Why The Death Penalty Should Be Banned

Why the death penalty should be banned Name Institutional Affiliation Capital punishment is one of the most controversial topics in the world. It refers to the cruel, inhumane and degrading way of punishing a criminal. Every day, people receive death sentences for different punishments such as murder, terrorism, and rape, while others receive it for needless reasons such as drug-related crimes. Despite the shocking spectacle of this punishment some proponents of this punishment still argue why we should not abolish the death penalty. However, the death penalty should be abolished due to the following reasons. There is a risk of executing an innocent person The primary reason the death penalty should be abolished is once you kill an individual, you cannot take it back. Absolute judgment may be necessary, but it should happen to actual guilty persons. According to the American Bar Association, despite the advancement of the justice system, about 140 people have had their death sentences vacated due to DNA evidence. Further, the US justice system executed approximately ten people despite their innocence. Killing an innocent individual is an injustice, and eradicating the death penalty prevents it. Capital punishment does not discourage crime There is no evidence that capital punishment reduces crime or murder. Crime reports by the FBI demonstrate that states that sentence people to death have higher homicide rates of 48 to 101 percent in comparison to states without the death penalty. Likewise, international research of over one hundred countries found out that this punishment does not scare criminals. Most individuals who commit murder do so out of rage thus, does not consider the consequences. Hence, its failure at this is an indicator of ineffectiveness. The punishment is an indication of moral hypocrisy Mahatma Gandhi once noted that the continued implementation of an “eye for an eye” would cause all people to become blind. Crimes that attract the death penalty such as premeditated murder, rape or terrorism are heinous and unforgivable. However, in a country that believes everyone has a right to life, utilizing and justifying killing a criminal is hypocritical. The death penalty mirrors the very same crime committed by a criminal, teaching people that it is okay for the state to kill. Real justice should not display violence. The utilization of the de...