FREE ESSAY ON CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

Capital Punishment
My opinion on capital punishment is very shaky because of the unstable facts and
controversy surrounding this topic. I personally, am caught somewhere in the middle of
deciding on being for or against the death penalty. I am for the death penalty for
several reasons: I think that we need to get the hardened criminals off the streets and
out of our court and jail systems. The death penalty is ultimately the only choice that
creates that, even though the accused will be on death row and appealing his/her
conviction. I also feel that in some situations the crime of murder is so heinous and
vulgar that the guilty party deserves to be put to death. I would like to say that I like
the death penalty because it is cheaper than prison, but I would need to see the numbers
to compare. My last reason for being for the death penalty is a killer should be killed.
I also have a few reasons to be against the death penalty. Does capital punishment really
deter crime? I feel that we should not put a person to death just so that person can be
the posterboy/girl for crime deterrent. And does a killer really think about that before
murdering someone? I also have on my conscience that thou shalt not kill is the seventh
commandment and killing would be a sin against God, but than again I am not in the jury
box, or doing the final deed. 
I have some further thoughts on capital punishment. I think that capital punishment is
far from being cruel and unusual punishment. And in my mind you should be killed for any
degree of murder. I don't believe that the death penalty discriminates against minorities
because no matter what color skin you can make the choice to commit or not to commit a
crime. I also think that we should believe strongly in our court system and know that is
has the ability to make the decision of guilt or innocence, and if someone is on death
row there should be no doubt in the fact that they belong there.