"It is by exacting the highest penalty for the taking of human life that we affirm the highest value of human life" (Edward Coch).
"Let the punishment fit the crime"
Cost; Once a convicted murder is executed and buried, there are no further maintenance costs to the state. Safety; once a convicted murderer is executed and buried, there is no chance that he will break out of jail and kill or injure someone.
The arguments against capital punishment are: the Bible; some people feel Christians that the death penalty is no longer required. Effect on society; some people feel that permitting premeditated murder is totally unacceptable, even if done by the state. "It violates our belief in the human capacity for chance." "It powerfully reinforces the idea that killing can be a proper way of responding to those who have wronged us."
"Two wrongs don´t make a right."
"We do not believe that reinforcement of that idea can lead to healthier and safer communities."
Lack of deterrence; the death penalty has not been shown to be effective in the reduction of homicide rate. There are some indications that executions actually increase the murder rate. Cost; the costs to the state of funding appeals by convicted murderers would more than pay for their permanent incarceration. Value of human life; human life has intrinsic value, even if a person has murdered another. The death penalty denies the sacredness of human life. Live is so precious that anybody should ever be killed, even by the state. Unfairness; the poor, males, and racial minorities are over-represented among those executed. Chance of error; many convicted murderes are later found innocent, and have been perdoned. It´s imposible to perdon a corpse. Horror; some consider capital punishment to be cruel, brutal, barbarous and unusual punishment.
Sending a person to Hell; Some Christians believe that an individual who dies without being "saved" will go to Hell for eternal punishment. The family of the prisoner is victimised and punished by having their loved one murdered by the state. Yet the family is usually innocent of any crime. Lack of convictions; some jury members are reluctant to convict in murder trials because of the possibility of executing an innocent person. Thus, many killers go free and are never punished.
I think Capital Punishment is an outraged method of solving serious problems of crime in a civilised society because it´s very cruel and inhumane. People suffer more all their life in jail than 5 minute in the electric chair.
