Pro's and Con's of the Death Penalty

Pros and Cons of the Death Penalty

Luke Myers

Argosy University

M1_A3

Wednesday, September 04, 2013

THESIS: The death penalty is something every state should utilize more often.

EXPLANATION: Using the death penalty more often would help many states in many different ways. It would deter crime, lower prison overcrowding, and save tax payers money.

SUB POINTS:

1. Threat of the death penalty deters crime.

2. The death penalty saves lives.

3. The death penalty saves taxpayers money.

4. Using the death penalty reduces prison overcrowding.

POSSIBLE OBJECTIONS:

1. Cost of the death penalty is a burden to tax payers.

2. The death penalty is barbaric to prisoners.

3. The death penalty does not deter crime.

4. The death penalty prolongs suffering for the victim’s family.

REPLY TO OBJECTIONS:

1. It costs far less to put someone to death than it does to keep them in jail for life while providing food, shelter, and medical services to a convict.

2. Some of the more ‘barbaric forms of capital punishment are not used these days. 35 states use only lethal injection as a form of capital punishment. The remaining states use lethal injection as a primary means of punishment, but they also have alternatives that are sometimes used, such as; hanging, gas chamber, electric chair, and firing squad. Lethal injection is not barbaric. The prisoner is given drugs to put them to sleep, and other drugs to paralyze them so they do not feel anything.

3. There is actually evidence that the death penalty does deter homicide. It makes sense that it would because no one wants to die.

4. When a prisoner is put to death, the family of his victim has closure, and a sense of relief. Having a prisoner alive in prison for 20+ years would cause suffering for the family. Knowing that the person who killed their loved one is still alive would prolong...