Plato Essay, Research Paper

Laura Harrington

ENRU1100

Instructor: Rob Jacobsen

November 17, 2000

The Controversy of Capital Punishment(Revision)

In my opinion, capital punishment is a controversial issue. This topic is constantly being debated. Some people believe that capital punishment is beneficial to society while others posit that it is detrimental to society. I think that the abolishment of the death penalty would be favorable to the atmosphere, which we inhabit. Although this issue can get intense, I think it is solvable.

There are many benefits present on the side supporting the abolishment of capital punishment. One major advantage of banning the death penalty is that a human life will be salvaged. I think sentencing a murderer to death is unethical. It is attempting to solve one wrong with another wrong. Murdering another individual is unjust and the assailant should be fallible. However, I think that no individual has the justification to terminate one?s life. If the death penalty is abrogated tax money will be saved. Now that capital punishment is legalized, tax money is being wasted on appeals against death penalty sentences.

Although there are advantages to banning capital punishment, there are also disadvantages. One significant consequence to abolishing the death penalty is that the public would be more at risk to be victimized. Another consequence is that there will be overcrowding in prisons. As well, as a potential increase in crime there will be less retribution available to the victim. For example, a murder victim?s family member may not be content with the aggressor receiving jail sentencing rather than the death penalty. An additional disadvantage is that capital punishment is much more costly than jail sentencing. This is because there are numerous appeals and court cases that occur from these sentences.

I believe that the legalization of capital punishment has initiated the controversy of whether it should or should not be abolished. The prohibition of the death penalty would be my tentative solution. Realistically, this process would be very tedious and time consuming, but would be worth it in the end. I believe that if prisons are expanded to accommodate the increasing quantity of inmates and harsher sentences are imposed that the death penalty can be abolished successfully. If the execution of individuals is abolished than, I believe our society would be more moral and just. As well, if capital punishment is eliminated a human who has committed a crime has the opportunity to rectify and rehabilitate him or herself. I agree with the idea that two wrongs do not make a right. If an individual commits an unjust act, do not punish the individual with a similar act. Instead, one should punish the individual in a more judicious manner such as imposing him or herself with life imprisonment or solitary confinement. Hopefully, we can life in a world where authorities do not have to go to the extremes of executed another as a means of chastisement.