Pros And Cons About Capital Punishment
Capital punishment has been around for centuries, and many countries have this form of punishment even today. Any serious crime that is viewed as hideous or extremely contemptible is punished by sentencing the perpetrator to capital punishment. Depending on which country the person is sentenced in, capital punishment can be carried out via hanging, electrocution, lethal injection or shooting. When it comes to capital punishment, it is an extremely sensitive topic in the world. There are people who support it and there are people who are against it. |
Here are some of the pros and cons about capital punishment that will help a person see both sides of the coin.
Pros:
A heinous crime such as murder or rape ought to be punished and the best punishment for such a crime is capital punishment. There are claims that when capital punishment is meted out, it prevents possible perpetrators from committing such crimes. Serious crimes require serious punishment and when a potential criminal fears his/her life, they will stay away from such crimes. As a result, the rate of crime in the society will reduce. On the other hand, if the perpetrator is jailed for a serious crime, he/she may repeat the crime after release from prison. Hence, jail time will not work as deterrence against serious crimes. Giving a criminal capital punishment is the only sure way of ensuring that the crime is not committed. Also, it is the right punishment for criminals who do not mend their ways and continue committing the same crimes even after jail sentence. This is especially true for serial rapists and murders.
When a criminal is sentenced to jail time, he/she spends those years in futile without any meaning. Hence, it is better to put such criminals to death instead of letting them languish in prison and fearing that they may commit horrible crimes on being released.
If a criminal kills or rapes someone, then he/she should be made to suffer and experience the pain of the victim. There is no better way to punish the person than by sentencing him/her to capital punishment. If a person takes away another person’s life without remorse, then his/her life should also be taken away. Such a person has no right to keep on living. Also, by sentencing the person to capital punishment would give the grieving family members some sort of solace.
Cons:
When a person is given capital punishment for killing someone, then what is the difference between the society and perpetrator? Both are taking someone’s life and this cannot be justified under the guise of law or justice.
Many times it has been seen that people from the lower strata of society end up getting capital punishment as they cannot afford to hire the services of a lawyer who can defend their case. It is very rare to see a rich person being given capital punishment. Hence, this punishment is not equal and criminals are sentenced selectively.
No matter how heinous a crime is, every person should get a second chance to turn into a new leaf. Giving a jail sentence offers a way for a criminal to mend his/her ways and make a meaningful contribution to the society on being released. There is ample evidence to back this claim.
At times, an innocent person could be sentenced to death for a crime that he/she has not committed. There have been instances where it was proven that a person was innocent after being put on death row. Hence, it is always better to give life sentence just in case evidence turns up that the person did not commit the crime.
Lastly, capital punishment in no way deters criminals from committing a crime. There is sufficient statistical data to show the crime does not reduce just because of capital punishment.
Conclusion:
Capital punishment is a touchy topic in the US and has the potential to divide the society. There are equal number of supporters and opponents of capital punishment. It is very difficult to deal with both sides. On one hand, capital punishment comes across as cold and against human rights, and on the other, a heinous crime requires an equally strict punishment.
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Pros And Cons About Capital Punishment
If anything can start a furious debate in the US, it is a conversation about capital punishment. While majority of people are for having capital punishment in the different states, there are some who do not approve of it. There are some feels that capital punishment is against all norms of humanity. So, the question should capital punishment be abolished in the United States can begin a heated debate in any kind of setting. 
