Do Two

Wrongs
Make
a Right? By Tiffani Parker

SLCC
Criminal Justice 1010
Micheal Cupello
4/12/2023
Abstract

Is the death penalty wrong, or right? Do we need to change the laws on these things.

The answers will vary depending on who you talk to. There are many places that have

not abolished the sentence but have abolished the action executed. There are many

reasons this is a hot topic in today’s world. In this we will be going over some of the

main arguments and reason people agree or disagree with Capital punishment (death

penalty). Some of these include whether Capital punishment is humane. There have

been different techniques to follow through and some that claim they are a more

humane approach. We will be talking about the cost comparison with some resources to

see visuals of the cost difference between life without parole and death row/Capital

punishment. We will be talking about whether Capital punishment. Is even effect.

We cannot investigate people minds but we can investigate the data that may say if it is

an effective deterrent. We will be talking about the bias if any in the system of Capital

punishment. Finally, we will talk about the irreversible action it is and if it is reasonable

for the person and their family.

Introduction

The death penalty has been a controversial topic for many years. Supporters argue that

it serves as a deterrent to crime and provides justice for victims and their families.

However, opponents argue that it is morally wrong and inhumane. In this paper will

break down the different points and provide evidence that will help you decide what side

you are on. With most argument there is a usually a middle ground, but with capital

punishment there is a fine line of life and death. There is little to no middle ground on
the topic. This punishment is a permanent punishment. So, if there is no middle ground

what is the right thing to do? Abolish capital punishment? Leave it as it is?

Main Points
Inhumanness

There are many ways that the Capital punishment has been followed through. The most

painless is said to be lethal injection. But upon further research some disagree. But the

most instantaneous is said to be a firing squad. But reality is, there is not humane way

to put someone to death because that is just the nature of things. It is sad and hard for

some to accept but it is the truth.

Cost

There is a running cost that the death penalty will cut the cost of housing the inmates

from life. People that say this have done little to no research on the cost of each

sentence. There is outstanding evidence that the death penalty is much more expensive

than to house the inmates. Palm Beach Post (2000) “Florida would save $51 million

each year by punishing all first-degree murderers with life in prison without parole.

According to estimates by the Palm Beach Post. Based on the 44 executions Florida

has carried out since 1976, that amounts to an approximate cost of $24 million for each

execution.” This is only one of the many examples that you do not save money by

execution but rather spend not just thousands but millions more if you follow through

with capital punishment.

Lack of deterrent effect

There is a running question if capital punishment is effective in deterrent of future capital

crime. According to the EBSCOhost Research Platform there is not much if any

evidence that capital punishment is an effective deterrent punishment. There is more

evidence that it is not effective. It is suspected that the people that commit a capital

crime have no moral gauge on what they are doing and have little to no remorse so the

punishment in their mind is not really considered or cared for. This is one reason people

believe the capital punishment is acceptable. If there is a person that commits capital

crime and go through the system with all the right legal steps, and it is decided that the

punishment is capital punishment the crime they have committed must be great beyond

life. For most people that are considering the reproduction of their actions most likely

are a staying away from crime at all or just leaning towards petty crime.

Economic bias

According to the Death Penalty info site there is not much bias to the race of the

defendant. The majority of the sentenced are white because the country in the time of

the study was primarily white. They did however find that the race of the victim did seem

to have some bias with is leaning towards white. Leaving some to wonder why we are

not fighting equally for justice for all races. We are proud to say there is not clear

evidence that capital punishment in our American system is bias towards race of the

defendant. Can we say the same about bias of genders? In a piece called why women

aren’t executed, Rueter, T. (1996). It states “Since the beginning of the colonial era,
20,000 people have been lawfully executed in America, but only 400 of them have been

women, including 27 who were found guilty of witchcraft. In the 23 years since the

Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment, 5,569 total death sentences have been

given out by courts, 112 to women. Of these 112, only one has been executed (Velma

Barfield in 1984), compared with 301 men.” It continues to mention that it is because

women are less threating.

Irreversibility

Another reason why this is even an argument is because the indefinite result of the

punishment. This is one of the strongest arguments the anti-death penalty side may

have. The argument is that this decision is literally life or death. Many people face this in

their field. Doctors, Police, EMT and more. The difference is that with our court system it

is a clear life or death situation. Not a like doctors and police where there is a second to

react to know what we need to do to save this life. This is a clear night and day

decision. You are taking a life if it is executed. According to The Death Penalty

Information Centers 2022 Year End Report. There are many states that have technically

abolished the capital punishment because this data shows that very few to none of the

people that are sentenced with the capital punishment is executed. This is shown that

they ones placed on death row are likely to get a chance to think about their mistakes.

