking such issues such as euthanasia, abortion and capital punishment, the latter can be considered as the most delicate, especially considering many cases that represent exceptions that are feared to be repeated.
• Capital Punishment – Moral or Immoral? It would not be a futile exercise to interpret capital punishment in the light of religion before proceeding to the subject of my argument. Countries that give importance to such punishments should tone down and […]
• Capital Punishment in the US Analysis Capital Punishment is the lawful infliction of death as a punishment for a major crime. The first argument against Capital Punishment is that it is inhumane.
• An Orwellian Look at Capital Punishment His reaction to the actual hanging of a puny Hindu man borders on a strategy of remaining as a detached viewer and subconsciously, his gorge rises at the thought of a human being with a […]
• Public Opinion on Capital Punishment for Juveniles This essay is a study of the public opinion on Capital Punishment for juveniles, this is a very controversial subject as many people are against Captial punishment, and many are for life imprisonment, capital punishment […]
• Capital Punishment and Race Factor in the US First of all, it is necessary to briefly discuss the history of race in the U.S.to provide a foundation for the bias and explain its causes.
• The Controversy Over Capital Punishment It is as a result of this that he concludes that Ford calls for the execution of capital punishment as a penalty in criminal offences.
• Capital Punishment in Melville’s “Billy Budd, Sailor” One of the reasons for the triumph of Billy Budd, Sailor in America and the United Kingdom, was the precision, with which the author portrayed the historical and cultural context, particularly Melville analyzed both issues […]
• Capital Punishment in Indonesia The government is also known to safeguard the details of capital punishment in the country. The targeted prisoners are “executed in the middle of the night”.
• Capital Punishment, Its Ethics and Infair Justice The main factors leading to differences in stands between the anti-capital punishment and pro-death are the morality and religious issues surrounding the matter.
• Capital Punishment and Unusual Punishment The issue of capital punishment has always been on the radar of the Supreme Court of the United States. The key question that should be answered is the future of capital punishment and unusual punishment […]
• Capital Punishment in United States The most compelling argument in support of capital punishment is that failing to execute murderers may in itself put more lives in danger.
• Debates on Capital Punishment in the US For example, capital punishment is the best punishment for murder because it is equal to the crime. Thirdly, capital punishment is a violation of the human right to life.
• The Ethical and Legal Standards of Capital Punishment This is one of the details that should be considered. This is one of the pitfalls that should be avoided.
• Isolation and Capital Punishments On the other hand, capital punishments such as deaths deprives of people the freedom of life and goes against God’s command which disallows intentional killings of persons, or murder. Similarly, capital punishment in the form […]
• Does the Death Sentence Offer Justice to the Criminal? It is not enough to be locked in prison for ending the life of a fellow human being. Revenge is one of the ways that can be used.
• The Consequences of Capital Punishment The appeals in the death penalty cases are usually many and cause the social costs of the cases to be even more expensive.
• Moral Issue of Capital Punishment Capital punishment is also a form of premeditated death as the action is planned for, does it mean that the state has the right to premeditate deaths for some of its citizens because they are […]
• The Death Penalty Debate in the United States of America The punishment is believed to have been there even at the time of the earlier colonies of the United States; it as well continued to be in force within the states that came to form […]
• Psychological Aspects of Capital Punishment According to research done by Freedman and Hemenway on a group of death row inmates, it was established that almost a two-thirds of the death row inmates are retarded.
• Avoiding of Capital Punishment Capital punishment is also unnecessary since there are better ways of punishing criminals such as life imprisonment to keep the society in order and at peace.
• The Economic Significance of Capital Punishment The survival of any civilization hinges on the establishment of laws and codes of conduct and the subsequent obeying of the same by the society’s members.
• Capital Punishment in Modern American History: Lists of Capital Crimes That Varied From Region to Region Politicians are frequently trying to expand the scope of capital punishment by bringing in a host of crimes under it.”The US public has deep concern over violent crimes due to the cynical manipulation of capital […]
• Analysis of Capital Punishment in the Films Those for the death penalty in the movie are represented by Ramunda who becomes a strong advocate for the death penalty and in many instances, is a counterpart of Cushing.
• Capital Punishment Legislation The main reasons that opponents of the death penalty give for their position are, the fact that the death penalty is inhumane and cruel.
• Capital Punishment as an Option in Maryland Death penalty is the most serious punishment that can be used by the government against people; and even if it costs less then keeping a person in jail till the end of his/her life and […]
• Capital Punishment in Political View This is because quiet a number of the abolitions have been associated with democratic developments in political systems of the countries that have abolished the penalties. Conservatives have in the United States been strongly opposed […]
• Capital Punishment: A Critical Evaluation of Its Appropriateness in Modern Society In line with the above argument, supporters of capital punishment argue that the practice permanently removes thieves, murderers, rapists, and other criminals from the face of society, in the process making it safer for compliant […]
• Capital Punishment: Proponents and Opponents Arguements The opponents of capital of capital punishment argue that it is not a just and humane way of punishing heinous criminals in the society because everybody has right to life.
• What Does Capital Punishment Mean in History?
• How Can Death Penalty Prevent Repeat Offenders?
• Why Should Capital Punishment Be Reinstated in Australia?
• How Objective and Justifiable Are Our Reasons for Enforcing the Death Penalty?
• Does Capital Punishment Have a Deterrent Effect?
• How Has the Death Penalty Changed Over Time?
• What Is Wrong With Capital Punishment?
• Should Federal Courts Review State Death Penalty Cases?
• Can Capital Punishment Ever Be Justified?
• Should the Death Penalty Apply to Juvenile Criminals?
• Does the Death Penalty Breach Human Rights?
• Can Capital Punishment Keep Us Safe?
• Should the Death Penalty Be a Part of the System of Justice?
• Does Capital Punishment Equate to Cruel and Unusual Punishment?
• Should the Death Penalty Be Enforced?
• How Does Capital Punishment Affirm Life?
• Should the Death Penalty Be Imposed for Drug Offences?
• Does Capital Punishment Have a Local Deterrent Effect on Homicides?
• Should the Death Penalty Be Mandatory for Homicide?
• How Does Capital Punishment Work in the United States?
• Should the Death Penalty Be Morally Acceptable?
• Does Race Affect the Way of Capital Punishment?
• What Crimes Are Charged With Death Penalty?
• Does the Capital Punishment Have a Role in Civilized Society?
• Why Should Capital Punishment Be Abolished?
• What Effects Does the Death Penalty Cause on Society?
• How Does Legislation Help to Prevent Racial Bias in Death Penalty Convictions?
• Is the Death Penalty Fair?
• Does Jodi Arias Deserve the Death Penalty?
• What Attitudes Might Christians Hold About Capital Punishment?
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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128 Capital Punishment Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is a highly debated and controversial topic worldwide. The practice involves sentencing individuals convicted of severe crimes to death as a form of punishment. Supporters argue that it serves as a deterrent for potential criminals and provides justice for the victims and their families. On the other hand, opponents believe that it violates basic human rights and that there is a risk of executing innocent individuals. If you are assigned an essay on capital punishment and are struggling to find a topic, here are 128 ideas and examples to help you get started.

• The ethical implications of capital punishment.
• The history and evolution of capital punishment in different countries.
• The impact of capital punishment on society.
• The cost-effectiveness of capital punishment compared to life imprisonment.
• The racial disparities in capital punishment cases.
• Capital punishment and the mentally ill.
• The role of the media in influencing public opinion on capital punishment.
• The impact of capital punishment on crime rates.
• The constitutional legality of capital punishment.
• The impact of international pressure on countries that practice capital punishment.
• The role of religion in shaping opinions on capital punishment.
• The role of the victim's family in capital punishment cases.
• Capital punishment and its effect on the prison system.
• The impact of wrongful convictions and exonerations on the capital punishment debate.
• The psychological effects of capital punishment on both the offender and the executioner.
• The role of public opinion in shaping capital punishment policies.
• The effectiveness of alternative forms of punishment compared to capital punishment.
• Capital punishment and the concept of justice.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the convicted.
• The role of cultural norms in determining attitudes towards capital punishment.
• The correlation between socioeconomic status and the likelihood of facing capital punishment.
• The impact of international human rights organizations on capital punishment policies.
• The role of deterrence in the justification of capital punishment.
• The impact of capital punishment on the criminal justice system.
• The morality of executing individuals with intellectual disabilities.
• The impact of public executions on society.
• The role of the defense attorney in capital punishment cases.
• The impact of racial bias in jury selection in capital punishment cases.
• The role of clemency and appeals in capital punishment cases.
• The impact of botched executions on the capital punishment debate.
• The role of the Supreme Court in shaping capital punishment laws.
• The impact of capital punishment on the mental health of the offender.
• The morality of executing individuals who were juveniles at the time of the crime.
• The impact of capital punishment on the rate of homicide.
• The role of forensic evidence in capital punishment cases.
• The morality of executing individuals with severe mental illnesses.
• The impact of international treaties on capital punishment policies.
• The role of DNA evidence in capital punishment cases.
• The morality of executing individuals who were victims of abuse or trauma.
• The impact of public opinion on the implementation of capital punishment.
• The role of the prosecutor in capital punishment cases.
• The morality of executing individuals who were coerced or manipulated into committing a crime.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the victims.
• The role of public defenders in capital punishment cases.
• The morality of executing individuals who were wrongfully convicted but later found innocent.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed.
• The role of expert witnesses in capital punishment cases.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting in self-defense or under extreme duress.
• The impact of international public opinion on countries that practice capital punishment.
• The role of the judge in capital punishment cases.
• The morality of executing individuals who were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the crime.
• The impact of the media's portrayal of capital punishment on public opinion.
• The role of the victim impact statement in capital punishment cases.
• The morality of executing individuals who were involved in multiple crimes but only convicted of one.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the victims and the convicted.
• The role of racial bias in the application of capital punishment.
• The morality of executing individuals who were coerced into confessing to a crime they did not commit.
• The impact of capital punishment on the mental health of the victim's family.
• The role of eyewitness testimony in capital punishment cases.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting out of extreme desperation or poverty.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the wrongly convicted.
• The role of the jury in capital punishment cases.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of a cult or extremist ideology.
• The impact of capital punishment on the mental health of the victim's family and the convicted's family.
• The role of rehabilitation in the debate on capital punishment.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting out of fear or self-preservation.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed and the wrongly convicted.
• The role of restorative justice in capital punishment cases.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of a mental illness.
• The impact of capital punishment on the mental health of the victim's family and the wrongly convicted's family.
• The role of forgiveness in the capital punishment debate.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting out of revenge or retribution.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, and the wrongly convicted's family.
• The role of education and awareness in shaping public opinion on capital punishment.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of a substance addiction.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and society as a whole.
• The role of mental health services in capital punishment cases.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of a personality disorder.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and marginalized communities.
• The role of rehabilitation and reintegration in the capital punishment debate.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of religious extremism.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the criminal justice system.
• The role of international cooperation in abolishing capital punishment globally.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of political ideology.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and public trust in the justice system.
• The role of mental health awareness and early intervention in reducing violent crimes and the need for capital punishment.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of religious fanaticism.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the perception of justice in society.
• The role of restorative justice practices in addressing the needs of victims and reducing the demand for capital punishment.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of extremist political ideologies.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the healing process for all involved parties.
• The role of global organizations in advocating for the abolition of capital punishment.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of hate or prejudice.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the long-term societal repercussions.
• The role of education and empathy in reducing the societal acceptance of capital punishment.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of societal pressures or expectations.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the international reputation of countries that practice it.
• The role of community-based programs in preventing crimes that could lead to capital punishment.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of cultural norms or traditions.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the potential for healing and reconciliation.
• The role of trauma-informed approaches in addressing the root causes of violent crimes and reducing the reliance on capital punishment.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of societal inequalities or injustices.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the possibilities for restorative justice.
• The role of international law in pressuring countries to abolish capital punishment.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of political or economic desperation.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the potential for societal healing and transformation.
• The role of trauma recovery programs in addressing the underlying issues that lead to violent crimes and the demand for capital punishment.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of systemic injustices or discrimination.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the potential for building a more compassionate and equitable society.
• The role of international human rights conventions in abolishing capital punishment globally.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of political oppression or totalitarian regimes.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the potential for healing and reconciliation on a societal level.
• The role of social programs and poverty alleviation in reducing the societal factors that contribute to violent crimes and the need for capital punishment.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of cultural or religious customs that clash with international human rights standards.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the potential for fostering empathy and understanding among different groups in society.
• The role of mental health support services in preventing crimes that could lead to capital punishment and providing alternatives for rehabilitation.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of personal trauma or unresolved issues.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the potential for systemic reforms in the criminal justice system.
• The role of education and awareness campaigns in challenging societal norms that perpetuate violence and the demand for capital punishment.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of extremist ideologies or hate groups.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the potential for building a more inclusive and just society.
• The role of community-based initiatives in preventing crimes that could lead to capital punishment and fostering a sense of belonging and support.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of addiction or substance abuse.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the potential for healing and reconciliation on an individual and collective level.
• The role of international pressure and diplomatic efforts in abolishing capital punishment globally.
• The morality of executing individuals who were acting under the influence of systemic inequalities or discrimination.
• The impact of capital punishment on the families of the executed, the victim's family, the wrongly convicted's family, and the potential for fostering a culture of forgiveness and nonviolence.

