of each individual.Another argument stressed the fact that death was not an effective way to control crime and properly punish wrongdoers. A FBI study shows that states that have abolished the death penalty averaged lower murder rates than states that have not. Critics argue that alternative punishment could successfully accomplish the goals that effective punishment wishes to accomplish. These goals include; isolation of criminals from the community, deterrence of other potential offenders from committing crimes. It was expressed that the certainty of punishment was a more effective deterrence, rather than its severity. In a 1995 Hart Research Poll of 386 US police chiefs, implementing tougher death-penalty laws was cited by only 1% as way to reduce violent crime. Most police chiefs said other methods were more effective. Such as reducing drug abuse (31%), creating a better economy (17%), simplifying court rules (16%), or imposing longer prison sentences (15%). In addition, some corrections officers feel that the death penalty laws could increase murder rates. They argue that criminals who face prospect of capital punishment have no incentive to abstain from killing again. Thus, death row inmates have nothing to lose by attacking or killing prison guards or other inmates.Opponents also argue that many innocent people are likely to be executed. They point out the mistakes in the system, such as the case of Rolando Cruz. He had been convicted for rape and murder of a 10-year-old girl in Illinois in 1983. He was vindicated of the charges 12 years later when a man confessed of the murder and genetic test proved that Cruz was not the culprit. Another man, Ronald Williamson, spent 12 years in prison including 9 on death row before being proven innocent. He, and fellow suspect Dennis Fritz, who also did jail time were convicted of rape and murder. They were proven innocent through DNA testing. All of these men are victims of our justi...