But let’s be real. If someone has acted in a way to be sentenced to death row, would we

really want them back in our society? No! so they are just going to spend life on death

row indefinitely. There are many cases these people are put on suicide watch because

there is a chance, they will try to take their own life. So why are we preventing the
inevitable. In hospital setting. If someone is on life support and there is a 50% chance of

life, and the family decides to pull the plug tomorrow at 12. Tomorrow at 11 they wake

up and everything is okay. The life of that person was literally in the hand of their family.

That is a life, so the difference is that this person was innocent and the person who is

on death row has committed a heinous crime. This is an indefinite action but only for the

most horrible people that you can almost say are not human because how could

someone do such things and still be okay with themselves. On the Death penalty info

site there is a map that shows 13 out of 50 states have executed the death penalty in

the last ten years.

Conclusion

The death penalty is a very sensitive topic with people who agree and disagree. There

are many situations and flaws that we see in the system but we can also see why others

would support and even push for Capital punishment. There is one thing that I think we

can all agree on and that is making our cities safe and our court system ethical. The

way we get there is harder to decide and agree on. I believe we are moving in the right

direction with minimal executions of capital punishment. I do think we should make a

clear statement. Not be half in and half out. So, do we or do we not have Capital

punishment. Don’t sentence someone to death to not follow through. This leaves the

inmate and their family always on their toes. Just tell them life in prison.
Work Cited
EBSCOhost Research Platform: EBSCO. EBSCO Information Services, Inc. |

www.ebsco.com. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2023, from

https://www.ebsco.com/products/ebscohost-research-platform

State Studies on monetary costs. Death Penalty Information Center. (n.d.). Retrieved

March 17, 2023, from https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/policy-issues/costs/summary-of

states-death- penalty

Death penalty disproportionately affects the poor, UN rights experts warn. OHCHR.

(2017, October 6). Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-

releases/2017/10/death-penalty-disproportionately-affects-poor-un-rights-experts-warn.

Rueter, T. (1996). Why Women Aren’t Executed: Gender Bias and the Death Penalty.

Human Rights, 23(4), 10–11.

https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/facts-and-research/dpic-reports/dpic-year-end-reports/the-

death- penalty-in-2022-year-end-report
Boots, D. P., Mallicoat, S. L., & Wareham, J. (2018). Life or Death: Using a Real-World

Case to Assess Student Death Penalty Opinion. Journal of Criminal Justice Education,

29(1), 39–61.

Assignment Reflection

 What assumptions have you made (outside of the research information evaluated)?

Before Starting my research on this subject I did not rally have much or a strong opinion

either was but was leaning more towards in favor of. I was looking from a viewpoint

more from the outside of a case. While doing research it helped me dive in a little

deeper and be able to see the argument from more than one side. I always just

assumed that a victim’s family of rape or murder would want the death penalty for their

oppressor. Because of the horrible act that was done to their loved one. After getting to

see a little more and the realization that this person id a human being like my own

family. I have family that has gotten into some stuff and thinking if someone would want

them dead is a hard thought of reality. I would not want that for my own father, brother,

son, mother daughter, sister. So why even of the horrible act would I wish that upon

someone. I realized all family victims may not wish that upon them.

 Do you need to investigate more facts and data? Yes, I feel I need look more into

actual cases. We can read about different viewpoints, but I want to dive into times

this has actually be the ruling and see what I think of it.

 Does the conclusion you came to make sense? I believe it does. It may be the reason

the death penalty is still a thing today.

 Does the information researched, and your assumptions support the conclusion? No
o If so, why? If not, why not? I feel like I am still on the fence about it and

not strongly leaning to either side.

 Did you ask the right questions? I do think so. I believe that is the reason I am not

leaning much to either side anymore. Because I research on both sides was okay.

 Did you ask enough questions? NO

 Was there more than one possible conclusion? Yes, I do not feel like I picked the right

one. When I started this paper I thought I would lean more towards in favor for the death

penalty but now that I am through with this paper and research I am leaning more

towards against.

 How has this assignment shaped or changed your perspective concerning the issue?

It helped me lean more towards the other side when I was leaning on way before

starting the assignment