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student opinion

Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished?

In its last six months, the United States government has put 13 prisoners to death. Do you think capital punishment should end?

By Nicole Daniels

Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021.

In July, the United States carried out its first federal execution in 17 years. Since then, the Trump administration has executed 13 inmates, more than three times as many as the federal government had in the previous six decades.

The death penalty has been abolished in 22 states and 106 countries, yet it is still legal at the federal level in the United States. Does your state or country allow the death penalty?

Do you believe governments should be allowed to execute people who have been convicted of crimes? Is it ever justified, such as for the most heinous crimes? Or are you universally opposed to capital punishment?

In “ ‘Expedited Spree of Executions’ Faced Little Supreme Court Scrutiny ,” Adam Liptak writes about the recent federal executions:

In 2015, a few months before he died, Justice Antonin Scalia said he w o uld not be surprised if the Supreme Court did away with the death penalty. These days, after President Trump’s appointment of three justices, liberal members of the court have lost all hope of abolishing capital punishment. In the face of an extraordinary run of federal executions over the past six months, they have been left to wonder whether the court is prepared to play any role in capital cases beyond hastening executions. Until July, there had been no federal executions in 17 years . Since then, the Trump administration has executed 13 inmates, more than three times as many as the federal government had put to death in the previous six decades.

The article goes on to explain that Justice Stephen G. Breyer issued a dissent on Friday as the Supreme Court cleared the way for the last execution of the Trump era, complaining that it had not sufficiently resolved legal questions that inmates had asked. The article continues:

If Justice Breyer sounded rueful, it was because he had just a few years ago held out hope that the court would reconsider the constitutionality of capital punishment. He had set out his arguments in a major dissent in 2015 , one that must have been on Justice Scalia’s mind when he made his comments a few months later. Justice Breyer wrote in that 46-page dissent that he considered it “highly likely that the death penalty violates the Eighth Amendment,” which bars cruel and unusual punishments. He said that death row exonerations were frequent, that death sentences were imposed arbitrarily and that the capital justice system was marred by racial discrimination. Justice Breyer added that there was little reason to think that the death penalty deterred crime and that long delays between sentences and executions might themselves violate the Eighth Amendment. Most of the country did not use the death penalty, he said, and the United States was an international outlier in embracing it. Justice Ginsburg, who died in September, had joined the dissent. The two other liberals — Justices Sotomayor and Elena Kagan — were undoubtedly sympathetic. And Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, who held the decisive vote in many closely divided cases until his retirement in 2018, had written the majority opinions in several 5-to-4 decisions that imposed limits on the death penalty, including ones barring the execution of juvenile offenders and people convicted of crimes other than murder .

In the July Opinion essay “ The Death Penalty Can Ensure ‘Justice Is Being Done,’ ” Jeffrey A. Rosen, then acting deputy attorney general, makes a legal case for capital punishment:

The death penalty is a difficult issue for many Americans on moral, religious and policy grounds. But as a legal issue, it is straightforward. The United States Constitution expressly contemplates “capital” crimes, and Congress has authorized the death penalty for serious federal offenses since President George Washington signed the Crimes Act of 1790. The American people have repeatedly ratified that decision, including through the Federal Death Penalty Act of 1994 signed by President Bill Clinton, the federal execution of Timothy McVeigh under President George W. Bush and the decision by President Barack Obama’s Justice Department to seek the death penalty against the Boston Marathon bomber and Dylann Roof.

Students, read the entire article , then tell us:

Do you support the use of capital punishment? Or do you think it should be abolished? Why?

Do you think the death penalty serves a necessary purpose, like deterring crime, providing relief for victims’ families or imparting justice? Or is capital punishment “cruel and unusual” and therefore prohibited by the Constitution? Is it morally wrong?

Are there alternatives to the death penalty that you think would be more appropriate? For example, is life in prison without the possibility of parole a sufficient sentence? Or is that still too harsh? What about restorative justice , an approach that “considers harm done and strives for agreement from all concerned — the victims, the offender and the community — on making amends”? What other ideas do you have?

Vast racial disparities in the administration of the death penalty have been found. For example, Black people are overrepresented on death row, and a recent study found that “defendants convicted of killing white victims were executed at a rate 17 times greater than those convicted of killing Black victims.” Does this information change or reinforce your opinion of capital punishment? How so?

The Federal Death Penalty Act prohibits the government from executing an inmate who is mentally disabled; however, in the recent executions of Corey Johnson , Alfred Bourgeois and Lisa Montgomery , their defense teams, families and others argued that they had intellectual disabilities. What role do you think disability or trauma history should play in how someone is punished, or rehabilitated, after committing a crime?

How concerned should we be about wrongfully convicted people being executed? The Innocence Project has proved the innocence of 18 people on death row who were exonerated by DNA testing. Do you have worries about the fair application of the death penalty, or about the possibility of the criminal justice system executing an innocent person?

About Student Opinion

• Find all of our Student Opinion questions in this column . • Have an idea for a Student Opinion question? Tell us about it . • Learn more about how to use our free daily writing prompts for remote learning .

Students 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Nicole Daniels joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2019 after working in museum education, curriculum writing and bilingual education. More about Nicole Daniels

Arguments for and Against the Death Penalty

Click the buttons below to view arguments and testimony on each topic.

The death penalty deters future murders.

Society has always used punishment to discourage would-be criminals from unlawful action. Since society has the highest interest in preventing murder, it should use the strongest punishment available to deter murder, and that is the death penalty. If murderers are sentenced to death and executed, potential murderers will think twice before killing for fear of losing their own life.

For years, criminologists analyzed murder rates to see if they fluctuated with the likelihood of convicted murderers being executed, but the results were inconclusive. Then in 1973 Isaac Ehrlich employed a new kind of analysis which produced results showing that for every inmate who was executed, 7 lives were spared because others were deterred from committing murder. Similar results have been produced by disciples of Ehrlich in follow-up studies.

Moreover, even if some studies regarding deterrence are inconclusive, that is only because the death penalty is rarely used and takes years before an execution is actually carried out. Punishments which are swift and sure are the best deterrent. The fact that some states or countries which do not use the death penalty have lower murder rates than jurisdictions which do is not evidence of the failure of deterrence. States with high murder rates would have even higher rates if they did not use the death penalty.

Ernest van den Haag, a Professor of Jurisprudence at Fordham University who has studied the question of deterrence closely, wrote: “Even though statistical demonstrations are not conclusive, and perhaps cannot be, capital punishment is likely to deter more than other punishments because people fear death more than anything else. They fear most death deliberately inflicted by law and scheduled by the courts. Whatever people fear most is likely to deter most. Hence, the threat of the death penalty may deter some murderers who otherwise might not have been deterred. And surely the death penalty is the only penalty that could deter prisoners already serving a life sentence and tempted to kill a guard, or offenders about to be arrested and facing a life sentence. Perhaps they will not be deterred. But they would certainly not be deterred by anything else. We owe all the protection we can give to law enforcers exposed to special risks.”

Finally, the death penalty certainly “deters” the murderer who is executed. Strictly speaking, this is a form of incapacitation, similar to the way a robber put in prison is prevented from robbing on the streets. Vicious murderers must be killed to prevent them from murdering again, either in prison, or in society if they should get out. Both as a deterrent and as a form of permanent incapacitation, the death penalty helps to prevent future crime.

Those who believe that deterrence justifies the execution of certain offenders bear the burden of proving that the death penalty is a deterrent. The overwhelming conclusion from years of deterrence studies is that the death penalty is, at best, no more of a deterrent than a sentence of life in prison. The Ehrlich studies have been widely discredited. In fact, some criminologists, such as William Bowers of Northeastern University, maintain that the death penalty has the opposite effect: that is, society is brutalized by the use of the death penalty, and this increases the likelihood of more murder. Even most supporters of the death penalty now place little or no weight on deterrence as a serious justification for its continued use.

States in the United States that do not employ the death penalty generally have lower murder rates than states that do. The same is true when the U.S. is compared to countries similar to it. The U.S., with the death penalty, has a higher murder rate than the countries of Europe or Canada, which do not use the death penalty.

The death penalty is not a deterrent because most people who commit murders either do not expect to be caught or do not carefully weigh the differences between a possible execution and life in prison before they act. Frequently, murders are committed in moments of passion or anger, or by criminals who are substance abusers and acted impulsively. As someone who presided over many of Texas’s executions, former Texas Attorney General Jim Mattox has remarked, “It is my own experience that those executed in Texas were not deterred by the existence of the death penalty law. I think in most cases you’ll find that the murder was committed under severe drug and alcohol abuse.”

There is no conclusive proof that the death penalty acts as a better deterrent than the threat of life imprisonment. A 2012 report released by the prestigious National Research Council of the National Academies and based on a review of more than three decades of research, concluded that studies claiming a deterrent effect on murder rates from the death penalty are fundamentally flawed. A survey of the former and present presidents of the country’s top academic criminological societies found that 84% of these experts rejected the notion that research had demonstrated any deterrent effect from the death penalty .

Once in prison, those serving life sentences often settle into a routine and are less of a threat to commit violence than other prisoners. Moreover, most states now have a sentence of life without parole. Prisoners who are given this sentence will never be released. Thus, the safety of society can be assured without using the death penalty.

Ernest van den Haag Professor of Jurisprudence and Public Policy, Fordham University. Excerpts from ” The Ultimate Punishment: A Defense,” (Harvard Law Review Association, 1986)

“Execution of those who have committed heinous murders may deter only one murder per year. If it does, it seems quite warranted. It is also the only fitting retribution for murder I can think of.”

