Anti Death Penalty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Anti Death Penalty - Research Paper Example All states in United States of America have been granted freedom to choose whether to apply death penalty or not. In 1999, ninety-eight people were executed and about three thousand five hundred and sixty-five prisoners were on the death row in 2000. Death penalty is perceived differently by different members of the society. To some, capital punishment provides ultimate solution to reduce or eradicate the vice while to others, it is brutal and a disgrace to a civilized society. To understand the magnitude of death penalty, it is important to know the views of both the opponents and proponents of death penalty as a punishment to capital offenders. First, supporters of death penalty argue that capital punishment is a sure way of eliminating worst criminals and making the society safe. This is because when capital offenders are removed from the face of the earth through a judicial process, they are stopped from committing further worst crimes. Worst criminals must be executed because they may commit the same worst crimes if released back to the society or escape from prisons walls. Furthermore, they may commit worst crimes in the prisons that host them. Therefore, terminating their existence through the judicial process is considered appropriate. Secondly, death penalty is considered retribution. The families and friends of victims of murder or rape may feel that justice has been delivered by executing the perpetrators that caused death or anguish to their loved ones. The perpetrators deserve death because it is a punishment proportional to committed offenses. Thirdly, death penalty acts as a strong deterrent to potentially wor st criminals. This is true especially where execution is carried regularly and immediately. In Britain and United States of America, the rate of worst crimes such as murders reduced significantly when the death penalty was in force and regularly