Capital Punishment Debate - Essay Example

A strong rage will inhibit a criminal's judgment and murder will occur regardless of capital punishment. Studies may show a decline in murders in states with capital punishment but these numbers are a coincidence. Statistics have also shown that capital punishment does not deter criminal activity. "Consider the twenty-seven states where at least one execution occurred during the sample period. Executions deter murder in only six states. Capital punishment, however, actually increases murder in thirteen states, more than twice as many as experience deterrence.

In eight states, capital punishment has no effect on the murder rate (Shepherd, 2005, pg 2003)."Capital Punishment Advocate: Capital punishment also makes law-abiding citizens safe. Execution of the criminal keeps the criminal from re-offending because execution is permanent and the criminal will not be on the streets again. Future lives are saved because the criminal cannot harm another person after the prison sentence. Capital Punishment Protester: This may be true, but there is also a downside to executing a convicted murder.

Mistakes can occur and innocent people convicted of criminal activity will be executed. Does this not make the state any more than a murder Those who sit by and watch the justice system murder those believed to be murdered are not any better than murders themselves. Capital Punishment Advocate: The phrase "an eye for an eye" describes the need for capital punishment the best. If a criminal commits murder then the murder forfeits his or her life. Capital punishment offers retribution to the victims of the crime - the murder victim and the family of the murder victim deserve justice.

Capital punishment also makes the victim's family feel safe because the murderer cannot seek revenge on the family for prosecution and conviction after jail time is served. Capital Punishment Protester: You are right. The victim and his or her family should have retribution for what was done to them, but at what expense Like I said before, there is a chance that the wrong person, an innocent person, can be wrongfully convicted. Does our society want to take the chance of executing an innocent person for a crime Jail time is less expensive than execution and if there is a mistake and an innocent person is sent to jail then the situation can be remedied.

Do we need to execute murderers I think execution is unnecessary and that life in prison is an appropriate punishment? Capital Punishment Advocate: Murderers can still commit murder within the confines of prison. Committing murder in prison is just as wrong as murder law-abiding citizens. Criminals that have committed lesser crimes should not have to fear for their lives while paying for their crimes. Capital Punishment Protester: The job of the law enforcement officers and the warden is to prevent an altercation in the prison that could result in the deaths of inmates.

Disposing of convicted murderers in order to prevent unwanted prison deaths is not the state's job. Capital Punishment Advocate: Regardless, Capital punishment is necessary to deter criminal activity. The state can have the option of capital punishment as a conviction but the punishment does not have to occur. The idea that capital punishment could be a sentence is enough to deter the criminal from committing a crime. Capital Punishment Protester: If the punishment is available for use then capital punishment will be used.

Capital punishment does not deter the crime but makes the murder of criminals legal for the state.