“Most abolitionists acknowledge that they would continue to favor abolition even if the death penalty were shown to deter more murders than alternatives could deter. Abolitionists appear to value the life of a convicted murderer or, at least, his non-execution, more highly than they value the lives of the innocent victims who might be spared by deterring prospective murderers.

Deterrence is not altogether decisive for me either. I would favor retention of the death penalty as retribution even if it were shown that the threat of execution could not deter prospective murderers not already deterred by the threat of imprisonment. Still, I believe the death penalty, because of its finality, is more feared than imprisonment, and deters some prospective murderers not deterred by the thought of imprisonment. Sparing the lives of even a few prospective victims by deterring their murderers is more important than preserving the lives of convicted murderers because of the possibility, or even the probability, that executing them would not deter others. Whereas the life of the victims who might be saved are valuable, that of the murderer has only negative value, because of his crime. Surely the criminal law is meant to protect the lives of potential victims in preference to those of actual murderers.”

“We threaten punishments in order to deter crime. We impose them not only to make the threats credible but also as retribution (justice) for the crimes that were not deterred. Threats and punishments are necessary to deter and deterrence is a sufficient practical justification for them. Retribution is an independent moral justification. Although penalties can be unwise, repulsive, or inappropriate, and those punished can be pitiable, in a sense the infliction of legal punishment on a guilty person cannot be unjust. By committing the crime, the criminal volunteered to assume the risk of receiving a legal punishment that he could have avoided by not committing the crime. The punishment he suffers is the punishment he voluntarily risked suffering and, therefore, it is no more unjust to him than any other event for which one knowingly volunteers to assume the risk. Thus, the death penalty cannot be unjust to the guilty criminal.”

Full text can be found at PBS.org .

Hugo Adam Bedau (deceased) Austin Fletcher Professor of Philosophy, Tufts University Excerpts from “The Case Against The Death Penalty” (Copyright 1997, American Civil Liberties Union)

“Persons who commit murder and other crimes of personal violence either may or may not premeditate their crimes.

When crime is planned, the criminal ordinarily concentrates on escaping detection, arrest, and conviction. The threat of even the severest punishment will not discourage those who expect to escape detection and arrest. It is impossible to imagine how the threat of any punishment could prevent a crime that is not premeditated….

Most capital crimes are committed in the heat of the moment. Most capital crimes are committed during moments of great emotional stress or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, when logical thinking has been suspended. In such cases, violence is inflicted by persons heedless of the consequences to themselves as well as to others….

If, however, severe punishment can deter crime, then long-term imprisonment is severe enough to deter any rational person from committing a violent crime.

The vast preponderance of the evidence shows that the death penalty is no more effective than imprisonment in deterring murder and that it may even be an incitement to criminal violence. Death-penalty states as a group do not have lower rates of criminal homicide than non-death-penalty states….

On-duty police officers do not suffer a higher rate of criminal assault and homicide in abolitionist states than they do in death-penalty states. Between l973 and l984, for example, lethal assaults against police were not significantly more, or less, frequent in abolitionist states than in death-penalty states. There is ‘no support for the view that the death penalty provides a more effective deterrent to police homicides than alternative sanctions. Not for a single year was evidence found that police are safer in jurisdictions that provide for capital punishment.’ (Bailey and Peterson, Criminology (1987))

Prisoners and prison personnel do not suffer a higher rate of criminal assault and homicide from life-term prisoners in abolition states than they do in death-penalty states. Between 1992 and 1995, 176 inmates were murdered by other prisoners; the vast majority (84%) were killed in death penalty jurisdictions. During the same period about 2% of all assaults on prison staff were committed by inmates in abolition jurisdictions. Evidently, the threat of the death penalty ‘does not even exert an incremental deterrent effect over the threat of a lesser punishment in the abolitionist states.’ (Wolfson, in Bedau, ed., The Death Penalty in America, 3rd ed. (1982))

Actual experience thus establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that the death penalty does not deter murder. No comparable body of evidence contradicts that conclusion.”

Click here for the full text from the ACLU website.

Retribution

A just society requires the taking of a life for a life.

When someone takes a life, the balance of justice is disturbed. Unless that balance is restored, society succumbs to a rule of violence. Only the taking of the murderer’s life restores the balance and allows society to show convincingly that murder is an intolerable crime which will be punished in kind.

Retribution has its basis in religious values, which have historically maintained that it is proper to take an “eye for an eye” and a life for a life.

Although the victim and the victim’s family cannot be restored to the status which preceded the murder, at least an execution brings closure to the murderer’s crime (and closure to the ordeal for the victim’s family) and ensures that the murderer will create no more victims.

For the most cruel and heinous crimes, the ones for which the death penalty is applied, offenders deserve the worst punishment under our system of law, and that is the death penalty. Any lesser punishment would undermine the value society places on protecting lives.

Robert Macy, District Attorney of Oklahoma City, described his concept of the need for retribution in one case: “In 1991, a young mother was rendered helpless and made to watch as her baby was executed. The mother was then mutilated and killed. The killer should not lie in some prison with three meals a day, clean sheets, cable TV, family visits and endless appeals. For justice to prevail, some killers just need to die.”

Retribution is another word for revenge. Although our first instinct may be to inflict immediate pain on someone who wrongs us, the standards of a mature society demand a more measured response.

The emotional impulse for revenge is not a sufficient justification for invoking a system of capital punishment, with all its accompanying problems and risks. Our laws and criminal justice system should lead us to higher principles that demonstrate a complete respect for life, even the life of a murderer. Encouraging our basest motives of revenge, which ends in another killing, extends the chain of violence. Allowing executions sanctions killing as a form of ‘pay-back.’

Many victims’ families denounce the use of the death penalty. Using an execution to try to right the wrong of their loss is an affront to them and only causes more pain. For example, Bud Welch’s daughter, Julie, was killed in the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Although his first reaction was to wish that those who committed this terrible crime be killed, he ultimately realized that such killing “is simply vengeance; and it was vengeance that killed Julie…. Vengeance is a strong and natural emotion. But it has no place in our justice system.”

The notion of an eye for an eye, or a life for a life, is a simplistic one which our society has never endorsed. We do not allow torturing the torturer, or raping the rapist. Taking the life of a murderer is a similarly disproportionate punishment, especially in light of the fact that the U.S. executes only a small percentage of those convicted of murder, and these defendants are typically not the worst offenders but merely the ones with the fewest resources to defend themselves.

Louis P. Pojman Author and Professor of Philosophy, U.S. Military Academy. Excerpt from “The Death Penalty: For and Against,” (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 1998)

“[Opponents of the capital punishment often put forth the following argument:] Perhaps the murderer deserves to die, but what authority does the state have to execute him or her? Both the Old and New Testament says, “’Vengeance is mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Prov. 25:21 and Romans 12:19). You need special authority to justify taking the life of a human being.

The objector fails to note that the New Testament passage continues with a support of the right of the state to execute criminals in the name of God: “Let every person be subjected to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore he who resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment…. If you do wrong, be afraid, for [the authority] does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrongdoer” (Romans 13: 1-4). So, according to the Bible, the authority to punish, which presumably includes the death penalty, comes from God.

But we need not appeal to a religious justification for capital punishment. We can site the state’s role in dispensing justice. Just as the state has the authority (and duty) to act justly in allocating scarce resources, in meeting minimal needs of its (deserving) citizens, in defending its citizens from violence and crime, and in not waging unjust wars; so too does it have the authority, flowing from its mission to promote justice and the good of its people, to punish the criminal. If the criminal, as one who has forfeited a right to life, deserves to be executed, especially if it will likely deter would-be murderers, the state has a duty to execute those convicted of first-degree murder.”

National Council of Synagogues and the Bishops’ Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops Excerpts from “To End the Death Penalty: A Report of the National Jewish/Catholic Consultation” (December, 1999)

“Some would argue that the death penalty is needed as a means of retributive justice, to balance out the crime with the punishment. This reflects a natural concern of society, and especially of victims and their families. Yet we believe that we are called to seek a higher road even while punishing the guilty, for example through long and in some cases life-long incarceration, so that the healing of all can ultimately take place.

Some would argue that the death penalty will teach society at large the seriousness of crime. Yet we say that teaching people to respond to violence with violence will, again, only breed more violence.

The strongest argument of all [in favor of the death penalty] is the deep pain and grief of the families of victims, and their quite natural desire to see punishment meted out to those who have plunged them into such agony. Yet it is the clear teaching of our traditions that this pain and suffering cannot be healed simply through the retribution of capital punishment or by vengeance. It is a difficult and long process of healing which comes about through personal growth and God’s grace. We agree that much more must be done by the religious community and by society at large to solace and care for the grieving families of the victims of violent crime.

Recent statements of the Reform and Conservative movements in Judaism, and of the U.S. Catholic Conference sum up well the increasingly strong convictions shared by Jews and Catholics…:

‘Respect for all human life and opposition to the violence in our society are at the root of our long-standing opposition (as bishops) to the death penalty. We see the death penalty as perpetuating a cycle of violence and promoting a sense of vengeance in our culture. As we said in Confronting the Culture of Violence: ‘We cannot teach that killing is wrong by killing.’ We oppose capital punishment not just for what it does to those guilty of horrible crimes, but for what it does to all of us as a society. Increasing reliance on the death penalty diminishes all of us and is a sign of growing disrespect for human life. We cannot overcome crime by simply executing criminals, nor can we restore the lives of the innocent by ending the lives of those convicted of their murders. The death penalty offers the tragic illusion that we can defend life by taking life.’1

We affirm that we came to these conclusions because of our shared understanding of the sanctity of human life. We have committed ourselves to work together, and each within our own communities, toward ending the death penalty.” Endnote 1. Statement of the Administrative Committee of the United States Catholic Conference, March 24, 1999.

The risk of executing the innocent precludes the use of the death penalty.

The death penalty alone imposes an irrevocable sentence. Once an inmate is executed, nothing can be done to make amends if a mistake has been made. There is considerable evidence that many mistakes have been made in sentencing people to death. Since 1973, over 180 people have been released from death row after evidence of their innocence emerged. During the same period of time, over 1,500 people have been executed. Thus, for every 8.3 people executed, we have found one person on death row who never should have been convicted. These statistics represent an intolerable risk of executing the innocent. If an automobile manufacturer operated with similar failure rates, it would be run out of business.

Our capital punishment system is unreliable. A study by Columbia University Law School found that two thirds of all capital trials contained serious errors. When the cases were retried, over 80% of the defendants were not sentenced to death and 7% were completely acquitted.

Many of the releases of innocent defendants from death row came about as a result of factors outside of the justice system. Recently, journalism students in Illinois were assigned to investigate the case of a man who was scheduled to be executed, after the system of appeals had rejected his legal claims. The students discovered that one witness had lied at the original trial, and they were able to find another man, who confessed to the crime on videotape and was later convicted of the murder. The innocent man who was released was very fortunate, but he was spared because of the informal efforts of concerned citizens, not because of the justice system.

In other cases, DNA testing has exonerated death row inmates. Here, too, the justice system had concluded that these defendants were guilty and deserving of the death penalty. DNA testing became available only in the early 1990s, due to advancements in science. If this testing had not been discovered until ten years later, many of these inmates would have been executed. And if DNA testing had been applied to earlier cases where inmates were executed in the 1970s and 80s, the odds are high that it would have proven that some of them were innocent as well.

