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The debate over the application of capital punishment has lasted for years, and continues to be an indecisive and intense issue. Individuals against capital punishment will make reference to those convicted but were innocent, while those for capital punishment point to the absolute evil in this world such as Jeff Dahmer. ...
Many contend that the use of capital punishment as a form of deterrence does not work, as there are no statistics proving that crime has been reduced in countries that have it over those that do not. In order for capital punishment to work as a deterrence, certain actions must be present in the criminals mind prior to committing the offence. ...
Before beginning any discussions on capital punishment. One must be able to understand some general theories of punishment. ... And if a person has committed a crime the only way to balance the scales once again is to exact a punishment equal to the crime that was committed. Another theory of punishment is based around deterrence and rehabilitation. ... Also, it improves society, as less people would be willing to go through with committing a crime if the punishment made it not worth it. ... But it can raise a few major issues such as, is the expense justified, and is it seen as an effective punishment at all?
On one hand the issue for capital punishment can be defended in a multitude of ways. ... This would provide us with capital punishment as a specific deterrence. This is deterrence at its absolute best as there is no greater punishment than death. But most people would only embrace capital punishment as a punishment if it can be conclusively demonstrated that is significantly better as a general deterrent than the next best alternative such as life imprisonment. ... Pojman, who admits that statistical data is inconclusive to the issue of capital punishment, he feels, through his best bet argument, that it is better to gamble with the lives of the guilty rather than the lives of the innocent. ... 259) If it is decided that capital punishment does work, but it is not practiced, that he also says that we, being society, have failed to save innocent lives. According to him, “If we value the saving of innocent lives more highly than the loss of the guilty, then to bet on the a policy of capital punishment turns out to be rational….
Approximate Word count = 1915
Approximate Pages = 7.7
(250 words per page double spaced)
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