Rothenberger 1

Joshua Rothenberger
Mrs. Harrell
English 3
May, 19 2015
Capital punishment has been used as a way to punish and detour crime since civilization
began. Capital punishment has also changed a lot from what it once was. It all started with
cutting heads off or hanging those who committed the crimes. These days capital punishment is
death by lethal injection or electrocution and is done behind closed doors. Capital punishment is
a way to punish those who commit crimes against humanity but it can also be abused and
without due process.
There is never really an upside to taking someones life away but in some cases it is a
necessary evil. When a serial killer is captured and tried in the court of law the only way to make
sure that person never harms another human is to take away their ability to harm others. If
everyone who is just wasting away on death row was executed rather than just sitting around tons
of resources would be saved and could be used for something other than keeping a dead man
alive.
With all things there is going to be a down side and when it comes to capital punishment
there is a lot of room for error. There is a possibility that innocent people are executed for
crimes they did not commit (Bowman, Jeffery, DiLascio 3), Clearly the biggest concern is
regards to capital punishment is making sure that those being punished are the ones that deserve
the punishment. Many studies have revealed that the death penalty does not detour crime the way
some supporters may think that it does.

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To many the death penalty is seen as payback for those who are convicted of a heinous
crime such as murder, but to the less ignorant people capital punishment is seen as a way to
punish those who are convicted of a crime and is also a way to prevent that specific person from
ever harming another person. The death penalty should be enforced throughout the entire nation
as a whole. What is the point in putting a man who murdered ten people on death row if he is just
going to sit there and do nothing for the next 30 years? That is a waste of time, money, and
resources. The death penalty is a good way of dealing with the scum of society but it needs
reform before it can be effective.
Capital punishment is used to punish those who commit crimes against humanity. It is in
some sense a way of playing god. When someone is convicted of murder it is up to just a handful
of people to decide if they will live or die and that is where error occurs. Humans are emotional
creatures and mistakes happen when emotion is involved.

Works Cited

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Bowman, Jeffrey, and Tracey M. DiLascio. "Counterpoint: The Death Penalty Is

Necessary." Points Of View: Death Penalty (2015): 3. Points of View Reference Center.
Web. 7 May 2015.
Issitt, Micha L., and Heather Newton. "Death Penalty: An Overview." Points Of View: Death
Penalty (2015): 1. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 7 May 2015.