Society takes many risks in which innocent lives can be lost. We build bridges, knowing that statistically some workers will be killed during construction; we take great precautions to reduce the number of unintended fatalities. But wrongful executions are a preventable risk. By substituting a sentence of life without parole, we meet society’s needs of punishment and protection without running the risk of an erroneous and irrevocable punishment.

There is no proof that any innocent person has actually been executed since increased safeguards and appeals were added to our death penalty system in the 1970s. Even if such executions have occurred, they are very rare. Imprisoning innocent people is also wrong, but we cannot empty the prisons because of that minimal risk. If improvements are needed in the system of representation, or in the use of scientific evidence such as DNA testing, then those reforms should be instituted. However, the need for reform is not a reason to abolish the death penalty.

Besides, many of the claims of innocence by those who have been released from death row are actually based on legal technicalities. Just because someone’s conviction is overturned years later and the prosecutor decides not to retry him, does not mean he is actually innocent.

If it can be shown that someone is innocent, surely a governor would grant clemency and spare the person. Hypothetical claims of innocence are usually just delaying tactics to put off the execution as long as possible. Given our thorough system of appeals through numerous state and federal courts, the execution of an innocent individual today is almost impossible. Even the theoretical execution of an innocent person can be justified because the death penalty saves lives by deterring other killings.

Gerald Kogan, Former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Excerpts from a speech given in Orlando, Florida, October 23, 1999 “[T]here is no question in my mind, and I can tell you this having seen the dynamics of our criminal justice system over the many years that I have been associated with it, [as] prosecutor, defense attorney, trial judge and Supreme Court Justice, that convinces me that we certainly have, in the past, executed those people who either didn’t fit the criteria for execution in the State of Florida or who, in fact, were, factually, not guilty of the crime for which they have been executed.

“And you can make these statements when you understand the dynamics of the criminal justice system, when you understand how the State makes deals with more culpable defendants in a capital case, offers them light sentences in exchange for their testimony against another participant or, in some cases, in fact, gives them immunity from prosecution so that they can secure their testimony; the use of jailhouse confessions, like people who say, ‘I was in the cell with so-and-so and they confessed to me,’ or using those particular confessions, the validity of which there has been great doubt. And yet, you see the uneven application of the death penalty where, in many instances, those that are the most culpable escape death and those that are the least culpable are victims of the death penalty. These things begin to weigh very heavily upon you. And under our system, this is the system we have. And that is, we are human beings administering an imperfect system.”

“And how about those people who are still sitting on death row today, who may be factually innocent but cannot prove their particular case very simply because there is no DNA evidence in their case that can be used to exonerate them? Of course, in most cases, you’re not going to have that kind of DNA evidence, so there is no way and there is no hope for them to be saved from what may be one of the biggest mistakes that our society can make.”

The entire speech by Justice Kogan is available here.

Paul G. Cassell Associate Professor of Law, University of Utah, College of Law, and former law clerk to Chief Justice Warren E. Burger. Statement before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Civil and Constitutional Rights Concerning Claims of Innocence in Capital Cases (July 23, 1993)

“Given the fallibility of human judgments, the possibility exists that the use of capital punishment may result in the execution of an innocent person. The Senate Judiciary Committee has previously found this risk to be ‘minimal,’ a view shared by numerous scholars. As Justice Powell has noted commenting on the numerous state capital cases that have come before the Supreme Court, the ‘unprecedented safeguards’ already inherent in capital sentencing statutes ‘ensure a degree of care in the imposition of the sentence of death that can only be described as unique.’”

“Our present system of capital punishment limits the ultimate penalty to certain specifically-defined crimes and even then, permit the penalty of death only when the jury finds that the aggravating circumstances in the case outweigh all mitigating circumstances. The system further provides judicial review of capital cases. Finally, before capital sentences are carried out, the governor or other executive official will review the sentence to insure that it is a just one, a determination that undoubtedly considers the evidence of the condemned defendant’s guilt. Once all of those decisionmakers have agreed that a death sentence is appropriate, innocent lives would be lost from failure to impose the sentence.”

“Capital sentences, when carried out, save innocent lives by permanently incapacitating murderers. Some persons who commit capital homicide will slay other innocent persons if given the opportunity to do so. The death penalty is the most effective means of preventing such killers from repeating their crimes. The next most serious penalty, life imprisonment without possibility of parole, prevents murderers from committing some crimes but does not prevent them from murdering in prison.”

“The mistaken release of guilty murderers should be of far greater concern than the speculative and heretofore nonexistent risk of the mistaken execution of an innocent person.”

Full text can be found here.

Arbitrariness & Discrimination

The death penalty is applied unfairly and should not be used.

In practice, the death penalty does not single out the worst offenders. Rather, it selects an arbitrary group based on such irrational factors as the quality of the defense counsel, the county in which the crime was committed, or the race of the defendant or victim.

Almost all defendants facing the death penalty cannot afford their own attorney. Hence, they are dependent on the quality of the lawyers assigned by the state, many of whom lack experience in capital cases or are so underpaid that they fail to investigate the case properly. A poorly represented defendant is much more likely to be convicted and given a death sentence.

With respect to race, studies have repeatedly shown that a death sentence is far more likely where a white person is murdered than where a Black person is murdered. The death penalty is racially divisive because it appears to count white lives as more valuable than Black lives. Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, 296 Black defendants have been executed for the murder of a white victim, while only 31 white defendants have been executed for the murder of a Black victim. Such racial disparities have existed over the history of the death penalty and appear to be largely intractable.

It is arbitrary when someone in one county or state receives the death penalty, but someone who commits a comparable crime in another county or state is given a life sentence. Prosecutors have enormous discretion about when to seek the death penalty and when to settle for a plea bargain. Often those who can only afford a minimal defense are selected for the death penalty. Until race and other arbitrary factors, like economics and geography, can be eliminated as a determinant of who lives and who dies, the death penalty must not be used.

Discretion has always been an essential part of our system of justice. No one expects the prosecutor to pursue every possible offense or punishment, nor do we expect the same sentence to be imposed just because two crimes appear similar. Each crime is unique, both because the circumstances of each victim are different and because each defendant is different. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that a mandatory death penalty which applied to everyone convicted of first degree murder would be unconstitutional. Hence, we must give prosecutors and juries some discretion.

In fact, more white people are executed in this country than black people. And even if blacks are disproportionately represented on death row, proportionately blacks commit more murders than whites. Moreover, the Supreme Court has rejected the use of statistical studies which claim racial bias as the sole reason for overturning a death sentence.

Even if the death penalty punishes some while sparing others, it does not follow that everyone should be spared. The guilty should still be punished appropriately, even if some do escape proper punishment unfairly. The death penalty should apply to killers of black people as well as to killers of whites. High paid, skillful lawyers should not be able to get some defendants off on technicalities. The existence of some systemic problems is no reason to abandon the whole death penalty system.

Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. President and Chief Executive Officer, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, Inc. Excerpt from “Legal Lynching: Racism, Injustice & the Death Penalty,” (Marlowe & Company, 1996)

“Who receives the death penalty has less to do with the violence of the crime than with the color of the criminal’s skin, or more often, the color of the victim’s skin. Murder — always tragic — seems to be a more heinous and despicable crime in some states than in others. Women who kill and who are killed are judged by different standards than are men who are murderers and victims.

The death penalty is essentially an arbitrary punishment. There are no objective rules or guidelines for when a prosecutor should seek the death penalty, when a jury should recommend it, and when a judge should give it. This lack of objective, measurable standards ensures that the application of the death penalty will be discriminatory against racial, gender, and ethnic groups.

The majority of Americans who support the death penalty believe, or wish to believe, that legitimate factors such as the violence and cruelty with which the crime was committed, a defendant’s culpability or history of violence, and the number of victims involved determine who is sentenced to life in prison and who receives the ultimate punishment. The numbers, however, tell a different story. They confirm the terrible truth that bias and discrimination warp our nation’s judicial system at the very time it matters most — in matters of life and death. The factors that determine who will live and who will die — race, sex, and geography — are the very same ones that blind justice was meant to ignore. This prejudicial distribution should be a moral outrage to every American.”

Justice Lewis Powell United States Supreme Court Justice excerpts from McCleskey v. Kemp, 481 U.S. 279 (1987) (footnotes and citations omitted)

(Mr. McCleskey, a black man, was convicted and sentenced to death in 1978 for killing a white police officer while robbing a store. Mr. McCleskey appealed his conviction and death sentence, claiming racial discrimination in the application of Georgia’s death penalty. He presented statistical analysis showing a pattern of sentencing disparities based primarily on the race of the victim. The analysis indicated that black defendants who killed white victims had the greatest likelihood of receiving the death penalty. Writing the majority opinion for the Supreme Court, Justice Powell held that statistical studies on race by themselves were an insufficient basis for overturning the death penalty.)

“[T]he claim that [t]his sentence rests on the irrelevant factor of race easily could be extended to apply to claims based on unexplained discrepancies that correlate to membership in other minority groups, and even to gender. Similarly, since [this] claim relates to the race of his victim, other claims could apply with equally logical force to statistical disparities that correlate with the race or sex of other actors in the criminal justice system, such as defense attorneys or judges. Also, there is no logical reason that such a claim need be limited to racial or sexual bias. If arbitrary and capricious punishment is the touchstone under the Eighth Amendment, such a claim could — at least in theory — be based upon any arbitrary variable, such as the defendant’s facial characteristics, or the physical attractiveness of the defendant or the victim, that some statistical study indicates may be influential in jury decision making. As these examples illustrate, there is no limiting principle to the type of challenge brought by McCleskey. The Constitution does not require that a State eliminate any demonstrable disparity that correlates with a potentially irrelevant factor in order to operate a criminal justice system that includes capital punishment. As we have stated specifically in the context of capital punishment, the Constitution does not ‘plac[e] totally unrealistic conditions on its use.’ (Gregg v. Georgia)”

The entire decision can be found here.

Finding Sources for Death Penalty Research

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• Writing Research Papers
• Writing Essays
• English Grammar
• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

One of the most popular topics for an argument essay is the death penalty . When researching a topic for an argumentative essay , accuracy is important, which means the quality of your sources is important.

If you're writing a paper about the death penalty, you can start with this list of sources, which provide arguments for all sides of the topic.

Amnesty International Site

Amnesty International views the death penalty as "the ultimate, irreversible denial of human rights." This website provides a gold mine of statistics and the latest breaking news on the subject.

Mental Illness on Death Row

Death Penalty Focus is an organization that aims to bring about the abolition of capital punishment and is a great resource for information. You will find evidence that many of the people executed over the past decades are affected by a form of mental illness or disability.

Pros and Cons of the Death Penalty

This extensive article provides an overview of arguments for and against the death penalty and offers a history of notable events that have shaped the discourse for activists and proponents.

Pro-Death Penalty Links

This page comes from ProDeathPenalty and contains a state-by-state guide to capital punishment resources. You'll also find a list of papers written by students on topics related to capital punishment. 

