Pro Capital Punishment reasons?

Question

I am having a debate tomorrow and am looking for reasons why capital punishment is good for society.

Answer 1

You have the harder side of this debate. You may as well know the facts about the death penalty. These are all verifiable and sourced. (The only reasonable persuasive argument in favor of the death penalty is that it is retribution. I am not sure, however, how this is different from revenge.)

The facts-

Re: Alternatives
48 states have life without parole on the books. It means what it says, is swift and sure and is rarely appealed. Being locked in a tiny cell for 23 hours a day, forever, is certainly no picnic.

Re: Possibility of executing an innocent person
Over 120 people on death rows have been released with evidence of their innocence. Many had already served over 2 decades on death row. If we speed up the process we are bound to execute an innocent person. Once someone is executed the case is closed. If we execute an innocent person we are not likely to find that out and, also, the real criminal is still out there.

Re: DNA
DNA is available in no more than 10% of murder cases. It is not a miracle cure for sentencing innocent people to death. It’s human nature to make mistakes.

Re: Appeals
Our appeals system is designed to make sure that the trial was in accord with constitutional standards, not to second guess whether the defendant was actually innocent. It is very difficult to get evidence of innocence introduced before an appeals court.

Re: Deterrence
The death penalty isn’t a deterrent. Murder rates are actually higher in states with the death penalty than in states without it. Moreover, people who kill or commit other serious crimes do not think they will be caught (if they think at all.) Some people confuse the concepts of "deterrence" (persuading a potential criminal not to commit the crime that someone has been punished for) with "incapacitation" (keeping the criminal from commiting the crime again.) Life without parole incapacitates a killer and costs considerably less than the death penalty.

Re: cost
The death penalty costs far more than life in prison. The huge extra costs start to mount up even before the trial. There are more cost effective ways to prevent and control crime.

Re: Who gets the death penalty
The death penalty isn’t reserved for the “worst of the worst,” but rather for defendants with the worst lawyers. When is the last time a wealthy person was sentenced to death, let alone executed??

Re: Victims families
The death penalty is very hard on victims’ families. They must relive their ordeal in the courts and the media. Life without parole is sure, swift and rarely appealed. Some victims families who support the death penalty in principal prefer life without parole because of how the death penalty affects families like theirs.

Opposing the death penalty doesn’t mean you condone brutal crimes or excuse people who commit them. According to a Gallup Poll, in 2006, 47% of all Americans prefer capital punishment while 48% prefer life without parole. Americans are learning the facts and making up their minds using common sense, not revenge.


Good luck anyway. You have a tough job.

Answer 2

Capital Punishment should send a clear cut message to someone. If you kill someone then that person who did the crime in the first place should suffer the same way they made their victims suffer. Indeed, the death penalty should be fair and there should be safeguards in place that protect people from wrongful convictions and god forbid wrongful executions.

The bottom line is the guilty ones must die for taking life of another person during cold-hearted murder

You can argue the pro-life thing all you want. But, there's a difference with that topic of discussion. Unborn babies don't kill people. Irresponsible and cold hearted killers know better than to kill someone. I think the death penaly is a justified in a henious crime

Answer 3

It deters crime. There hasn't been one criminal after being excuted every caught in crime again.

You start murdering people you just gave up your right to life.

You read some of the cases of those on death row it would make Hanniable look clean cut.


I think much better apporach than capital punshiment is start teaching kids right and wrong and trash situational ethics.
Also get rid of time outs and start disciplining the kids.
Stop teaching every group is a victim of something or the other.

Parents stop being buddies with their kids.
The parents of the two that did Columbine should been more worried what was going on in their kids bedroom like making bombs than working on their careeres.

Answer 4

In order for me to think that a person deserves Capital Punishment; it would depend on the type of killing being tried.
Killing of innocent children, yes. Crimes of passion, depends. Serial Killers, yes. Torture then killing, yes.
To me there are different degrees of killing although all result in the death of another. I think the reason for the killing must be considered before you put someone to death.
To think that the death penalty stops others from killing is not an answer, it does not stop anyone.

Answer 5

PERSONALLY I AM AGAINST IT BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SOME MAY THINK IT IS TRYING TO PROVE THE OLD SAYING AN EYE FOR AN EYE, TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.. MOST PEOPLE ON DEATH ROW IS B/C THEY HAVE KILLED SOMEONE SO PEOPLE SAY THEY SHOULD BE KILLED SO THEY DO NOT HAVE TO BE HOUSED AND FED WITH TAX MONEY. SOME COULD ALSO LOOK AT IS AS IF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IS BEING CARRIER OUT SOME MAY NOT COMMIT AS MANY CRIMES WHICH WILL ALSO CUT ON HAVING TO HOUSE SO MANY INMATES AT REGULAR JAILS..

Answer 6

The eye for an eye argument is misused. It really means that the punishment must be no more severe than the crime.
Capital punishment is more expensive, unappeallable and provides no benefit to society.

Answer 7

It Is not!!!! Im totally against Capital Punishment

Answer 8

It relieves taxpayers of the burden of supporting a degenerate and corrupt individual who has no hope for redemption. Rapists and murderers will repeat offend if given a chance out in society, they often repeat their crimes in prison so why should society have to babysit them for life. I say let them twitch, fry, hang, gas 'em or shoot 'em. Just get rid of the wastrels.

Answer 9

If someone has commited a crime that heinous, why should we spend the time and resources to feed, house, and provide (sometimes expensive) medical care for these people. Plus it goes back to morals. If you're bad enough, the government will kill you. They are executing a guy in China for fraud. At least we only kill people for killing people.

Answer 10

We would save money. If all death row inmates were executed within 3 months of their sentencing, the Government would save 64 million dollars per year!