Throughout history, societies around the world have used the death penalty as a way to punish the

most heinous crimes. While capital punishment is still practiced today, many countries have since
abolished it. In fact, in the US, California’s governor recently put a moratorium on the death penalty,
temporarily stopping it altogther. Given the moral complexities and depth of emotions involved, the
death penalty remains a controversial debate the world over.
The following are three arguments in support of the death penalty and three against it.
Prevents convicted killers from killing again

The death penalty guarantees that convicted murderers will never kill again. There have been
countless cases where convicts sentenced to life in prison have murdered other inmates and/or prison
guards. Convicts have also been known to successfully arrange murders from within prison, the most
famous case being mobster Whitey Bulger, who apparently was killed by fellow inmates while
incarcerated. There are also cases where convicts who have been released for parole after serving
only part of their sentences – even life sentences – have murdered again after returning to society. A
death sentence is the only irrevocable penalty that protects innocent lives.

Maintains justice

For most people, life is sacred and innocent lives should be valued over the lives of killers. Innocent
victims who have been murdered – and in some cases, tortured beforehand – had no choice in their
untimely and cruel death or any opportunity to say goodbye to friends and family, prepare wills, or
enjoy their last moments of life. Meanwhile, convicted murderers sentenced to life in prison – and
even those on death row – are still able to learn, read, write, paint, find religion, watch TV, listen to
music, maintain relationships, and even appeal their sentence.

To many, capital punishment symbolizes justice and is the only way to adequately express society’s
revulsion of the murder of innocent lives. According to a 2018 Gallup Poll, the majority of Americans
(55%) think that legal executions fit the crime of what convicted killers deserve. The death penalty is a
way to restore society’s balance of justice – by showing that the most severe crimes are intolerable
and will be punished in kind.

Historically recognized

Historians and constitutional lawyers seem to agree that by the time the Founding Fathers wrote and
signed the U.S. Constitution in 1787, and when the Bill of Rights were ratified and added in 1791, the
death penalty was an acceptable and permissible form of punishment for premeditated murder.

The Constitution’s 8th and 14th Amendments recognize the death penalty BUT under due process of
the law. This means that certain legal requirements must first be fulfilled before any state executions
can be legally carried out – even when pertaining to the cruelest, most cold-blooded murderer. While
interpretations of the amendments pertaining to the death penalty have changed over the years, the
Founding Fathers intended to allow for the death penalty from the very beginning and put in place a
legal system to ensure due process.

Arguments against the Death Penalty

Not proven to deter crime

There’s no concrete evidence showing that the death penalty actually deters crime. Various studies
comparing crime and murder rates in U.S. states that have the death penalty versus those that don’t
found very little difference between the two. These inconclusive findings mean that capital punishment
may or may not be a deterrent for crime. No definitive answer is reason enough to abolish it.

More expensive than imprisonment

Contrary to popular belief, the death penalty is actually more expensive than keeping an inmate in
prison, even for life. While the cost of the actual execution may be minimal, the overall costs
surrounding a capital case (where the death penalty is a potential punishment) are enormously high.
Sources say that defending a death penalty case can cost around four times higher than defending a
case not seeking death. Even in cases where a guilty plea cancels out the need for a trial, seeking the
death penalty costs almost twice as much as cases that don’t. And this is before factoring in appeals,
which are more time-consuming and therefore cost more than life-sentence appeals, as well as higher
prison costs for death-row inmates.

Does not bring closure

It seems logical that punishing a murderer or terrorist with the most severe punishment would bring
closure and relief to victims’ families. However, the opposite seems to be true. Studies show that
capital punishment does not bring comfort to those affected by violent and fatal crimes. In fact,
punishing the perpetrator has been shown to make victims feel worse, as it forces them to think about
the offender and the incident even more. Also, as capital cases can drag on for years due to endless
court appeals, it can be difficult for victims’ families to heal, thus delaying closure.

The Bottom Line: The death penalty has been used to maintain the balance of justice throughout
history, punishing violent criminals in the severest way to ensure they won’t kill again. On the other
hand, with inconclusive evidence as to its deterrence of crime, the higher costs involved in pursuing
capital cases, and the lack of relief and closure it brings to victims’ families, the death penalty is not
justified. Where do you stand on this controversial issue?