The Use of Death Penalty in Lowering Crime Rates

The Death Penalty has been a controversial issue in society dating back to The Old Testament Times. Some people agree with capital punishment, however many others oppose it. In my opinion, the death penalty is ineffective to society because it does not lower the crime rates it teaches the lesson that murder is wrong by murdering and putting someone to death, and it is cost effective.

One reason why the death penalty is ineffective to society is because it does not lower crime rates.

“FBI unified crime reports show that states with the death penalty have homicide rates 48-101% higher than states without the death penalty.”(Bushman,2). The death penalty does not lower crime rates this proves that by showing the estimated percent difference in crime rates with states who have the death penalty in effect and those who do not.

Another reason why is because the death penalty contradicts its purpose. “It teaches the lesson that it is acceptable to kill, as long as the state is the one doing the killing”.

The death penalty signifies that murder is wrong by murdering and putting someone to death. “The death penalty answers violence with counter violence.”(Bushman, 1). The death penalty follows the law of Hammurabi “an eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth.”(Hammruabi’s, 1) a murderer commits acts of homicide and to punish them the state executes them.

In addition, the use of capital punishment causes innocent people to suffer. “Over 140 people have been exonerated and freed from the death row, such as on the basis of DNA evidence” (Bushman,2) States were ready to execute people whom they charged and incarcerated only to find out that they were innocent, simple DNA evidence proved their innocence.

Get quality help now

Bella Hamilton

Verified

Proficient in: Crime

5 (234)

“ Very organized ,I enjoyed and Loved every bit of our professional interaction ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

Lastly, the death penalty is cost effective. “…each execution can cost between $2.5 million and $5 million … ask themselves whether that money can be put to better law-enforcement uses” (Fagan,1) The millions of dollars it costs to have someone on death row can be beneficial towards other more important matters such as improve law-enforcement programs.

On the other hand, some believe that the death penalty allows the victim’s family and friends to feel secured and protected. “Death penalty ensures the murderer can commit no more crimes in the future.”(Death 1) Death penalty allows people to feel safe because they will know that the murderer can’t kill again unlike life imprisonment which gives a chance at parole and freedoms; despite the fact that the person you are putting to death may be innocent why need protection from an innocent citizen.

Another reason why some feel that the death penalty is beneficial in society is because the law is very amicable when sentencing a criminal. “…Death penalty is diminishing in the U.S. over half of American citizens consider life imprisonment without parole…”(Death 1) Prosecutors are sentencing more criminals to life without parole rather than death row because it is said to be a more merciless punishment on the other hand, that costs just as much as death row and subjects them to other criminals who may not agree with them if they were rapist.

However, neither of these are valid reasons for the death penalty being beneficial to society because the murderer can’t commit any crimes themselves but they could have accomplices assist them; life without parole is no better than the death penalty they both are cruel and harsh punishments.

Conclusively, the death penalty is ineffective to society because it does the opposite of what it’s supposed to be preventing as if the death penalty supports murder and homicide by their social injustice of executing dangerous criminal whom they believe are a threat to society and cannot be disciplined in any other way besides death.