Is the Death Penalty Effective?
Is the Death Penalty Effective?
The community has always questioned whether the death penalty is effective in deterring violent crimes, or if other measures would be more effective, such as using drug rehabilitation programs, job training, or using capital punishment. Ellsworth & Gross (1997) found in 1974 that 93 percent of the proponents “agreed that the death penalty is a more effective deterrent than life imprisonment”. On the other hand, those who disagreed still opposed the death penalty, even if it turned out to be an effective deterrent to violent crime than life imprisonment (Ellsworth & Gross, 1997). It appears that attitude has nothing to do with deterrent effectiveness, and their belief remains strong whether or not the death penalty remained effective in deterring violent crime within the society.
It is right and just to say that the death penalty is effective if and only if it deters criminal behavior and reduces murder rates. In a 2003 study executed by Emory University, they found out that in 3,000 countries from 1977 until 1996, each execution resulted in 18 fewer murders in each of these countries (Muhlhausen, 2014). Another study by Kenneth Land in Duke University proved that from 1994 until 2005 in Texas, there were “modest, short-term reductions in homicides, a decrease of up to 2.5 murders” (Muhlhausen, 2014). It is evident that the death penalty is effective, since it saves lives and reduces crime rate.
Argument #1:
P1: Death penalty is effective if it saves lives and reduces crime rate.
P2: Each execution from 1977 to 1996 resulted in 18 fewer murders for each country.
C1: Death penalty saved lives and reduced crime rate from 1977 to 1996.
C2: Death penalty is effective.
Argument #2:
P1: Death penalty is effective if it reduces homicides and decreases murders.
P2: Death penalty from 1994 to 2005 reduced homicides by 2.5 murders.
C1: Death penalty reduced homicides and decreased murders.
C2: Death penalty is effective.
Death Penalty Is Not Effective
On the other hand, there are those who say that the death penalty is wrong because aside from the fact that it is unfair, there is still risk of taking innocent lives, while taking away the possibility of rehabilitation. The death penalty is not effective because it only becomes a means for emotional biases and groundless judgment, or vengeance, to be undertaken. Ellsworth & Ross (1983) executed a study, showing that 79 percent of those who favored death penalty do so because they “felt a sense of personal outrage when a convicted murderer was sentenced to a penalty less than death” (Ellsworth & Gross, 1997). Judgment was clouded by emotion instead of goodwill, especially that most people believe how wrong it is to take away life. In Western European countries where the capital punishment was abolished, studies failed to show that the death penalty deters violent crime.
Argument #1:
P1: Death penalty is not effective if it does not reduce homicides and murders.
P2: Death penalty becomes a ground for emotional biases and groundless judgment or vengeance.
C1: Using death penalty as a ground for emotional biases and groundless judgment or vengeance does not reduce homicide and murders.
C2: It is not rightful to say that the death penalty is not effective.
Argument #2:
P1: Death penalty is not effective if it does not deter violent crime.
P2: In Western European countries, numerous studies failed to show how the death penalty deters violent crime.
C1: Death penalty does not deter violent crime.
C2: Death penalty is not effective.
References:
Ellsworth, P.C., & Gross, S.R. (1997). Hardening of the attitudes: Americans’ views on the death penalty. In H.A. Bedau’s (Ed.), The death penalty in America: current controversies (pp.90-115). New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc. Print.
Muhlhausen, D.B. (2014, September 29). How the death penalty saves lives. Retrieved February 24, 2016 from http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2014/09/29/the-death-penalty-saves-lives-by-deterring-crime.
