For

Life imprisonment not harsh enough for

some crimes
The Bible says 'an eye for an eye' - it is God's
justice
The family of a murder victim cannot get on with
their lives until the murderer is dead

Cost - it costs 27,000 per year for the average

prisoner, more for serious offenders. Why waste
that money?

Retribution - a murderer has taken someone's

life, which can never be brought back, and
deserves to die

Protection - once killed, a very dangerous

criminal is no longer a threat

The majority of people want the death penalty

- it is democratic

Deterrence - people will be scared of the

death penalty and will not kill others

Against

It is hypocritical - you kill someone because

you hate the idea of killing someone

Only God should take life

Mistakes - innocent people will be killed.

Many death-row inmates have been released
due to new evidence.
Apart from innocent people being killed, the
trauma of an innocent fighting a death penalty
is far worse than just appealing a conviction
Murderers are still people (or 'children of God
made in His image'). It is wrong to kill

Justice - the death penalty is never used

fairly. In America, rich, white people are likely
to be able to afford lawyers to get them off, so
more poor black people end up dying

It turns someone into a murderer

It is barbaric, painful and inhuman