Arguably, there are many controversial issues in the world today. As a matter of fact, the death penalty is among the issue in a society that is always debatable. In every society, many crimes exist that should be punished. One of the forms of punishment is the death penalty; this refers to the lawful infliction of death as a way of administering punishment and justice. Proponents of the death penalty believe it is the best way to punish and eliminate criminal activities in the community. In the 21st century, the society is full of criminal activities, whose punishment is believed to be unjustified. Many moral, philosophical, legal and religious views have been raised, but it is of the essence to comprehend the specifics pertaining to the death penalty. Conversely, the death penalty has always been the cause of tension between the families of victims as well as the families of the offender. The family of the offender believes that the death penalty is inhumane while those of the victim assert that the best way to receive justice is through the death penalty. In the minds of many people is whether or not the death penalty serves the exact purpose of punishment. In the world, today, I believe the death penalty should be used as one of the punishments.
Undoubtedly, execution on the criminal justice system is taken to be the ultimate form of punishment because it takes away the life of an individual. Those in support of the death penalty assert that capital punishment is the best option for those individuals who commit the worst crime. Death penalty eliminates the functions of prison because it reduces the stress that an individual could cause the in the prison. Prisons help in rehabilitation of convicts who will go home after, but there are convicts who will never go home, and the best punishment is capital punishment (Pojman 17). The governments in the 21st century use a lot of billions in managing and running prisons. This is because there is the tremendous increase in the number of prisoners.. The cost of imprisoning individuals for life is a waste of taxpayers money. Execution in less expensive as compared to maintaining convicts in prison. In addition, people make many appeals in the court of law, costing the courts billions of dollars (Guernsey 20). Based on this perspective, the death penalty is cost effective, especially when it is compared to other punishments such as life imprisonment.
Safety is one of the important aspects of every society. Criminals who face the death penalty have the tendency of being violent. Hence, the death penalty is a way of improving the safety of the community, prisoners, as well as prison guards. The logic dictates that one of the reasons that justify the death penalty is safety. In every criminal justice system, administration of fair justice is the main goal. The death penalty is an extreme punishment for deadliest crimes. As a matter of fact, the more dangerous, the crime the severe the mode of punishment. Hence, the death penalty is an equal pay for severe crimes (Stearman12). Perhaps, people believe that the death penalty administers justice to the family of the victims. To many people, it is unfair to let go the criminal yet the families of the victim continue to mourn. The only way they will feel that justice is served when the offender is executed.
The death penalty is one way to deter individuals from committing crime. It is hard to prove the allegation because remarkably few people are executed in the world. The most possible way that the death penalty act as a deterrent is when the crime to be committed requires proper planning; this gives the potential criminal a chance to think of the action and its consequences. Studies also show that people support the death penalty for retribution reasons. In this case, the proponents assert that execution makes the offender suffer proportionally to the offense. Perhaps, it is worth noting that the death penalty incapacitate the criminal completely. Death penalty removes permanently the criminal that attest to be a risk to the public. It is self explanatory that a criminal who has been executed cannot rise up and commit crimes (Pojman 6).
Some criminal activities in the world are horrific and make people to advocate for revenge. These reasons are always attached to emotions; this is because it is out of emotions that people advocate for the death penalty as a vengeful punishment. Its justification depends on how individuals argue the point out. In general perspective, those who support the death penalty believe that the death penalty administers justice, cost efficient deter individuals, severe punishment, as well as its act to potential safety.
On the other hand, there are many arguments and reasons that have been raised against the death penalty in society today. Some groups in the globe believe that the death penalty violates the rights of individuals. The human rights group asserts that the death penalty takes away the right and freedom of an individual to live (Guernsey 27). Perhaps, to them this is an unusual form of punishment that should not be administered at all. Despite the arguments, the constitution does not draw a clear cut definition of human rights, no wonder it will always be a controversial issue.
In the court of law, there are many people who have been convicted wrongly. To some extreme ends, these people have been executed. Death penalty, therefore, will lead to the execution of innocent individuals. In addition, the death penalty is not a benevolent way of punishing criminals. Killing a criminal does not justify the act of killing. Certainly, there are various definitions of humane since it is subjected to upbringing of an individual. But, despite the subjective view of being human, the death penalty is seen as inhumane act Stearman 38). In a moral point of view, it is morally off beam to be implacable in society. It is high time the society moves away from the policy of revenge. Progress is a far much bracket together with development and shrewd decisions. Punishing human beings by the death penalty are morally incorrect.
Many arguments have been raised against the death penalty on religious grounds. Christians believe that the only person who should take away the life of other people is God. This implies that no one is in a position to end another person's life even if the law states. Additionally, the death penalty is seen as a vengeful act. For example, in the Bible it is against Gods teaching to revenge when someone has done something wrong. Carrying out of the death penalty is playing God; this is because death must always be natural (Pojman 37). The death penalty is always irrevocable, and once executed it denies an individual the right to appeal and benefit from upcoming evidence, people avow that the death penalty should be replaced by life imprisonment so that convicts can benefit from upcoming evidence (Stearman 26).
The death penalty causes family of the offender a lot of hardships. It is evident that the family of the offender executed suffers tremendously. In general perspective, the family both the offender and the victim suffer, yet it is not their mistake. In various nations, studies show that the death penalty is enforced in a discriminating manner. This implies that those who are presumed to serve death penalty are not part of the punishment because of ethnicity, racism or financial affiliation Guernsey 29). The sentencing of those to be executed is horrific and mind torturing. The convicts expected to face the death penalty are confined in solitary cells for many tears. In addition, they receive total isolation from other people; this means that the isolation on it is on is a terrible punishment that adversely affects the psychology, emotions and health of the convict. Killing an individual because of he or she committed murder is by its own increase the number of killings in society (Stearman 41).
In conclusion, crime in society is at an increase, and for this reason death penalty should be administered in the globe. Those who oppose the death penalty have their differing opinions, but I believe the reasons brought up in support of the death penalty justified the need to be administered. The presence of technology has provided a boost to the evidence provided in court. This implies that there will be no cases of innocent convicts been executed. Therefore, the death penalty should be justified because it deters crime, administers justice, cost effective, guarantees safety, as well as being an appropriate punishment.
Work Cited
Guernsey, JoAnn B. Death Penalty: Fair Solution or Moral Failure? Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books, 2010. Print.
Pojman, Louis P, and Jeffrey H. Reiman. The Death Penalty: For and against. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 1998. Print.
Stearman, Kaye. The Death Penalty. New York: Rosen Pub. Group's Rosen Central, 2007. Print.
