Death Penalty Essay, Research Paper

Opinion on the Death Penalty

The death penalty, also referred to as capital punishment, has been

abolished in Canada since 1976, but still exist in a few American States. The

last execution in Canada took place in 1962.

I disagree with the death penalty for several reasons. My first reason is

that I find it extremely inhumane to take someone’s life in order to demonstrate

the power of the law. Another reason for my disapproval of the death penalty, is

the amount of money that it takes to put someone to death, as it would cost the

same to keep an inmate in jail for life, as it would to put that same inmate to

death. My third and final reason, is the guilty conscience that is placed on

everyone involved: the jury who convicted the accused to death; the witnesses to

the execution; and the jail warden who must give out the execution; and the

person who pulls the switch or induces the poison.

Early societies were based on a simple code of law: “an eye for an eye

and a tooth for a tooth”. Today, now that our society has become more advanced,

we do not function by this ancient code of punishment. For example, we do not

rape the rapist’s daughter; we do not kidnap the kidnapper’s children; but if

the death penalty were permitted, we would ” kill the killer”. So why, as

educated citizens, would we want to lower ourselves to this level? Do we feel

that we need to show the power of the police force by killing the killers? The

death penalty is extremely barbaric and is often botched in order to let the

accused suffer for several minutes. Society by now must realize that two wrongs

certainly do not make a right. You do not show society anything, by killing the

killers, except your ignorance for human life and well being.

Some thought has been that if you do “kill the killer”, it will deter

others from committing such a terrible crime. However, murder rates in Canada

have remained the same and there is no significant difference when comparisons

are made of those States who still have the death penalty. A widely publicized

execution might reduce homicides, but only for a brief period. Therefore, I do

not feel that Canada should permit such a deplorable undertaking of a human life.

I know they must be punished, but there is a better way.

Prior to putting someone to death, the accused’s lawyer will attempt

several appeals to the courts in order to lengthen the amount of time he has to

live; and dependent on a technicality, or a sympathetic jury, the accused may be

sentenced to life imprisonment. These appeals take up an abundance of court time

and cost the public millions of dollars. With the cost of these appeals, it

would cost the same amount to keep the same inmate in jail for a life term.

Would it not be better for the inmate to perhaps obtain an education or be given

the chance to rehabilitate, rather than strapped to a chair and killed ??? I

personally would rather see the inmate suffer in prison and have nothing to look

forward to rather than letting the government put him out of his misery by

killing him. To sentence someone to death takes one trial but to actually get

some one in the chair to kill them could take a dozen of trials. The question

must be asked why do we bother with this lengthy and costly process when we

could sentence people to life in prison, at the same cost.

The killing of a human being is very traumatizing to all. Whenever the

courts issue someone to death, the innocent everyday people who are involved

must be affected. Just imagine how these normal human beings, like you and I,

must feel after witnessing a gruesome killing of another human being. These

people will never forget the face on the person that they saw being gassed,

electrocuted, or poisoned. The prison wardens who must carry out the killing of

the sentenced inmate must deal with the emotional problems that performing this

act will accompany. Also the jury must convict the accused and then sentence

this person, whom they have never seen in their life, to death. These twelve men

and women are put in a position to decide if this person should spend the next

twenty-five years in prison or should he be sentenced to death. Would you like

to be put into this situation? I know I sure wouldn’t.

Another issue is what if a person has been convicted and sentenced to

death, and two minutes after the execution, new evidence comes out of nowhere

that proves he is innocent of all charges. How do you pay back this poor

person’s family? A long liable suit would follow, but I’m sure all the money in

the world would not bring back their family member. What are the police officers

going to do? They thought that they had the right person for the crime and now,

with new evidence, they were proven wrong. The death penalty is so final, and

it cannot bring a life back, no matter what the circumstances are.

In conclusion, I feel that the death penalty should remain abolished

in Canada and should also be abolished in the United States as well. The death

penalty is a barbaric and inhumane form of punishment. Capital punishment has a

very costly and lengthy appeals process attached to it, and is not very

economically smart. Also carrying out the killing of someone leaves extremely

deep emotional scars that do not go away overnight. People who witness the

killing are probably scarred for life, plagued with nightmares and they will

never forget the face on the accused as he was receiving his punishment. By

taking someone’s life, you too have become a “killer”; no matter what the

circumstances. I simply believe it is not right.