Death penalty is used as a severe punishment to people who have committed a heinous crime like killing. Although it has been a debate over the decade as some say it’s the ultimate denial of human rights, a third of the world’s countries still use the death penalty.
Pros:
1. Punishment: Death sentence is used as just punishment for someone who has taken the life of another person.
2. Deters heinous criminal act: Giving severe punishment inform of a death sentence may discourage people from committing the offense because of the consequences if they’re caught in a murder case. This reduces the cases of any premeditated murder.
3. Safety concerns: A person who has been killing people mercilessly can escape from the prison and continue with his criminal activities. The death penalty is used to prevent that.
4. Quick and painless: Introduction of quick and more painless methods of execution makes the death penalty more humane to the criminals.
5. Appease the victim’s family: It appeases the family of the victim. It provides them with some closure to help them deal with the suffering of losing a loved one.
6. Justice: The person is put on death sentence to pay for his/her criminal activities. A form of severe punishment for killing another person.
7. Tough life in prison: Spending your entire life in prison is worse compared to being executed. Thus, some people may prefer to be executed.
8. Constitutional: Death rows are constitutional and the petitioners can seek nullification of their sentence under the eighth amendment. Before the sentence was awarded they’re tried to find whether guilty and if they deserve a death sentence.
9. Physicians at the execution: Inmates on death row are accorded professional care during their last moments in life.
10. Attorney quality: Sometimes an innocent person can be convicted of murder and a death sentence can be an irrevocable mistake. If the accused is represented by two competent attorneys and an independent judge oversee the process, then he is assured of a fair trial.
Cons:
1. Costly procedure: Executing a death penalty is 2.5 times expensive compared to giving a life sentence to the criminal. There are numerous appeals, legal wrangling, investigation charges, and extra dedication of time before the punishment is issued.
2. Denial of human rights: The death penalty is cold-blood killing in the name of justice but it results to denial of human rights, no body deserves to be killed no matter the crime they have committed.
3. Wrong convictions: Some people on death rows are wrongly convicted. An innocent person can be wrongly accused of murder due to inadequate legal representations, prejudice or snitching.
4. No deterrence: According to research carried out, the death penalty does not deter people from executing any heinous crime. Therefore, fear of death sentence does not make people stop committing homicides.
5. Rehabilitation failure: Giving someone a death sentence closes all doors for him/her to learn his/her mistakes.
6. Racial discrimination and anti-poor: 50% of death rows is given to people who can’t afford legal support. It is also given to individuals on racial bases and members of the minority group.
7. Old-fashioned: In countries where death penalty happen regularly affects the image of the country and is considered old-fashioned.
8. Mental issues: Some of the criminals who commit murder may be suffering from mental illness or they have clouded judgment at the time of the crime. Therefore, they committed the crime out of free will.
9. Morally wrong: Killing for revenge is morally wrong. Death rows are socially and politically wrong. State killing is morally wrong.
10. Cause depression: Some people may suffer from depression from feeling guilty for taking the life of another person. Some may even commit suicide or live a tormented life.
