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Capital Punishment2 |
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Capital punishment has been a cause for debate for many years, and people continue to disagree on the topic. A battle rages between Americans who are fighting for a safe and just world, and those who want to abolish the death penalty, weakening our already struggling legal system. Capital punishment may be a controversial subject, but it is one that must be addressed with today's violent society. The death penalty provides the necessary punishment and deterrent for criminals in the United States.
The possibility of executing an innocent man is the main ammunition for anti-death penalty movements. A quote from an article in the Boston Herald written by Don Feder prevents the "bullet" from leaving the gun. "Odds are a killer will be released at some point. And there's a fair chance that he or she will kill again. In fact, there's a far greater likelihood of this then of an innocent man taking that long walk." (www.bostonherald.com) Also, in America it takes an average of 11.2 years to finally execute a convicted murderer. This is because death-row inmates abuse the United States court system with endless appeals. This is more than enough time to test the original verdict, examine every possible piece of evidence, and prove without reasonable doubt that the convict is indeed guilty as charged. With things the way they are, that leaves a microscopic chance of an innocent man being wrongly executed.
The framers of the U.S. Constitution, aware of the bizarre and torturous methods of execution in the past, added the eighth amendment to the Constitution, which forbids "cruel and unusual punishment." Death, however, was not considered by those framers to be an excessive penalty for serious crimes, as long as the judicial process that gives out the punishment is fair.(ABC News) Many who oppose the death penalty state that it is unconstitutional according to the eighth amendment. As long as no one is tortured, this argument holds no ground at all. The death penalty has been used since the beginning of law, and often for much lesser crimes. It is by no means unusual, and couldn't be nearly as cruel as the crime for which that person was convicted of.
The American public has consistently favored the use of the death penalty.(ABC News) This is a recent poll by Time Magazine's web site reflecting the public opinion on capital punishment.
THE FUTURE OF THE DEATH PENALTY
SHOULD THE DEATH PENALTY BE ABOLISHED?
Poll start date: 2/01/2000
Total votes cast: 62170 as of March 11, 2001
The results are definitive. With that many votes cast in this poll, it is a clean-cut decision by the people that the death penalty should be here to stay. Also, the majority of Supreme Court justices continue to uphold the constitutionality of the death penalty and defend its practice. (ABC News) According to an ABC News poll, the court's stance is approved by a majority of Americans; more than three out of four support the death penalty for convicted murderers. It seems to me like the people have spoken in this government that is supposed to be "by the people, for the people." Most state governors, a majority of those in Congress, former President Clinton and obviously, President Bush all support the death penalty. That much majority of Americans, along with the top leaders of our country can't be wrong.
Capital punishment assures the proper balance of justice and order that nations are obliged to implement.(ABC News)
One of the most disputed reasons for using the death penalty is that it can be a deterrent to prevent other murderers from going through with their plans. (Bartlett) In other words, capital punishment will hopefully scare people away from killing others because they don't want to get the axe themselves. There is evidence on this topic that can go both ways. A large percentage of the executions in America are done in the state of Texas. The county that includes Houston accounts for one fourth of Texas' executions. Homicides in this county are down almost thirty percent since capital punishment started back up there in 1976. (Bartlett) That is not a coincidence. This is probably the most argued about topic within the death penalty controversy, although this quote by John McAdams seems to sum it up: "If we execute murderers and there is in fact no deterrent effect, we have killed a bunch of murderers. If we fail to execute murderers, and doing so would in fact have deterred other murders, we have allowed the killing of a bunch of innocent victims. I would much rather risk the former. This, to me, is not a tough call." (www.prodeathpenalty.com)
The main purpose of the death penalty is often overlooked. It is to protect our right to live. (Bartlett) Alex Kozinski from the U.S. Court of Appeals once said: "Most of us continue to believe that those who show utter contempt for human life by committing remorseless, premeditated murder justly forfeit the right to their own life." (www.prodeathpenalty.com) Capital punishment guarantees that convicted murderers will not kill again, and that makes for an overall safer environment in this country. A life sentence gives a convict an entire lifetime to escape and repeat his or her crimes. (www.bostonherald.com) With all the violence of today, capital punishment isn't an option, it's a necessity. |
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Bibliography:
Works Cited
“ABC News Reckoning the Death Penalty.” Issue Date: 29 December 1995. http://www.facts.com/cd/i00015.htm. (10 March 2001)
“Capital Punishment Foes Dead Wrong.” Article by Don Feder. Published 10 January 2001. http://www.bostonherald.com/. (11 March 2001)
“Capital Punishment, Justice Served.” By Matthew D. Bartlett. Corporate Column. http://ucsu.colorado.edu/~sba/columns/Capital_Punishment.html. (8 March 2001)
“The Future of the Death Penalty. Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished?” Poll start date: 1 February 2000. Total votes cast: 62170 as of 11 March 2001. http://www.time.com/. (11 March 2001)
“www.Pro-Death Penalty.com.” http://www.prodeathpenalty.com/. (9 March 2001) |
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