• 100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students
• Capital Punishment: Pros and Cons of the Death Penalty
• Pros & Cons of the Death Penalty
• 5 Arguments in Favor of the Death Penalty
• Ethos, Logos, Pathos for Persuasion
• History of Capital Punishment in Canada
• Preparing an Argument Essay: Exploring Both Sides of an Issue
• Recent Legal History of the Death Penalty in America
• Tips on How to Write an Argumentative Essay
• The Death Penalty in the United States
• New Challenges to the Death Penalty
• 50 Argumentative Essay Topics
• Furman v. Georgia: Supreme Court Case, Arguments, Impact
• "The Penalty of Death" by H.L. Mencken
• The Best Interactive Debate Websites for Students and Teachers
• Coker v. Georgia: Supreme Court Case, Arguments, Impact

Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Human Rights — Capital Punishment

Essays on Capital Punishment

Capital punishment is a controversial and thought-provoking topic that has been debated for decades. Writing an essay on capital punishment can be a challenging task, especially when it comes to choosing the right topic. In this article, we will discuss the importance of the topic, provide advice on choosing a topic, and present a detailed list of recommended essay topics, divided by category.

Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is a highly divisive issue that has sparked fierce debate around the world. It raises questions about morality, justice, and the role of the state in taking the life of a convicted criminal. Writing an essay on capital punishment allows students to explore these complex issues and develop critical thinking skills. Moreover, it provides an opportunity to examine the social, ethical, and legal implications of the death penalty, making it an important and relevant topic for academic study.

When choosing a topic for a capital punishment essay, it is important to consider your interests and the specific aspects of the death penalty that you find compelling. You may want to explore the history of capital punishment, its ethical implications, its effectiveness as a deterrent, or its impact on society. Additionally, consider the current debates and controversies surrounding the death penalty, as these can provide a rich source of material for your essay.

Recommended Capital Punishment Essay Topics

History of capital punishment.

• The origins of capital punishment
• The evolution of execution methods
• Famous historical cases of capital punishment
• The abolition of the death penalty in certain countries

Ethical and Moral Considerations

• The morality of the death penalty
• Religious perspectives on capital punishment
• The rights of the condemned
• The ethics of executing the innocent

Effectiveness and Deterrence

• The effectiveness of capital punishment as a deterrent
• Comparing crime rates in states with and without the death penalty
• The psychological impact of the death penalty on society
• Alternatives to capital punishment

Legal and Social Justice Issues

• Racial disparities in death penalty sentencing
• The role of capital punishment in the criminal justice system
• International perspectives on the death penalty
• The impact of capital punishment on victims' families

Contemporary Debates and Controversies

• The use of lethal injection as an execution method
• The debate over capital punishment for juveniles
• The role of the media in shaping public opinion on the death penalty
• The impact of public opinion on the future of the death penalty

These are just a few examples of the many possible essay topics related to capital punishment. Regardless of the specific topic you choose, it is important to approach the subject with an open mind and a willingness to engage with different perspectives. By considering the historical, ethical, legal, and social aspects of the death penalty, you can develop a well-rounded and insightful essay that contributes to the ongoing discourse on this important issue.

The Death Penalty: is It Ethical and Effective in Crime Prevention?

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The Conflict Theory Perspective on Poverty

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A History of Capital Punishment in America

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The Death Penalty: Pros and Cons

The ethics of capital punishment: death is not a right decision, against the death penalty: a persuasive argument for abolition, reasoning against the death penalty in america, justice and death penalty: views of edward i. koch and david von drehle, analysis of the effect of death penalty on crime rates in iran, evaluation of the justification of the death penalty, controversial topic of the death sentence, analysis of "death and justice: how capital punishment affirms life" by edward koch, revisiting the debate on capital punishment: an ielts perspective, emotivism and social darwinism and its ethical applications, analysis of edward koch’s argument in death and justice, capital punishment: legality, effectiveness, and availability of alternatives, death penalty: a cruel and unusual punishment or justice in work, how the death penalty violates human rights, thesis statement is capital punishment constitutional, death penalty as a cruel and unusual punishment, how the death penalty violates the 8th amendment, the death penalty's ineffectiveness as a crime deterrent, the pros of the death penalty: a comprehensive analysis, relevant topics.

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Death Penalty - Essay Samples And Topic Ideas For Free

The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, remains a contentious issue in many societies. Essays on this topic could explore the moral, legal, and social arguments surrounding the practice, including discussions on retribution, deterrence, and justice. They might delve into historical trends in the application of the death penalty, the potential for judicial error, and the disparities in its application across different demographic groups. Discussions might also explore the psychological impact on inmates, the families involved, and the society at large. They could also analyze the global trends toward abolition or retention of the death penalty and the factors influencing these trends. A substantial compilation of free essay instances related to Death Penalty you can find at Papersowl. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

Death Penalty and Justice

By now, many of us are familiar with the statement, "an eye for an eye," which came from the bible, so it should be followed as holy writ. Then there was Gandhi, who inspired thousands and said, "an eye for an eye will leave us all blind." This begs the question, which option do we pick to be a good moral agent, in the terms of justice that is. Some states in America practice the death penalty, where some states […]

The Controversy of Death Penalty

The death penalty is a very controversial topic in many states. Although the idea of the death penalty does sound terrifying, would you really want a murderer to be given food and shelter for free? Would you want a murderer to get out of jail and still end up killing another innocent person? Imagine if that murder gets out of jail and kills someone in your family; Wouldn’t you want that murderer to be killed as well? Murderers can kill […]

Stephen Nathanson’s “An Eye for an Eye”

According to Stephen Nathanson's "An Eye for an Eye?", he believes that capital punishment should be immediately abolished and that the principle of punishment, "lex talionis" which correlates to the classic saying "an eye for an eye" is not a valid reason for issuing the death penalty in any country, thus, abolishment of Capital Punishment should follow. Throughout the excerpt from his book, Nathanson argues against this principle believing that one, it forces us to "commit highly immoral actions”raping a […]

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Does the Death Penalty Effectively Deter Crime?

The death penalty in America has been effective since 1608. Throughout the years following the first execution, criminal behaviors have begun to deteriorate. Capital punishment was first formed to deter crime and treason. As a result, it increased the rate of crime, according to researchers. Punishing criminals by death does not effectively deter crime because criminals are not concerned with consequences, apprehension, and judges are not willing to pay the expenses. During the stage of mens rea, thoughts of committing […]

The Death Penalty: Right or Wrong?

The death penalty has been a controversial topic throughout the years and now more than ever, as we argue; Right or Wrong? Moral or Immoral? Constitutional or Unconstitutional? The death penalty also known as capital punishment is a legal process where the state justice sentences an individual to be executed as punishment for a crime committed. The death penalty sentence strongly depends on the severity of the crime, in the US there are 41 crimes that can lead to being […]

About Carlton Franklin

In most other situations, the long-unsolved Westfield Murder would have been a death penalty case. A 57-year-old legal secretary, Lena Triano, was found tied up, raped, beaten, and stabbed in her New Jersey home. A DNA sample from her undergarments connected Carlton Franklin to the scene of the crime. However, fortunately enough for Franklin, he was not convicted until almost four decades after the murder and, in an unusual turn of events, was tried in juvenile court. Franklin was fifteen […]

About the Death Penalty

The death penalty has been a method used as far back as the Eighteenth century B.C. The use of the death penalty was for punishing people for committing relentless crimes. The severity of the punishment were much more inferior in comparison to modern day. These inferior punishments included boiling live bodies, burning at the stake, hanging, and extensive use of the guillotine to decapitate criminals. In the ancient days no laws were established to dictate and regulate the type of […]

The Death Penalty should not be Legal

Imagine you hit your sibling and your mom hits you back to teach that you shouldn't be hitting anyone. Do you really learn not to be violent from that or instead do you learn how it is okay for moms or dads to hit their children in order to teach them something? This is exactly how the death penalty works. The death penalty has been a form of punishment for decades. There are several methods of execution and those are […]

Effectively Solving Society’s Criminality

Has one ever wondered if the person standing or sitting next to them has the potential to be a murderer or a rapist? What do those who are victimized personally or have suffered from a tragic event involving a loved-one or someone near and dear to their heart, expect from the government? Convicted felons of this nature and degree of unlawfulness should be sentenced to death. Psychotic killers and rapists need the ultimate consequences such as the death penalty for […]

Religious Values and Death Penalty

Religious and moral values tell us that killing is wrong. Thou shall not kill. To me, the death penalty is inhumane. Killing people makes us like the murderers that most of us despise. No imperfect system should have the right to decide who lives and who dies. The government is made up of imperfect humans, who make mistakes. The only person that should be able to take life, is god. "An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind". […]

Abolishment of the Death Penalty

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to relate many different criminological theories in regard to capital punishment. We relate many criminological theories such as; cognitive theory, deviant place theory, latent trait theory, differential association theory, behavioral theory, attachment theory, lifestyle theory, and biosocial theory. This paper empirically analyzes the idea that capital punishment is inhumane and should be abolished. We analyze this by taking into consideration false convictions, deterrence of crime, attitudes towards capital punishment, mental illness and juvenile […]

Punishment and the Nature of the Crime

When an individual commits a crime then he/she is given punishment depending on the nature of the crime committed. The US's way of giving punishment to an offender has been criticized for many years. There are 2 types of cases; civil and criminal cases. In civil cases, most of the verdict comprises of jail time or fine amount to be paid. These are not as severe except the one related to money laundering and forgery. On the other hand, criminal […]

The Death Penalty and Juveniles

Introduction: In today's society, many juveniles are being sent to trial without having the chance of getting a fair trial as anyone else would. Many citizens would see juveniles as dangerous individuals, but in my opinion how a teenager acts at home starts at home. Punishing a child for something that could have been solved at home is something that should not have to get worse by giving them the death penalty. The death penalty should not be imposed on […]

Is the Death Penalty “Humane”

What’s the first thing that pops up in your mind when you hear the words Capital Punishment? I’m assuming for most people the first thing that pops up is a criminal sitting on a chair, with all limbs tied down, and some type of mechanism connected to their head. Even though this really isn't the way that it is done, I do not blame people for imagining that type of image because that is how movies usually portray capital punishment. […]

Euthanasia and Death Penalty

Euthanasia and death penalty are two controversy topics, that get a lot of attention in today's life. The subject itself has the roots deep in the beginning of the humankind. It is interesting and maybe useful to learn the answer and if there is right or wrong in those actions. The decision if a person should live or die depends on the state laws. There are both opponents and supporters of the subject. However different the opinions are, the state […]

The Death Penalty is not Worth the Cost

The death penalty is a government practice, used as a punishment for capital crimes such as treason, murder, and genocide to name a few. It has been a controversial topic for many years some countries still use it while others don't. In the United States, each state gets to choose whether they consider it to be legal or not. Which is why in this country 30 states allow it while 20 states have gotten rid of it. It is controversial […]

Ineffectiveness of Death Penalty

Death penalty as a means of punishing crime and discouraging wrong behaviour has suffered opposition from various fronts. Religious leaders argue that it is morally wrong to take someone's life while liberal thinkers claim that there are better ways to punish wrong behaviour other than the death penalty. This debate rages on while statistically, Texas executes more individuals than any other state in the United States of America. America itself also has the highest number of death penalty related deaths […]

Is the Death Penalty Morally Right?

