The Death Penalty Is Necessary

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Recommended: Ethical issues surrounding the death penalty

The death penalty otherwise known as capital punishment, is the most extreme punishment a government can implement on its own people. Presently, only eight-six countries have completely abolished the use of capital punishment, while seventy-four countries still retain some use of the death penalty. Throughout history, the controversy over the necessity of the use of the death penalty has continued. Many oppose the death penalty on basis of moral and ethical grounds, but one must keep in mind that capital punishment is not an excessive and unnecessary form of punishment for those who knowingly and intentionally commit a severe crime in premeditation and that the words “kill,” “murder,” and “execute” are not interchangeable. Once a person crosses the line of committing the severe crime, they have effectively given away their right to life away. This is why in my opinion the death penalty is necessary in order to act as a deterrent to crime, to exact justice for monstrous crimes and to overall keep society safe.

The death penalty is a more effective deterrent than life imprisonment. Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between the use of capital punishment and the future murder rate. According to research done by Roy D. Adler and Michael Summers, professors at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, it was discovered that, “When executions increased, homicides decreased the following year. Conversely when executions leveled off, the murder rate spiked the following year… each execution [in the U.S during 1979-2004] was associated with seventy-four fewer murders the following year.” (J. 33) With this direct correlation it is proven that the death penalty can in fact deter crime because it is proven using sta...

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Andre, Claire, and Manuel Velasquez. "Capital Punishment: Our Duty or Our Doom?." Santa Clara University Ethics Articles n. pag. Web. 30 Jul 2011. .

B., Phil. "The Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment." Phil for Humanity. Phil for Humanity, n.d. Web. 27 Jul 2011. .

E., Mary. Capital Punishment. Greenhaven Pr, 2005. Print.

J., Peggy. Does the Death Penalty Deter Crime?. Referencepoint Pr Inc, 2009. Print.

Stearman, Kaye. The Debate about the Death Penalty. Rosen Central, 2007. Print.

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