Reward or punishment?
Adriana Quintanilla
Professor Woods
English 1301
9 November 2012 Reward or Punishment?
"The right to life and dignity are the most important of all human rights and this must be demonstrated by the state in everything that it does, including the way it punishes criminals.” - Justice Arthur Chaskalson. The death penalty is considered, “the legal” punishment for a criminal. Although the death penalty has been used for many years, the thought of it continues to bring shivers down the back of most of society. Even though there has been an abundant of debates whether it should be abolished or not, citizens do not really know the facts behind it. Most of the society assumes that the death penalty is less expensive than life in jail without parole. United States citizens believe that this punishment will eliminate any revenge thoughts and therefore increase public safety. Being a factor of death, it should not be taken as lightly as it has been. Although sentencing the death penalty may seem the proportional punishment to a brutal crime, it is not a good alternative, because the cost of execution hurts our economy, it lacks closure for victims, and it violates the U. S. Constitution.
Most of society assumes that the death penalty is less expensive than to keep a criminal in jail for life. Little did they know that it actually costs the U.S. less for a criminal to live in prison than to be executed. According to Dellapiana author of “Should We Put the Death Penalty on the Chopping Block?” not only is there cost for pre-trials, trials and courts but there is “additional costs amounting to $4.2 Million per death penalty” (Dellapiana 1). It is high priced because “the consequences or error and procedural unfairness are magnified when life is in the balance; thus, courts have imposed astringent due process protections.” (Dellapiana 1) Being in really tough economic times, wasting all that money on the death penalty seems inappropriate. All that money wasted on
Professor Woods
English 1301
9 November 2012 Reward or Punishment?
"The right to life and dignity are the most important of all human rights and this must be demonstrated by the state in everything that it does, including the way it punishes criminals.” - Justice Arthur Chaskalson. The death penalty is considered, “the legal” punishment for a criminal. Although the death penalty has been used for many years, the thought of it continues to bring shivers down the back of most of society. Even though there has been an abundant of debates whether it should be abolished or not, citizens do not really know the facts behind it. Most of the society assumes that the death penalty is less expensive than life in jail without parole. United States citizens believe that this punishment will eliminate any revenge thoughts and therefore increase public safety. Being a factor of death, it should not be taken as lightly as it has been. Although sentencing the death penalty may seem the proportional punishment to a brutal crime, it is not a good alternative, because the cost of execution hurts our economy, it lacks closure for victims, and it violates the U. S. Constitution.
Most of society assumes that the death penalty is less expensive than to keep a criminal in jail for life. Little did they know that it actually costs the U.S. less for a criminal to live in prison than to be executed. According to Dellapiana author of “Should We Put the Death Penalty on the Chopping Block?” not only is there cost for pre-trials, trials and courts but there is “additional costs amounting to $4.2 Million per death penalty” (Dellapiana 1). It is high priced because “the consequences or error and procedural unfairness are magnified when life is in the balance; thus, courts have imposed astringent due process protections.” (Dellapiana 1) Being in really tough economic times, wasting all that money on the death penalty seems inappropriate. All that money wasted on