Society has always used punishment to discourage would-be criminals from unlawful action. Since society has the highest interest in preventing murder, it should use the strongest punishment available to deter murder, and that is the death penalty. If murderers are sentenced to death and executed, potential murderers will think twice before killing for fear of losing their own life.

For years, criminologists analyzed murder rates to see if they fluctuated with the likelihood of convicted murderers being executed, but the results were inconclusive. Then in 1973 Isaac Ehrlich employed a new kind of analysis which produced results showing that for every inmate who was executed, 7 lives were spared because others were deterred from committing murder. Similar results have been produced by disciples of Ehrlich in follow-up studies.

People in support of capital punishment say that if it were carried out as it was intended then it would prove to stop crime as it was intended, but instead not many

Many people think the death penalty as an “eye for an eye” principle. To family members of victims it may be the only way to satisfy them. People feel that the criminals brought it on themselves so they get what they deserve. They also feel that it is better to lose the life of a convicted criminal than another innocent life, because if they were convicted and the sentence was execution than they probably deserve it since they have caused a great deal of grief and pain (Capital 2001). Also, fear of death tends to scare people from committing crimes that may get them convicted and sentenced to the death penalty. People in support of the death penalty also feel that it puts a positive moral influence by placing a stigma on crimes like manslaughter making people react with disgust and horror to such acts. Most people in favor of the death penalty believe that a better society happens through fear and intimidation. When people think that they will get off on early parole then it will not effectively stop crime from happening (Death 2001).

There is no proof that any innocent person has actually been executed since increased safeguards and appeals were added to our death penalty system in the 1970s. Even if such executions have occurred, they are very rare. Imprisoning innocent people is also wrong, but we cannot empty the prisons because of that minimal risk. If improvements are needed in the system of representation, or in the use of scientific evidence such as DNA testing, then those reforms should be instituted. However, the need for reform is not a reason to abolish the death penalty.

A life sentence is costly to tax payers because of housing, feeding, and numerous appeals. The cost to execute a person is very expensive. But after youi add up all the costs and expenses for a person to serve a life sentence it does not compare (Gelornter 98). State and federal prisons are over-crowded. A record high

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