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Capital Punishment Essay: Death Penalty In The United States

872 Words4 Pages

Patsie Egleston
Mrs. Furr
29 November, 2016
ENG-113
Capital Punishment Much like abortion or the idea of gun control, capital punishment has been one of the most controversial and talked about topics of the twenty-first century. Many do not agree with the idea of the death penalty, or execution at all for that matter. However, if capital punishment were to be allowed in all fifty states the crime rate would decrease; there would be less government spending due to life in prison without parole; it would provide just punishment for crimes committed against the rights of life; freedom and safety of victims; and others would feel safer with those criminals locked up, waiting to get what they deserve. It would most definitely benefit us in a …show more content…

The government would save a lot of money if they were to enforce the death penalty as opposed to sentencing criminals and murderers to a lifetime behind bars. Maintaining each death row prisoner costs taxpayers $90,000 more per year than a prisoner in the general population. Although the cost of a death penalty case can be up to two million dollars, the cost of capital punishment is less compared to paying taxes on the death row inmates, feeding them, and providing health care for them their entire lives in prison until they die (List). The money that will be used to house and take care of the inmates could go towards other government or state expenses, helping with debt, state funding, and boosting the economy. Capital punishment is an opportunity for the state and national government to decrease …show more content…

Many believe in the saying “an eye for an eye”, or in this case “ a death for a death”. Though it may fail to correspond with some people’s spiritual or religious beliefs, capital punishment is still “constitutional and does not violate the Eighth Amendment which prohibits the federal government from imposing excessive bail fines, and cruel and unusual punishments, including torture” (List). Compared to the ways of execution in the Fifth Century ( crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burning alive, and impalement) (Part) today’s modern methods are much less gruesome and more humane. Most executions used to be public (i.e. lynching), therefore today’s form of execution is far less public than what it used to be as well. Today executions occur by lethal injection (Harden), and provide a clean death for the criminals receiving the

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