Introduction
The death penalty, which is also referred to as capital punishment, has existed in society for hundreds of years. From the beginning, society has debated whether this punishment is morally right or wrong. Those who favor this kind of punishment credit it with controlling violent crimes, but on the other hand, those who are against this act of punishment present the prospect that criminals who commit violent crimes have several other motives that cannot be stopped by imposing the death penalty. Violent crimes that happen in society come straight from a different set of thoughts and a state of mind, and they cannot be stopped by this significant act of punishment. The thought of committing such an act of violent crime leads the criminal to believe that he/she will never be caught, and another reason can be that the fear of being caught is eliminated when the killer believes it is the work of God that leads him/her to kill someone (Bohm, 25). Furthermore, this research paper will analyze both arguments along with the morality or immorality of such an act of punishment.
Discussion
The most common argument states that the death penalty should remain enacted because not only does it bring justice in society by severely punishing the criminal, but it also sets an example for those who have the slightest amount of motivation and determination toward committing any violent crime. The high rate of crime not only exists in the United States of America, but in fact, other nations are also facing this problem. The killing and rape of innocent people for any particular reason or no reason at all have increased the disability in society. Even if the death penalty does not decrease the crime rate, it still plays its role by making a person think twice about whether to commit a violent crime or not. It is the fear of punishment that will hold them back. Every human being desires not to die, and even criminals think the same way about facing death. Violent crimes that will result in death will hold them back and make those criminals think about whether the crime is worth losing their lives or not. Studies have been conducted in order to know the perspective of the general public and also the rise and fall in crime rates as a result of the death penalty. The results show that there are a significant number of people who are against the death penalty, but the results also show that those nations that had stopped giving the death penalty are facing a rise in the crime rate. Apart from the crime rate and the general perception regarding the death penalty, at least those who had lost their loved ones would be able to have the satisfaction of receiving justice by seeing the perpetrator facing the death sentence (Canes-Wrone et al., 15).
After going through the arguments in favor of capital punishment, there are several views that are against the death penalty, and even law enforcement agencies have several representatives who voted against capital punishment. Those people who are experienced in this field, where they have faced and dealt with several violent criminals, believe that the death penalty is not the solution to violent crimes. Studies have been conducted to figure out how many families are in favor of or against the death penalty, and the results show that people now do not believe that granting death to criminals replaces the amount of grief that they had to go through (Osler, Mark and Jeanne, 6). Considering all the other aspects, which include the cost of activities that happen when giving the death penalty, the assurance that all the evidence has been tested, and the chance of giving another chance, it is worth going through. The other most significant aspect of the death penalty is that it is usually given to people who are non-white, which is clearly discrimination on behalf of law enforcement. The psychiatrists who have conducted studies also stated that criminals who committed violent crimes are mostly mentally handicapped. The mental state does not only involve insanity or disturbance, but low IQ is also considered to be a reason for committing a violent crime. The economic condition of people has also made them suffer enough that their current miserable condition started influencing them, and the fear of the consequences also lost its meaning to them. The state in which they had been living since birth was difficult enough that death started to seem like an escape for them. In the end, human rights activists have also been influencing the government to eliminate such acts of punishment, which are against the law of morality. A person who has committed any crime and was found guilty deserves the chance to make amends (Vaughn, 67).
Conclusions
In conclusion, the death penalty, which was started several years ago by kings to bring law and order, is still being enacted. Both arguments that have been presented and analyzed here are valid in their own context and should be considered in every case where the death penalty is being considered. The lack of understanding of the consequences, along with the mental state, suggests that every human being deserves a second chance to make amends so that he/she can live a civil life. It is always immoral to kill anyone, whether for a personal motive, as punishment, or because the criminal believes that he/she is committing the act of God.
Works Cited
Bohm, Robert M. Deathquest: An introduction to the theory and practice of capital punishment in the United States. Taylor & Francis, 2016.
Canes-Wrone, Brandice, Tom S. Clark, and Jason P. Kelly. “Judicial selection and death penalty decisions.” American Political Science Review 108.1 (2014): 23-39.
Osler, Mark, and Jeanne Bishop. “Victims: Transforming the Death Penalty Debate.” Capital Punishment: New Perspectives. Routledge, 2016. 131-144.
Vaughn, Lewis. Doing ethics: Moral reasoning and contemporary issues. WW Norton & Company, 2015.
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