Argumentative Essay: Cost Of The Death Penalty

There is a major debate on whether the death penalty is a good way to punish criminals who have committed a serious crime. Despite opposing arguments, there is definite reason as to why the death penalty should not be used. Firstly, the cost is very expensive, secondly, it gives criminals an easy way out, and lastly, the death penalty does not deter crime. The cost to put someone to death is much more than life in prison. According to the article “Cost of the Death Penalty”, In California, “Cases without the death penalty $740,000 while cases seeking the death penalty cost $1.26 million” (deathpenaltyinfo). The state of California alone spends $520,000 more to sentence someone to death. Based on Nick Gillespie’s research, “The legal costs per case skyrocket to an extra $134 million per year. By sentencing one to life in prison without the possibility of parole, states are saving more than sentencing someone to death. The death penalty is giving criminals the easy way out versus spending the remainder of their lives in prison. In the article, “The Death Penalty is the Easy Way Out”, author Hannah Kaye highlights the case of Justin Harris. Harris was indicted on eight counts for the murder of his 1 ½ year-old son after leaving him in a hot car. Kaye argues “By
According to the BBC, “The death penalty doesn’t seem to deter people from committing serious violent crimes. The thing that deters is the likelihood of being caught and punished.” Increasing detection and prosecution will decrease crime more than the death penalty. Based on the research done by Nick Gillespie for his article “Why the Death Penalty Needs to Die”, “the murder rates per 100,000 residents in non-death-penalty states have been consistently lower than the rate in states with executions.” The effect of the death penalty cannot be proven in favor of deterrence, rather a stricter judicial system that will prosecute to the fullest without taking a