Death Penalty
“The Times found that during the last 20 years, the homicide rate in states with the death penalty has been 48 percent to 101 percent higher than in states without the death penalty” (Bonner & Fessenden, 2000). Capital punishment is ethically wrong, it does not decrease crime, and innocent people are being killed. The government should abolish this law for the sake of people’s lives. The death penalty makes no sense. The government is killing people who cannot do any harm because the crimﴱᄃinals are in prison. Prison is meant to keep criminals away from society. So killing the prisoner is uncalled for because they are already away from society. “If life is sacred, it means that every person has the right to live simply by virtue of the fact that he or she is a living and breathing human being. This right is unearned and inalienable, in part because we are created “in the image of God”(Williams, 2000). This principle basically states that it is morally wrong to kill someone. Three centuries ago, a man named John Locke presented a defense on the death penalty on moral grounds. He argued that if a person committed a crime that deserves death, he or she should give up their right to live. H
The government should take some time and evaluate the many situations surrounding the death penalty. The government represents all Americans. So how does it make us look when we kill our own? People think that execution is physically painless. Just because it appears painless it does not mean it is. Lets take for instance electrocution, which as been a common type of execution in the twentieth century. This procedure may inflict unnecessary pain, physical violence, and mutilation. This is also a violation of the Eight Amendment (Williams, 2000). The electricity that is generated by the chair outwits the brain, which is insulated by the skull, and instead passes through the body and out the leg. Even though the electricity is going through the body, the prisoner is still conscious. Some people think it is painless because during the electrocution the prisoner does not move or speak. In reality, he cannot do those things because he is physically paralyzed (Williams, 2000). This researcher knows that criminals need some type of punishment but is the death penalty the right way. What kind of example is the government sending to children, foreigners, and others? The government should think about what they are doing before they kill another innocent soul. Even though God has killed murders, it does not mean we have the right to take someone’s life away. Should the government really be the one to make the judgment? The government thinks that the death penalty has some effect on lowering criminal activity. It is almost as if it scares the future criminals not to commit a crime. The government kills the convicted to set an example to those who might consider a wrongdoing. The government wants Americans to feel safe in their own homes. That is why they feel the death penalty is a good law. Even though there is life without parole, the government does not want to take the risk of the prisoner escaping or killing again whether it is in jail or outside of jail. The only reason to execute anyone is to send a message that society will not tolerate some actions. Society needs to know that there are people out there that do not understand. So the government has to show them that the punishment fits the crime (Winters, 1997).
Some topics in this essay:
Bonner Fessenden,
Diocese Paterson,
Amendment Williams,
John Locke,
Federal Bureau,
death penalty,
williams 2000,
,
life parole,
capital punishment,
innocent people,
bonner fessenden,
winters 1997,
fessenden 2000,
death row,
people killed,
bonner fessenden 2000,
innocent people killed,
penalty williams 2000,
williams 2000 life,
people life parole,
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Approximate Word count = 2712
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)
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