There have been several disputes on whether the death penalty is morally right. Considering the ethical issues with this punishment can help distinguish if it should be denied or accepted. For example, it can be argued that a criminal of extreme offenses should be granted the same level of penance as their crime. During the duration of their sentencing they could repent on their actions and desire another opportunity of freedom. The death penalty should be outlawed because of too […]

Why the Death Penalty is Unjust

Capital punishment being either a justifiable law, or a horrendous, unjust act can be determined based on the perspective of different worldviews. In a traditional Christian perspective, the word of God given to the world in The Holy Bible should only be abided by. The Holy Bible states that no man (or woman) should shed the blood of another man (or woman). Christians are taught to teach a greater amount of sacrifice for the sake of the Lord. Social justice […]

The Death Penalty and People’s Opinions

The death penalty is a highly debated topic that often divided opinion amongst people all around the world. Firstly, let's take a look at our capital punishments, with certain crimes, come different serving times. Most crimes include treason, espionage, murder, large-scale drug trafficking, and murder towards a juror, witness, or a court officer in some cases. These are a few examples compared to the forty-one federal capital offenses to date. When it comes to the death penalty, there are certain […]

The Debate of the Death Penalty

Capital punishment is a moral issue that is often scrutinized due to the taking of someone’s life. This is in large part because of the views many have toward the rule of law or an acceptance to the status quo. In order to get a true scope of the death penalty, it is best to address potential biases from a particular ethical viewpoint. By looking at it from several theories of punishment, selecting the most viable theory makes it a […]

The History of the Death Penalty

The History of the death penalty goes as far back as ancient China and Babylon. However, the first recorded death sentence took place in 16th Century BC Egypt, where executions were carried out with an ax. Since the very beginning, people were treated according to their social status; those wealthy were rarely facing brutal executions; on the contrary, most of the population was facing cruel executions. For instance, in the 5th Century BC, the Roman Law of the Twelve Tablets […]

Death Penalty is Immoral

Let's say your child grabs a plate purposely. You see them grab the plate, smash it on the ground and look you straight in the eyes. Are they deserving of a punishment? Now what if I say your child is three years old. A three year old typically doesn't know they have done something wrong. But since your child broke that one plate, your kid is being put on death row. You may be thinking, that is too harsh of […]

The Death Penalty in the United States

The United States is the "land of the free, home of the brave" and the death penalty (American National Anthem). Globally, America stands number five in carrying executions (Lockie). Since its resurrection in 1976, the year in which the Supreme Court reestablished the constitutionality of the death penalty, more than 1,264 people have been executed, predominantly by the medium of lethal injection (The Guardian). Almost all death penalty cases entangle the execution of assassins; although, they may also be applied […]

Cost of the Death Penalty

The death penalty costs more than life in prison. According to Fox News correspondent Dan Springer, the State of California spent 4 billion dollars to execute 13 individuals, in addition to the net spend of an estimated $64,000 per prisoner every year. Springer (2011) documents how the death penalty convictions declined due to economic reasons. The state spends up to 3 times more when seeking a death penalty than when pursuing a life in prison without the possibility of parole. […]

The Solution to the Death Penalty

There has never been a time when the United States of America was free from criminals indulging in killing, stealing, exploiting people, and even selling illegal items. Naturally, America refuses to tolerate the crimes committed by those who view themselves as above the law. Once these convicts are apprehended, they are brought to justice. In the past, these criminals often faced an ultimate punishment: the death penalty. Mercy was a foreign concept due to their underdeveloped understanding of the value […]

Costs: Death Penalty Versus Prison Costs

The Conservatives Concerned Organization challenges the notion that the death penalty is more cost effective compared to prison housing and feeding costs. The organization argues that the death penalty is an expensive lengthy and complicated process concluding that it is not only a bloated program that delays justice and bogs down the enforcement of the law, it is also an inefficient justice process that diverts financial resources from law enforcement programs that could protect individuals and save lives. According to […]

Death Penalty as a Source of Constant Controversy

The death penalty has been a source of almost constant controversy for hundreds of years, splitting the population down the middle with people supporting the death penalty and people that think it is unnecessary. The amount of people that are been against the death penalty has grown in recent years, causing the amount of executions to dwindle down to where there is less than one hundred every year. This number will continue to lessen as more and more people decide […]

Death Penalty is Politically Just?

Being wrongfully accused is unimaginable, but think if you were wrongfully accused and the ultimate punishment was death. Death penalty is one of the most controversial issues in today's society, but what is politically just? When a crime is committed most assume that the only acceptable consequence is to be put to death rather than thinking of another form of punishment. Religiously the death penalty is unfair because the, "USCCB concludes prisoners can change and find redemption through ministry outreach, […]

George Walker Bush and Death Penalty

George Walker Bush, a former U.S. president, and governor of Texas, once spoke, "I don't think you should support the death penalty to seek revenge. I don't think that's right. I think the reason to support the death penalty is because it saves other people's lives." The death penalty, or capital punishment, refers to the execution of a criminal convicted of a capital offense. With many criminals awaiting execution on death row, the death penalty has been a debated topic […]

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How To Write an Essay About Death Penalty

Understanding the topic.

When writing an essay about the death penalty, the first step is to understand the depth and complexities of the topic. The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is a legal process where a person is put to death by the state as a punishment for a crime. This topic is highly controversial and evokes strong emotions on both sides of the debate. It's crucial to approach this subject with sensitivity and a balanced perspective, acknowledging the moral, legal, and ethical considerations involved. Research is key in this initial phase, as it's important to gather facts, statistics, and viewpoints from various sources to have a well-rounded understanding of the topic. This foundation will set the tone for your essay, guiding your argument and supporting your thesis.

Structuring the Argument

The next step is structuring your argument. In an essay about the death penalty, it's vital to present a clear thesis statement that outlines your stance on the issue. Are you for or against it? What are the reasons behind your position? The body of your essay should then systematically support your thesis through well-structured arguments. Each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of the death penalty, such as its ethical implications, its effectiveness as a deterrent to crime, or the risk of wrongful convictions. Ensure that each point is backed up by evidence and examples, and remember to address counterarguments. This not only shows that you have considered multiple viewpoints but also strengthens your position by demonstrating why these opposing arguments may be less valid.

Exploring Ethical and Moral Dimensions

An essential aspect of writing an essay on the death penalty is exploring its ethical and moral dimensions. This involves delving into philosophical debates about the value of human life, justice, and retribution. It's important to discuss the moral justifications that are often used to defend the death penalty, such as the idea of 'an eye for an eye,' and to critically evaluate these arguments. Equally important is exploring the ethical arguments against the death penalty, including the potential for innocent people to be executed and the question of whether the state should have the power to take a life. This section of the essay should challenge readers to think deeply about their values and the principles of a just society.

Concluding Thoughts

In conclusion, revisit your thesis and summarize the key points made in your essay. This is your final opportunity to reinforce your argument and leave a lasting impression on your readers. Discuss the broader implications of the death penalty in society and consider potential future developments in this area. You might also want to offer recommendations or pose questions that encourage further reflection on the topic. Remember, a strong conclusion doesn't just restate what has been said; it provides closure and offers new insights, prompting readers to continue thinking about the subject long after they have finished reading your essay.

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Argumentative essay on death penalty

In 1994, Seth Penalver was sentenced to death for a brutal murder that involved three individuals. There was no actual physical evidence relating him to the crime. The only evidence they had was a video with poor quality in which the murderer’s face could not be seen as well. Penalver remained in custody until 2012, when he was finally acquitted of all charges. (Florida: Seth Penalver, acquitted in 2012) Death Penalty is a crime. The death penalty is unjustifiable, hypocritical and leads to false imprisonment that results in executions that are later discovered to be found.

Seth Penalver case is just among the countless cases that have been recorded by individuals who have been on the verge of death due to poor apprehension tactics in their case. Investigations that have been carried out in numerous states following the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976 reveals that there are numerous people who were executed yet innocent. It is inevitable to state that the execution of any innocent individual is morally reprehensible. Despite the effort that has been put into guaranteeing proper investigation and conviction of individuals brought in front of a court, no case is fool proof (Ogletree 18). Thus, there might be the conviction of people into death row yet innocent. Based on this, it is recommendable that all individuals, if found guilty beyond reasonable doubt, are given a sentence of life without parole which is reasonably effective. The sentencing of death to some criminals might put them out of the misery they might have endured in prison.

The manipulation of the judicial system has been evident where in history it is recorded that factors such as race influenced the death sentence in certain states. This is evident in cases whereby if an African American murdered a white man, he or she was likely to be sentenced to death which is unlike if the situation was reversed. In states such as Oregon, there have been numerous accounts of biases whereby the blacks were victimized by being given the death sentence, which would not have been the case if a white man killed an African American. The death row system has also been a significant waste of the taxpayers money whereby in cases such as the 1995 Washington County murder cases an estimated $1.5 million shillings was spent yet only one of the three suspects was sentenced to death (Ellsworth and Samuel 28). An investigation conducted by the Oregon Department of Administrative Service has made statements that the abolishment of the death row system would save the federal government a substantial amount of resources that could be utilized in significant development projects.

Despite the overwhelming evidence that may be rendered against a suspect, it is important to note that this does not necessarily make them guilty. However, the lack of a proper defense, particularly among suspects who do not have the financial resources to hire a good lawyer, are likely to be found guilty and sentenced to death. An analysis of the numerous cases that the death penalty has been reversed there has been overwhelming evidence pointing out poor counsel. A study conducted by the Columbia University argues that an estimated 68% of appeals made by individuals sentenced to death have been reversed due to ineffective assistance of counsel. Based on this understanding, it would be inappropriate to continuously sentence people to death row as there are numerous factors that could contribute to misjudgment.

Despite the numerous arguments that have been presented in support of the abolishment of the death penalty, there continues to exist counter arguments who believe that the death penalty should be upheld. Among the substantial arguments that have been presented is that, the public execution of the said offenders serves a public reminder to criminals that crime is not rewarding. Speculations reveal that an evaluation of the rate of homicide in numerous states significantly dropped after the incorporation of the death sentence (Hood and Carolyn 7). The further argument presented in support of the death penalty states that the execution of a convicted felon guarantees that the killer will never be engaged in the act again. This argument has been supported by the fact that a significant number of people have been killed by convicted felons who managed to get parole or escaped from jail.

Irrespective of the varied arguments that have been presented in support of the death penalty, I believe that everyone has the capacity to change. It would, therefore, be inappropriate to sentence convicted felons to death without giving them an opportunity to express their remorse towards their actions. It is important that other means of dealing with criminals who are engaged in great crimes is developed because the death sentence has seemingly had no positive impact on lowering the crime rate.

• Ellsworth, Phoebe C., and Samuel R. Gross. “Hardening of the attitudes: Americans’ views on the death penalty.” Journal of Social Issues 50.2 (1994): 19-52.
• Hood, Roger, and Carolyn Hoyle. The death penalty: A worldwide perspective. OUP Oxford, 2015.
• Ogletree Jr, Charles J. “Black man’s burden: Race and the death penalty in America.” Or. L. Rev. 81 (2002): 15.
• Bill of Rights
• Civil Disobedience
• Drunk Driving
• First Amendment
• Forensic Science
• Gang Violence
• Human Rights
• Identity Theft

Capital Punishment Essay Topics & Ideas

• Argumentative Essay Topics About Capital Punishment
• Good Essay Topics About Capital Punishment

Persuasive Essay Topics About Capital Punishment

✒️ argumentative essay topics about capital punishment.

