Imagine, for a moment, that someone you love was murdered. In cold blood, a complete stranger ripped their life from them, taking away something you loved. Would you want them to go to a place full of their peers, where they would be honored for their deed? Would you want them to have free room and board indefinitely? Would you want them to push a mop around for a few hours, and then get to go play basketball or exercise? Would you want them to get three free, hot meals a day- just for waking up- when you have to go to work daily and toil to no avail? Of course not.
The death penalty is a viable way to make our society stronger and safer. Those who commit crimes against humanity will be removed from humanity, instead of being sent off to live somewhere else. In most cases, the death penalty is a clear solution to the heinous acts we see around us today. While the death penalty is currently in place in most states, I ask that it be imposed universally, with quick, strong, decisive action against those found deserving.
Of those who argue against the death penalty- only one strong argument prevails: Prisoner Reformation. Perhaps true reform could put it in end to criminals and crime. Statistics show, however, that it is seldom effective.
The US Department of Justice says that of those on death row in 2003, 2 in 3 had a prior felony conviction. Had they been removed from society permanently on the first conviction, they would have never been able to hurt anyone else. Even more shocking is this: Of those on death row in 2003, 10 in 12 had a prior homicide conviction. Surely, quick decisive action could have stopped all these second and third string crimes. Sometimes a lesson cannot be taught, but rather a principle must be learned. Not only would wider use of the death penalty quickly eliminate many of the threats from today's society, it would be a lesson to all those who have knowledge of the situation. If they knew their own death was imminent, the majority of criminals would never pull the trigger.
In today's America, for every 100,000 citizens, 482 sit in prison. Even with the currently lax standards on the sentencing of the death penalty, 3,374 sit on death row. While it is better for them to be partially removed from society, consider that most are serving no more than a few years in prison, after which they will be released to go and resume the life they left. This cycle will only spiral modern society downwards, instead of the upward spiral we all desire.
Not only are serious, hardened criminals a threat to society, they are also a financial damper. The average inmate living cost is $30,100 a year. This comes out of everyone's pocket- including the victims. The average execution only costs a mere $1700. That means that the 3,374 criminals sitting on death row could all be executed with the money it costs for 185 criminals to live. Surely this would be much less of a strain on taxpayer's wallets.
Not only are most serious criminals repeat offenders, they are all also a constant threat, and a constant cost. If we eliminate these types of people, not only will we no longer live in fear- but we will also send a strong message to those contemplating following a course of crime.
