A Violation Of Life Essay Research Paper — страница 2

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capital crimes, and 2. the consequences of the death penalty cause offenders of crimes worthy of the death penalty to never consider committing them again. Many people believe the myth that the death penalty deters crime. The truth is, murder rates are climbing almost every year and executions are rising. A United Nations study published in 1980 found that “Despite much more advanced research efforts to determine the deterrent value of the death penalty, no conclusive evidence has been found on its efficiency.” Researchers have noted an increase in murders in the months following an execution. Recent crime statistics confirm that the average homicide rate in the 13 states without the death penalty is lower than the average homicide rate in the 37 states where executions are

legal. Does this appear to be a drop in crime? Not hardly. The death penalty is not stopping criminals. The reason for this is that most murders are heat-of-the-moment affairs during which rational thinking is not a top priority. Also, most people who plan a murder plan to get away with it, rationalizing away any concern for punishment. Another argument that proponents of the death penalty tend to use is that the death penalty is less costly than its alternatives. They say that it is the cheapest way of handling society’s outcasts, and that the “good” members of our society should not be taxed to support murderers for the rest of their lives. It seems immoral to debate the taking of even a murderer’s life in terms of money, but the truth of the matter is that the average

capital trial cost more than six times what it cost to keep a person in prison for life. The cost for life imprisonment is around $500,000; and the cost of the average capital trial, including only the first stage of appeals, cost the taxpayers $3.2 million. The tangible costs of the death penalty in terms of long-drawn-out jury selection, extended trials and retrials, appeals, extra security, maintenance of expensive seldom used death houses, support of the felon’s family, etc., are heavy. The arguments in favor of the death penalty appeal to us because they pull our emotional strings, ignoring our rational ones. In seeking “fair and just punishment,” one must look beyond a simple analysis of severity. One must ask: “What is accomplished?” Does the criminal learn

anything? Does the victim receive any recompense? Is society better off? The answer to all these questions is no. For obvious reasons, the death penalty fails to rehabilitate the criminal. But neither does it provide better protection for society. Life without parole means just that. A person who is behind bars for the rest of his life is of no threat to society. It is true that a killer who is killed cannot kill again, but in defense of this, a killer who is in jail for the rest of his life can also never kill again. Besides, in my opinion, to live with guilt and a future consisting of a small prison cell for the rest of one’s life seems like the worst punishment. I believe that man has no right to decide when a life ends. Whether the issue be abortion or the death penalty.

Yet, when a murder is committed, someone has decided a life should end. This person should be sentenced to life imprisonment, not execution. Killing this person will not bring back the victim; it will only serve as revenge. Capital punishment is morally and ethically unjust. It violates the humane respect that we as modern democratic states must strive to obtain and uphold. It has no place in our laws and is unnecessary for the protection of the state or its citizens. It makes mistakes in justice irredeemable; it inhibits the reform of our prison systems. It encourages disrespect for our laws, our courts, our institutions. I think Paul Baumann of Commonweal magazine wrote it perfectly: “A human life is ended by an act of human will. Taking life to show that life should not be

taken doesn’t make sense.”