• A History of Capital Punishment in America
• A Study on Capital Punishment
• Abolishment of Capital Punishment
• An Argument Supporting the Implementation of Capital Punishment
• An Essay on Capital Punishment and the Right Penalty for a Crime
• An Orwellian Look at Capital Punishment
• Analysis of “Death and Justice: How Capital Punishment Affirms Life” by Edward Koch
• Analysis of Capital Punishment in the Films
• Analysis: Speech In Favor of Capital Punishment by John Stuart Mills
• Analyze the Capital Punishment
• Argumentative Essay against Capital Punishment
• Aristotle & Mill on Capital Punishment
• Avoiding of Capital Punishment Research
• BBC: Arguments Against Capital Punishment
• Capital Punishment – Fair and Balanced
• Capital Punishment – Moral or Immoral?
• Capital punishment and deterrence of crime
• Capital Punishment and Race Factor in the US
• Capital Punishment and Sensitive Societal Issue
• Capital Punishment and Unusual Punishment Research
• Capital Punishment as an Option in Maryland Argumentative
• Capital Punishment can’t Appropriate in Modern American Sentencing

✨ Best capital punishment Topic Ideas & Essay Examples

• Why Capital Punishment is Wrong? What type of society kills its own people? The American culture’s morals have accepted the death penalty as a reasonable punishment. However, who gives us the power to determine when someone’s life should end. People who murder others should be ….
• Capital Punishment and Death by Fire The cost for the death penalty is higher than if the convicted is sentenced to life in prison. The cost is two to three times higher because of the manpower needed to try a death penalty case is more involved than a person sentenced to life in ….
• Should Capital Punishment be Allowed or Not? Since centuries, an issue of Capital Punishment is turning the legal benches around the globe into the seats of much heated debate. Various laws are being framed taking into account the severity of crimes in deciding the method of Capital ….
• Doing Justice: Arguments For and Against Capital Punishment Even though people believe that there is God’s punishment which is waiting for every person after death and he will answer for all his sins, there have always been cases when people decided to provide that punishment earlier, when a person is still ….
• Does the capital punishment have a role in civilized society Capital crimes, such as murder or robbery with violence, in most cases attract capital punishment where the person that is found guilty of such a crime is sentenced to death. This type of punishment has been around for many years, but there has been ….
• Capital Punishment Should Not Be Abolished Capital punishment is one of the most controversial topics for debate. I believe in capital punishment/death penalty and here is why. In the US we make valid arguments that center around the justifications of fairness, retribution, deterrence, ….
• There has been much controversy over capital punishment over the years There has been much controversy over capital punishment over the years. Few people in the United States see capital punishment as being wrong. It is said that Canada is way too easy on their criminals because they do not punish the convicts by the ….
• Research Proposal: Capital Punishment There are many controversial points of view on the death penalty in America’s society. Is the death penalty socially correct? Is it just? The death penalty is an execution sentence that a person convicted of a capital crime must face. A person can ….
• capital punishment as americans minds change Capitol Punishment is the harshest punishment there is for a crime in the United States. Just like most ideas and policies in our nation people agree with Capitol Punishment and people don’t agree with it. As time goes on more and more Americans ….
• Capital Punishment – an Ideology of Revolution From 1763, throughout the mid-1770’s an ideology of revolution began to evolve throughout the thirteen American colonies. Many factors contributed to the formation of this ideology including Salutary Neglect, the ….
• The Need for Capital Punishment Imagine yourself in a room, 12 feet long by 6 feet wide. You’re sittingon a metal bed bolted to the floor with a thin foam cushion. The only otherthings in the room are a table and a chair, a sink and a toilet. There is nowindow, only a small faint ….
• Biblical View on Capital Punishment When turning on the television, radio, or simply opening the local newspaper, one is bombarded with news of arrests, murders, homicides, serial killers, and other such tragedies. It is a rare occasion to go throughout a day in this world and not ….
• Advantages And Disadvantages of the Death Penalty as a Capital Punishment The death penalty is a morally ambiguous topic. On one hand it prevents the chance of dangerous criminals escaping from prison and causing more harm. However, it can also lead to the wrong person dying, it can cost millions of taxpayers dollars, and ….
• The Controversy of Capital Punishment The Controversy of Capital Punishment(Revision) In my opinion, capital punishment is a controversial issue. This topic is constantly being debated. Some people believe that capital punishment is beneficial to society while others posit that it is ….
• Essay – Capital Punishment Capital punishment has been in effect since the 1600’s. However, in 1972 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty was cruel and unusual punishment, which was unconstitutional according to the eighth amendment. It was public opinion that ….
• Justice System – Capital Punishment The murderer and rapist of an eight-year-old girl was sentenced to death and then released after an appeal case only to commit nearly the exact some crime again. Is this justice? Why was it so easy for this menace to society to go out and rape and ….
• On the Morality of Capital Punishment What kind and what degree of punishment does public justice take as its principle and norm? None other than the principle of equality in the movement of the pointer of the scale of justice, the principle of not inclining to one side more than to the ….
• Cases of Capital Punishment Statistics Capital Punishment is the ultimate denial of human rights. There are strong indications that rather than deterring violence, it increases peoples tolerance of and tendency toward violence. Though capital punishment does not deter capital crimes it ….
• Capital Punishment Affirmative Capital Punishment or commonly known as the death penalty is the punishment of ending one’s life for a serious crime that they committed. The death penalty serves both as a good consequence and as a deterrent or prevention for future crimes. Capital ….
• Capital Punishment and the Media The media’s attitude to executions varies widely depending on the age and sex of the criminal, the type of crime and method of execution. Middle aged men being executed by lethal injection in Texas for “ordinary” murders hardly rate a paragraph in ….

✍ Good Essay Topics About Capital Punishment

• Capital Punishment Controversy
• Capital Punishment Critique
• Capital Punishment Critique in Capote’s Novel in Cold Blood
• Capital Punishment Debates Essay Examples and Topics
• Capital Punishment Debates: Death Penalty Research
• Capital Punishment doesn’t Stop Crime
• Capital Punishment for Terrorists
• Capital Punishment has been part of the criminal justice system since the
• Capital Punishment in American Modern History
• Capital Punishment in Florida Essay (Critical Writing)
• Capital Punishment in Indonesia Research
• Capital Punishment in Melville’s “Billy Budd, Sailor”
• Capital Punishment in Political View Analytical
• Capital Punishment in South Africa
• Capital Punishment in the Bahamas
• Capital punishment in the Islamic Republic of Iran
• Capital Punishment in the UK Should be Reintroduced?
• Capital Punishment in the US Analysis
• Capital Punishment in United States Research
• Capital Punishment Interpretation and Exceptions
• Capital Punishment Is Always Wrong, Do You Agree?
• Capital Punishment Knowledge
• Capital Punishment Legislation Argumentative
• Capital Punishment Role in the World Argumentative
• Capital Punishment Should Be Abolished Argumentative
• Capital Punishment Should Be Abolished Persuasive
• Consideration the Issue of Capital Punishment
• Debates on Capital Punishment in the US Essay (Article)
• Different impacts of Capital Punishment
• Effectiveness of the Capital Punishment
• Exposition on Capital Punishment in Australia
• Is Capital Punishment an Effective Crime Control Policy
• Moral Issue of Capital Punishment Research
• Principle of Capital Punishment
• Pro & Cons of Capital Punishment
• Pro Capital Punishment
• Pro Capital Punishment –
• Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment
• Psychological Aspects of Capital Punishment
• Public Opinion on Capital Punishment for Juveniles Essay (Critical Writing)
• Speech on Capital Punishment Should Not Be Abolished
• Subtle Discourse of Capital Punishment in The Capote’s in Cold Blood
• The Capital Punishment and The Society’s Self Defense by Amber Young
• The Consequences of Capital Punishment Argumentative
• The Controversy Over Capital Punishment
• The Economic Significance of Capital Punishment Term
• The Ethical and Legal Standards of Capital Punishment
• The Light of the Capital Punishment
• The Morality of Capital Punishment
• The Positive Effect of Capital Punishment in Modern America
• The Role of Capital Punishment in Lessening Crime
• Theme of Capital Punishment in The Green Mile
• Utilitarianism: Death Penalty – View on Capital Punishment
• Views On Capital Punishment
• Why Capital Punishment Should Be Legalized
• Why Capital Punishment shouldn’t Legalize?
• Without capital punishment

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Capital Punishment Argumentative Essay Example

Type of paper: Argumentative Essay

Topic: Crime , Punishment , Criminal Justice , Death , Capital Punishment , Life , Finance , Social Issues

Words: 1400

Published: 01/11/2020

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Should Capital Punishment be allowed?

Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, refers to the legal process that result to a felon who commits heinous crimes being sentenced to death by the state judicial authorities to pay for the wrongdoings that are otherwise considered extreme. The actual act of killing the individual is called execution, while the judicial decree that allows for the individual to be punished this way is called the death sentence. Capital punishment has existed in nearly all societies since time immemorial, whereby it served to punish perpetrators of serious crimes and those who revolted against the authorities. In the contemporary world, most societies that still use Capital Punishment reserve it for crimes such as treason, espionage and murder. During the past, especially the dark ages, sodomy, rape, adultery and incest were considered serious offences and carried the death penalty. Brutal ways were used to end the lives of those sentenced to death and these included: boiling the criminal alive inside a large cauldron filled with either oil or water, burying alive, beheading using the guillotine, burning the offenders while they were alive and crucifixion just to mention a few. In this modern day, such crude methods are no longer applied. Historically, Australia featured relentlessly, as far as capital punishment is concerned. Currently, capital punishment is not allowed in the Nation. The last time for a man to face a hangman was in the year 1984. Even before the execution, various states had long abolished capital punishment. Most of crimes that were previously subject to capital punishment are now treated with sentences to life imprisonment. Nevertheless, the use of Capital Punishment remains one of the most debatable subjects with proponents citing solid arguments for its use, while opponents similarly postulate solid arguments against this type of punishment. The paper will dwell on arguments for and against Capital Punishment. First, opponents cite that human life is valuable and authorities that are run by humans do not have the right to sentence fellow humans to death even in cases where they have performed the most heinous crimes. Those opposing the punishment believe that the offender’s life has to prevail over his or her bad conduct that may warrant a death penalty (Phil, 2012). Secondly opponents argue that every human being has an alienable right to life. Sentencing a person to death even if he or she has committed murder violates the God given right to life of that person (Goldstein, 2005; 324). This argument closely resembles the first one but it is argued from the perspective of human right groups. Based on human rights perspective, every human being is entitled to fundamental privileges such as right to life, and that administering capital punishment amounts to worst human rights violation. This is because the right to life is the most fundamental (BBC, 2012). Thirdly, abolitionists insist that retribution is nothing other than revenge, which should not be condoned. To the abolitions, two wrongs in retributions do not necessarily add to a right. Additionally, according to abolitionists, capital punishment may entail wrongful execution, which would see innocently convicted people executed. They have often given the example that, in 25 states, between 1973 and 2005, as significant as 123 were relieved from death row when courts declared them innocent (Rita, 2007; 66). As if not enough, abolitionists argue that capital punishment is likely to be a subject of disproportionate minority representations based on element such as race, gender and economic status. They argue that, for instance, the fact that African Americans account for only 12 percent of the total population have constituted 41 percent of death row inmates and have constituted 34 percent of the number of people executed since 1976.

