Capital Punishment

Capital punishment is one of the most controversial issues of this day in age. Some argue that it is no better than murder, while others say that this form of punishment is a better way to deter others from crime. There is a big difference from taking the life of one person out of greed, jealously, revenge or any other devious motive and taking the life of a criminal in the name of justice. The death sentence, capital punishment, may seem harsh, but so do these awful crimes that are heard everyday on the news. Capital punishment is an effective way to keep the state in order and therefore governments should be given the power to use capital punishment.

It is true that capital punishment should not be taken lightly because it does entail taking the life of another. Those who oppose the death sentence believe that it may lead to the murder of innocent people. What about the lives they took themselves? No system can be perfect, but it is the duty of the government to use this form of punishment with discretion. The cost of capital punishment can also be debated. It is said that the cost of capital punishment is greater than that of life imprisonment. There is the cost of another prison to hold those on death row plus the maintenance of that building, employees, and other miscellaneous costs. The cost should not be an issue. There is always an alternative way to save money. The cost of life imprisonment is not cheap either. The state must hold the offenders till death or when they are released for parole.

What is the job given to the government? That is a simple question; they are given the job to keep the state in order. Without rules, laws, punishment, and justice society would breakdown. The citizen’s job is to follow the authority of the government. The laws are put in place to be followed by the citizens in order to protect them. When these laws are broken, punishment is deserved, but the punishment should fit the crime, nothing more, nothing less. This means that the greater the crime, the more severe the punishment deserved. A capital crime deserves capital punishment. Such harsh punishments are put into place in order to breed in the people so these laws are followed. If capital punishment was carried out successfully then it would better serve its purpose. However, there are times when prisoners on death row are set out on parole. Those in opposition of the death penalty do not find anything wrong in this. They believe that time in jail is a rehabilitation period. Rehabilitation does not always work. How is sitting in a jail cell, receiving three meals a day, doing minimal work, and perhaps a few therapy sessions rehabilitation? Capital punishment is an effective way to keep the state in order and ensure that top offenders cannot commit such crimes again.

It is not only unlawful but also unethical to take another’s life, there is no argument there, but when a crime is committed that is so severe that the presence of this person may be harmful to the well-being of society, that person should not even have the chance to return. The only way to ensure this is through capital punishment. The protection of its citizens should be the utmost priority of the state. The death sentence may seem immoral and wrong but it is an effective measure to keep the safety of the citizens.