Argumentative Essay: The Death Penalty In The United States

686 Words3 Pages

Death Penalty is the punishment of execution administered to someone legally convicted of a capital crime. For many years since the early 1800’s the death penalty has been around in America. We use the death penalty in the most brutal ways someone has killed someone. Why do we have the death penalty? It's a tradition. They had the death penalty before the United States, they have executed people for various high crimes. For treason, lots of things. You could have been put to death for many things, it depended on the time period. Then you think about your three rights velocity, life, liberty, and the pursuit of property. So now the death penalty sounds contrary, that the state is supposed to protect your life. Why would the state also put you to death? It seems …show more content…

They don't have a Death Row, they just put people in prison for life. California has both it has the death penalty and it will also put people in prison for life. So another reason people get the death penalty is, it prevents other people deterrent if they know that they will be put to death if they kill someone they won't do it. It doesn’t work, most murders are caused by crimes of passion, like the heat of the moment often times. There are often times when people kill for money, to get out of a desperate situation, revenge or whatever. The death penalty does not work as a deterrent. In the 70’s there were two court cases that came through in the federal court, Supreme Court. They ruled that there was something wrong with the death penalty because it disproportionately puts death people of color and especially poor people, but more people of color than white people. It was held up for 6-7 years, so you couldn't put people to death. Then it was referred back to the states whether or not if they should put people death or not. Also, the other thing is obvious people have religious beliefs, Christians say “thou shalt not kill” and “an eye for an eye.” If you murder someone then you should die,