Writing to Argue- Should the death penalty be reinstated?

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

Last week America executed their 1000th person. Should we view this as a momentous occasion or a travesty in American history? The bible states “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” but surely murder is not the answer in the 21st Century? The death penalty is barbaric, primitive and inhumane. When the word death penalty is used, it makes yelling and screaming from both sides of extremist. One side may say deterrence and the other side may say, but you can execute an innocent man.

Those who want the death penalty reinstated say that it can reduce the crime rate in the UK. For example it will deter people from committing more crimes. However it may not necessarily deter people from committing crimes as they might view the death penalty as a better option than being sent to prison.

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The death penalty is necessary: it is the only way to make criminals so scared that they will not commit a serious crime. It’s the only way to invoke a fair punishment for murder for instance the murderer has taken a life and therefore loses their life in return. On the other hand there is always the risk of hanging someone who is innocent. For instance, someone who has committed a crime has a chance of getting away and there can be an innocent person who can be framed and had their life taken away.

Families and ...

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Families and the general public who have lost a love one by a murderer would want to seek revenge by putting them on the death penalty. If a criminal has murdered a 5 year old girl, why shouldn’t the criminal die for his misdeed? In contrast, what would it accomplish if putting someone on the death penalty? The victim is already dead, there’s no way you can bring he or she back. If putting a criminal on the death row, you are killing someone who has already killed; in the end the criminal will be the victim and you are going to end up being the murderer.

The pro side of the death penalty is seen by lots of citizens. Some common reasons for following the death penalty is The bible. To them, the bible requires the death penalty for a wide range of crimes, murder and homosexual behaviour. Justice and vengeance because many people believe that killing the convicted will satisfy their need to feel safe. (Lamourie 8) They fell safe because if the convicted dies, he or she cannot kill. On the contrary a more wide range of the public sees the cons side of the death penalty. Common reasons for the public to feel this way, is the way the death penalty has an effect on society; it lowers the value of human life and brutalizes the society. The value of human life is something that has a special meaning to us. Even though a person had murdered someone, where we as a community get off killing someone? God made our lives, and he should be the only one to take it away from us.

In conclusion, the death penalty is one of the most debatable in the criminal justice system. There are many advantages and disadvantages of the death penalty. In my opinion I think the death penalty should not be reinstated because there’s always a chance of killing the innocence. If putting the guilty on the death penalty, what exactly would it accomplish? It will accomplish the criminal being the victim and you being the perpetrator. You are doing the same deed the criminal had done. And I agree, God made our lives and he should be the only one to take it away from us.