The most severe form of punishment is the death penalty (capital punishment). It has been banned in many countries, and in the United States an earlier move to eliminate capital punishment has now been reversed and more states are resorting to capital punishment for serious offenses such as murder. In this bill it states that the death penalty by the Federal government and the States should be consistent with our Nation's fundamental principles of fairness, justice, equality, and due process. The bill also says that there are some cases in which people have been sentenced unfairly. Since many Americans have recognized this fault, a lot of them are questioning whether or not to use the death penalty. Given that people have died unfairly, people defending the use of the death penalty is at its lowest point in 19 years.
The death penalty's severe ness causes many people to oppose it. There are several reasons for the opposition. The first reason people oppose it is because no one has the right to infringe on human life. Deciding that someone else should die for committing a crime doesn't seem just. Another reason that people are against this cruel form of punishment is because an innocent person can be tried and convicted and be sentenced to death. It is impossible to say that the justice system will not make a mistake or discriminate against a person causing them to be punished to death. As a final point of opposition, execution is also more costly method rather than a life term in jail. In jail the prisoners can deal with what they have done and rehabilitate themselves.
Although the death penalty disrespects the value of human life it also tries to value it by deterring people from committing crimes. Some people believe in such values as an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, and life for a life. People support the death penalty because they feel the murderer should receive the same punishment they brought upon their victims.
