Death Penalty in America The death penalty is the harshest punishment to exist.
The death penalty has been around since the 1600s. It’s a controversial topic for many because it’s a brutal death penalty law which could be unconstitutional (1). Death penalty is also argued to not being as effective as a life sentence in prison and is giving power to governments by taking human’s lives (4).
Currently fifty-eight nations practice the death penalty. The United States is one of the fifty-eight nations that still practice the death penalty today. The death penalty should be eliminated for a number of reasons. First, looking from a moral point of view, it is not a humane punishment (regardless of arguments that are legit because of the crimes committed). Second, from a practical view, the death penalty is not working as planned to do when decreasing the rate of certain forms of crime (such as murder).
Lastly, the death penalty is economically an unstable practice, which costs taxpayers a lot of money (2). The United States, one of the most developed nations in the world, should follow the agenda that has been set by many other developed nations of the world and put an end to this uncivilized, immature punishment. The idea of this punishment was brought over from Britain, when the founding fathers declared independence (3).
People liked the idea of the death penalty, since it was a “part of life”. Europeans gave the death penalty for many crimes. The first recorded execution in America occurred in Jamestown, 1608.
A man named George Kendall was executed for treason. During the nineteen century, the death penalty changed dramatically. The death penalty started to lose popularity. States no longer committed public executions.(3) All were done in private.
Eventually some states abolished the death penalty all together. Cases regarding the death penalty went to the Supreme Court. Many argued that the death penalty violated the eighth amendments and that capital punishment is cruel. In 1972, Furman v. Georgia successfully brought a end to the death penalty for ten years but the death penalty was brought back with the execution of Gary Gillmore on January 17, 1977. As of today, the United States still practices the death penalty. However there are limitations, the government cannot kill the mentally handicap and isn’t supposed to kill juveniles. The US currently has six ways to execute, lethal injection, electrocution, lethal gas, a firing squad and hanging.
Even though the United States still practices the death penalty, executions are declining, according to statistics. Supporters of the death penalty claims that the death penalty will serve as a prevention to crime and is the only way for justice against murderers. In conclusion, the death penalty should be abolished. Those that believe in the death penalty, fail to make their case of causing a deterrence of crime rates.
There is no exact evidence that supports that claim. However, there is evidence that the death penalty is failing. Inmates die before their execution sentence can be complete. The evidence in my argument should prove why the United States should abolish the death penalty.
