Capital punishment has been around for decades and continues to alter as awareness of its negative connotations rise. Even in the late 1800’s we saw people trying to adjust the act in an attempt to make it more humane. The battle between morality and justice has developed throughout history and is existent now more than ever.
The reality is that crime will never slow down. The manner in which we as a society choose to address things such as murder, rape, and treason is strictly up to us. A large population believes that no one person or group of people should have the power to choose who lives and who does not.
Capital punishment leaves room for mistake
There are multiple cases in which they are pulled off of death row because they were falsely accused
Every life is precious
Capital punishment is costly
While an opposing group believes that certain crimes are to be addressed justly and that this sometimes requires death. This group believes the death penalty to be necessary for closure to family of victims.
Decreases opportunity for inmate to re-commit same or similar crimes
Provides closure to family of victims
Equal punishment and equal justice
Toulmin Argument
Capital punishment has been around for decades and continues to alter as awareness of its negative connotations rise. Even in the late 1800’s we saw people trying to adjust the act in an attempt to make it more humane, but the reality is that there is no “humane” way of ending another’s life.
Choosing to accept capital punishment is simply taking part in murder ourselves. I don’t believe any group of officials should have the right to kill another in my name.
Although capital punishment might bring closure to the family and loved ones of victims, who is to bring closure to family of the accused? Taking someone’s life can mean leaving a child fatherless or motherless, it can mean leaving a loving mother sonless or daughterless. There is no real humane way of viewing the death penalty. The reality is that every life should be seen and valued as precious.
Capital punishment is also a definite way of ensuring the offender will not re-commit his/her crimes but so is life in prison. Statistics show that while both serve similar purposes, life in prison is significantly cheaper than the cost of executing someone on death row.
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