Another reason why people are against the death sentence is because the alternative is a life sentence. However, life imprisonment doesn’t usually mean a lifetime in jail. So if someone is put in prison with a life sentence they could easily be released and then they could kill again. I agree with this point and believe that murderers should be put in prison for the rest of their lives. That way, they are never released and therefore never given the chance to kill again, but we do not have to go to the length of executing them.
Prison is a form of punishment, but some say it is not significant enough for murderers. However, I disagree and think that prison is a more effective punishment. Death is just a few minutes of intense pain, but prison could be hell for years. You are stripped of your freedom and all privileges and you are locked away for years. But death is just a few measly minutes of intense pain and humiliation and then it is all over. Hence, life imprisonment is a much more effective punishment than the death sentence.
The death sentence used to have great public support, but recently it has declined. In 2002 a survey by the Bureau of Justice showed that 53% of the American population chose the death sentence as their preferred punishment for convicted murderers. Nevertheless, life imprisonment was not far behind with 44%, which means that in a few years the death sentence may only be supported by the minority of American citizens. Over here in Britain, a survey by ‘The Guardian’ shows that British support for capital punishment has plummeted considerably since 1995, from 47% to 36%. Furthermore, the numbers of countries that still use the death sentence has dropped, and now more countries have abolished capital punishment than the number of countries that continue to use it. Amnesty International’s latest information shows that 112 countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice, compared to the 83 countries that retain and exercise the death penalty. Nonetheless, the number of countries that actually execute prisoners in one year is much smaller. This shows that public support for the death sentence is declining and soon it will be a minority of people who support or practice the death penalty.
Execution is also expensive as well as a waste of lives. In a report in ‘The Dallas Morning News’, March 8th 1992, it was shown that each death penalty case costs Texas over $2.3 million and Florida spends at least $51 million extra per year on the death penalty. This money should be used to get crime rates down. In 2002, 1060 people were executed in China and there were at least 113 executions in Iran. This shows that the crime rates in these countries are rocketing, and surely instead of using money to execute people, the money could go towards stopping murder and to educate people about crime. The money should be used to make sure crimes don’t occur in the first place, instead of just punishing those who commit them. This is another way we can all benefit from abolishing the death sentence.
Consequently, the death penalty should be completely abolished, as there is no reason why it should still be practiced. Lives are wasted, innocent people are killed and yet there are still murders going on everyday. Execution doesn’t stop crime, so what’s the point carrying it on? The problem is not being solved, and nobody is trying to solve it. All we need to do is get rid of this terrifyingly brutal form of punishment and let justice be done in a fair, but un-violent, way.