However, there are convincing reasons why capital punishment should be allowed. First, on the basis of retribution, capital punishment is morally justified when applied to crimes entailing murder, especially with elements of aggravation such as multiple homicide, torture murder and child murder, as well as mass killing incidents such as genocide or terrorism. Gertrude (1972) contends that failing to administer capital punishment penalty in such cases is what may be particularly unjust. In order to ensure fairness, the punishment must be as painful as proportional to the crime. It would be unjustified to let heinous crime offender live, leave alone incarcerating them. Secondly, capital punishment is necessary because it deters crimes. It is arguable that the best way to deal with crimes is prevent their occurrence, and this is achievable through deterrence. Indeed, various groups have inclined on the perspectives that the best appropriate punishment is that which deters further criminal activities. In particular, “punishment serves as an example for other people to learn and desist from committing crimes” (Rita, 2007; 56). For instance, a terrorist who watches an ally being hanged learns a lesson; hence desists from committing the heinous crime. It is argued that for every execution, as significant as five lives are saved, indicating that execution correlates negatively with crime deterrence, that is as more offenders are executed, lesser heinous crimes are reported. Death penalties had deterrent effects in the countries that executed more than nine people as from1977 to1996 implying that deterrence does not come with a few execution programs (Shepherd, 2004; 8). In this regard, there is even the need to increase the number of execution to achieve desirable results. Thirdly, death penalty should be enforced even if the deterrent effects are uncertain to avoid a repeat of crimes by the same criminals. If societies execute serious crime offender such as murderers, and there happens that deterrent effects are non-existent, the fact remains that the society would have avoided additional murder cases committed by the very criminals (Bazemore, 2001; 25). Additionally, capital punishment could serve as an effective prosecution tool. The threat of death compels defendants to enter the deals of pleas for life without paroles or life with a minimum of 30 years. Prosecutors, courts and complainants may decide to spare criminals from execution in exchange for cooperation with the police in searching for still missing persons (Kronenwetter, 2001; 9). In addition, it is cheaper to sentence criminals to capital punishment than keeping them in prisons. Funds allocated for maintaining the convicts could be allocated for other purposes such as helping the needy. In conclusion, it is worth siding with the view that capital punishment is justified. What is particularly appealing about capital punishment is that it is justified based on the principle of retribution. There can be no means of serving justice other than based on the retribution. For instance, a man who steals a car should be asked to pay back the car. Undoubtedly, it would be unfair to have the thief of the car punished with a fine of twenty dollars. In the same way, those who murder should be murdered. Those who kill other by the gun should be shot using the same gun. This should also be applicable for other types of crimes. Besides, it also agreeable that capital punishment is morally justified when applied for crimes entailing murder, especially with elements of aggravation such as multiple homicides, torture murder and child murder, as well as mass killing incidents such as genocide or terrorism. It also deters crimes, considering that the criminals weigh the consequences of crimes. Thirdly, it prevents additional losses of lives, such as through murder by the same criminals. It is also economical to sentence criminals to capital punishment since incarcerating them would mean a significant portion of tax payers’ money will be set aside for their up keep.

Bazemore, G. (2001). Restorative community justice: repairing harm and transforming communities. Cincinnati, US: Anderson Publishing. BBC. (2012). Arguments against capital punishment. Ethics Guide. Retrieved on November 13, 2012, from http://www.bbc.co./ethics/capitalpunishment/against_1.shtml Gertrude, E. (1972). Philosophical Perspectives of Punishment. Albany: University of New York. Goldstein, W. (2005). Defending the human spirits: Jewish law's vision for moral societies. New Delhi: Feldheim Publishers. Kronenwetter, M. (2001). Capital Punishment: A Reference Handbook. ABC-CLIO. Phil, B. (2012). Phil for Humanity: The Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment. Retrieved on November 13, 2012, from http://www.philforhumanity.com/Capital_Punishment.html Rita, S. (2007). A comparative analyses of capital punishments: statute, policy, frequency, and public attitude the world over Capital punishment. Lexington Books. Shepherd, J. (2004) Capital Punishments and Crime Deterrence. A Testimony to the Judiciary The Committee, Subcommittee on Crime, Congress, and Homeland Security.

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Capital Punishment Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on capital punishment.

Every one of us is familiar with the term punishment. But Capital Punishment is something very few people understand. Capital punishment is a legal death penalty ordered by the court against the violation of criminal laws. In addition, the method of punishment varies from country to country. Where some countries hung the culprits until death and some shoot or give them a lethal injection.

Types of Capital Punishments

In this topic, we are going to discuss the various methods of punishment that are used in different countries. But, before that let’s talk about the capital punishments that people used in the past. Earlier, the capital punishments are more like torture rather than a death penalty. They used to strain and punish the body of the culprit to the extreme that he/she dies because of the pain and fear of torture.

Besides, modern methods are quicker and less painful than traditional methods.

• Electrocution – In this method, the criminal is tied to a chair and a high voltage current that can kill a man easily is passed through the body. In addition, it causes organ failure (especially heart).
• Tranquilization – This method gives the person a slow but painless death as the toxin injections are injected into his body that takes up to several hours for the criminal to die.
• Beheading – Generally, the Arab and Gulf countries use this method. Where they decide the death sentence by the crime of the person. Furthermore, in this method, they simply cut the person’s head apart from the body.
• Stoning – In this the criminal is beaten till death. Also, it is the most painful method of execution.
• Shooting – The criminal is either shoot in the head or in his/her chest in this method.
• Hanging – This method simply involves the hanging of culprit till death.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Capital Punishments

Although many people think that it’s a violation of human rights and the Human Rights Commission strongly opposes capital punishment still many countries continue this practice.

The advantages of capital punishment are that they give people an idea of what the law is capable of doing and the criminal can never escape from the punishment no matter who he/she is.

In addition, anyone who is thinking about committing a crime will think twice before committing a crime. Furthermore, a criminal that is in prison for his crime cannot harm anyone of the outside world.

The disadvantages are that we do not give the person a second chance to change. Besides, many times the real criminal escape the trial and the innocent soul of the prosecution claimed to guilty by false claims. Also, many punishments are painful and make a mess of the body of the criminal.

To conclude, we can say that capital punishment is the harsh reality of our world. Also, on one hand, it decreases the crime rate and on the other violates many human rights.

Besides, all these types of punishment are not justifiable and the court and administrative bodies should try to find an alternative for it.

FAQs about Capital Punishment

Q.1 What is the difference between the death penalty and capital punishment?

A.1 For many people the term death penalty and capital punishment is the same thing but there is a minute difference between them. The implementation of the death penalty is not death but capital punishment itself means execution.

Q.2 Does capital punishment decrease the rate of crime?

A.2 There is no solid proof related to this but scientists think that reduces the chances of major crimes to a certain level.

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Capital Punishment Debate Essay: Hints Prompts and Other Ideas

October 26, 2015

Creating an Essay Based on Capital Punishment Facts

Capital punishment is an emotionally and politically charged issue. Because of this, there is probably more rhetoric than fact available on the subject. This can make it difficult to research this topic. You will probably spend more time vetting your sources and discounting useless ones than you will taking notes and writing your paper. Unfortunately, this is a necessary step when you write about topics that tend to generate strong emotional reactions. Our recommendation is to use the following criteria when judging a source:

• Are the facts cited in the source linked to evidence?
• Is the source well written and free from an overly emotional language?
• Is the source current?

Capital Punishment Essay Prompts and Ideas

• Write a capital punishment pros and cons essay
• Is capital punishment a true deterrent for violent crimes?
• Should the United States ban capital punishment in cases involving the intellectually disabled?
• Is capital punishment in the U.S. used too frequently?
• Choose a side in the capital punishment debate and argue the merits of that point of view
• Should executions be halted in light of the many botched executions?
• Should governors be allowed to issue mass death penalty commutations?
• Write a persuasive essay for or against the death penalty for juvenile offenders
• How does mental illness impact the death penalty?
• How does socioeconomic status impact the death penalty?
• What are the causes of the disparate death penalty sentences among minorities?
• Should a convicted criminal be allowed to choose the death penalty?
• Explore the works of an anti-death penalty activist
• Explore the works of a pro-death penalty activist
• Write about an exonerated death penalty inmate

Good Death Penalty Resources

If you are having difficulty selecting death penalty sources, here are a few that we believe most students will find to be quite useful:

• This website provides a lot of information that is valuable to somebody arguing against the death penalty. The author's of the website work on behalf of condemned inmates, but the information presented is accurate.
• This is an excellent resource for information on case law relating to the death penalty and many other legal issues.
• The website of a group who seeks to use DNA evidence to exonerate innocent men and women.
• These are statistics and analyses of data collected by the BJS about capital punishment and other issues.

Some Final Advice

This is a challenging and at times emotional topic to address. Just keep in mind that reasoned arguments will get you much further than emotional ones. It is also very important to make rational arguments and to support those arguments with links to great sources. Do that, and your essay is sure to be a success. If you need additional help, just remember that Trust My Paper Is always happy to assist.

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Argumentative Essay Topic – Should Capital Punishment Be Abolished?

Should Capital Punishment Be Abolished? You can find Previous Year Argumentative Essay Topics asked in ICSE board exams.

Introduction: What is Capital Punishment?

• Why it should not be abolished?
• Social reasons: Preserves society from undesirable elements.
• Physiological reasons: Enforces fear of law
• It is irrevocable form of punishment, hence calls for greater care
• Increase in crime rate in countries where it has been abolished

Conclusion: Should not be abolished

“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” is one of the oldest forms of justice, which we all today know as capital punishment. This is the severest punishment that can be given to a criminal, for indulging in a heinous crime. It entails death to the convict, either by hanging or by electric shock as done in advanced countries. Recently there has been a heated debate on this issue, for it involves taking the life of an individual – a right nobody has.

Controlling crime has become a challenge in modem times. The glorifying of violence on television and films has cast an evil spell on the younger generation. The daily newspapers are replete with horrendous crimes, that are getting worse by the day. This is further accentuated by the spurt in cases of terrorism which has claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent people.

There is therefore need for a deterrent, to restrain such elements engaged in atrocious activities. The most effective way to deal with these rogue elements, is to make capital punishment foolproof and effective, rather than abolish it.

Taking the life of a criminal is indeed inhuman and cruel. However, there is no other way to dissuade such people from committing heinous crimes. Just as we remove a rotten apple to save the basket full of apples, there is need to get rid of these unwanted elements to save the society.

One may argue that justice is fallible and innocent lives could be lost in this form of punishment. To prevent such miscarriage of justice, our legal system has devised multiple stages of trail, the final judgement coming from the Supreme Court. Our criminal laws are more humane, than they were centuries ago.

Criminals are known to circumvent the lenient and complex laws, which make them often go scot free. In such a scenario to suggest abolishing capital punishment, would remove the fear from the mind of criminals, and they would take to criminal acts.

The only argument against capital punishment is that it is irrevocable. Valuable lives could be lost if proper justice is not meted out. However, this calls for greater care and scientific investigation by investigating agencies before awarding this form of punishment.

Many western countries like Italy and Holland, have witnessed spurt in cases of murder and heinous crimes consequent to abolishing death penalty. These countries are rethinking on the same. Drawing lessons from them, there is no conceivable reason to abolish capital punishment in India.

There is however need for a thorough review of our present judicial system, to make it more transparent and dynamic. The law enforcing agencies also need to adopt a more scientific and fool proof investigating process. It is only by having a just and dynamic legal system can the criminals be promptly brought to book.

The death penalty should be awarded in the rarest of the rare case, for it is advisable to let a hundred criminals go scot free than hang an innocent person.

‘Laws grind the poor and rich men rule the law’. Discuss