Since time immemorial, societies have used the death penalty as a way of punishing heinous crimes. Even though many countries still practice capital punishment, there are others that have abolished it. Since death evokes a lot of emotions and moral issues, executing offenders, remain one of the most controversial topics in the world today. Should we abolish the death penalty? If you are seeking answers to this question, here are the pros and cons of the death penalty.
Pros of the death penalty
Those who support the death penalty give several reasons for their stand. These include:
- Prevention of repeated murders
There is a common belief that when someone murders, they will not find it hard to kill again. This is well illustrated in cases where people convicted of murder have killed correctional officers or inmates. Other convicts have arranged people to be murdered even when they are still in jail. Cases of convicts getting parole and killing after returning to society have been reported. Other convicts have arranged for the murder of witnesses while they are still in prison. This means the only way of protecting innocent lives is through a death penalty.
- Deterring crime
Some crimes are very heinous and wrong that they require some strict penalties which can be life imprisonment or death. There are various studies of death penalties that have made conclusions that it can help to deter crime. While there are contrary opinions, some studies that have consistently shown a strong link between capital punishment and a reduced frequency of murder rates. When members of society realise that they will have to pay for murder with their own lives, they are careful not to engage in this the heinous act. This means that capital punishment can help save lives.
- Providing justice
Many people agree that life is sacred and there is a need to value innocent lives above those of murderers. When a person murders an innocent victim, the family of the victim is left hurting and even suffering especially where the victim was the breadwinner of the family. On the other hand, a convicted murderer who is sentenced to life imprisonment has an opportunity to read, paint, watch TV, listen to music and even go on with his relationship.
This is the reasons why many do not consider life imprisonment as a complete punishment for a murder crime. On the other hand, the death sentence is considered to be a good way of restoring balance in the society. This is because it shows the heinous crimes are intolerable and there is a punishment for them.
Cons of a death sentence
There are also certain cons of the death penalty. These include:
- More expensive as compared to imprisonment
Unlike what many believe, it is not cheaper to execute someone than to keep them in prison. Even though the execution cost may not be much, the cost that surrounds a capital case can be very high. There are suggestions that the cost of defending a murder suspect is four times higher than defending life imprisonment. Even where there is a guilty plea that removes the need for a trial, it cost twice as much to seek an execution as compared to a case that doesn’t. This is even before we have considered the cost of the appeal and the higher costs of guarding death-row inmates.
- Painful for families
It might look as if executing a murderer will serve to bring relief to the families of the victims. However, this is not the case. Some studies indicate otherwise. When the penetrators are punished, it makes the victim feel worse as they remember the offender and the incidence for a longer time. This is on top of the fact that capital cases often drag for many years as a result of court appeals. The family of the victim will take longer to heal when this happens.
- Mistakes can happen
If a mistake is happened during the trial, this will be irrevocable. This is even though the possibility of an innocent person being found guilty of murder is always real. Many people in history have been wrongly convicted of murder. The fact that one innocent person can be killed as a result of a wrongful conviction is evident enough that capital punishment can also be unjust.
- Inexperienced attorney
One of the factors that determine whether a murder suspect will be executed or not is the experience of their attorney. Many of the offenders in a murder case do not have the financial ability to hire a good attorney. In most cases, the attorneys that they are provided with by the state are usually underpaid, overworked or do not have the experience needed for a capital punishment case.
These attorneys are also demotivated and will even get to the court late. This means that where a murder suspect is poorly represented, they are likely to receive an unfair trial. It is important for a murder suspect to have an attorney who is experienced in murder cases, who is well compensated and have the necessary resources for fulfilling the client’s obligation. Unfortunately, this is not the case in most capital punishment cases.
For many centuries, the death penalty has been used as a way of maintaining justice in society and punishing criminals most severely to ensure that they do not repeat a heinous crime. But with so many inconclusive evidence of its inability to deter crime, the high cost involved in murder cases and the possibility of executing the wrong person as there is not enough justification for the death penalty.