‭Story‬‭Murphy‬

‭Mr.Smith‬

‭Junior‬‭ELA‬

‭6‬‭November‬‭2023‬

‭Is‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭effective?‬

‭Imagine‬‭a‬‭justice‬‭system‬‭that‬‭never‬‭makes‬‭irreversible‬‭mistakes,‬‭a‬‭society‬‭that‬‭upholds‬

‭the‬‭sanctity‬‭of‬‭human‬‭life,‬‭and‬‭a‬‭cost-effective‬‭approach‬‭to‬‭punishment.‬‭The‬‭death‬‭penalty,‬‭as‬‭it‬

‭stands‬‭today,‬‭falls‬‭short‬‭on‬‭all‬‭these‬‭fronts,‬‭making‬‭a‬‭compelling‬‭case‬‭for‬‭its‬‭abolition.‬‭The‬‭death‬

‭penalty‬‭is‬‭given‬‭to‬‭inmates‬‭who‬‭have‬‭partaken‬‭in‬‭crimes‬‭so‬‭terrible‬‭that‬‭the‬‭legal‬‭system‬‭as‬‭well‬

‭as‬‭the‬‭citizens‬‭believe‬‭they‬‭deserve‬‭death‬‭over‬‭any‬‭other‬‭sentence.‬

‭The‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭should‬‭be‬‭abolished‬‭because‬‭it‬‭is‬‭inherently‬‭flawed,‬‭costly,‬

‭racially-biased,‬‭and‬‭ineffective‬‭in‬‭deterring‬‭crime‬‭rates.‬

‭In‬‭America,‬‭there‬‭are‬‭numerous‬‭false‬‭convictions‬‭each‬‭year,‬‭and‬‭making‬‭up‬‭the‬‭majority‬

‭of‬‭those‬‭false‬‭convictions‬‭are‬‭black‬‭people.‬‭Black‬‭people‬‭make‬‭up‬‭almost‬‭half‬‭of‬‭the‬‭number‬‭of‬

‭inmates‬‭in‬‭the‬‭U.S.‬‭This‬‭also‬‭makes‬‭them‬‭“more‬‭than‬‭four‬‭times‬‭more‬‭likely‬‭to‬‭be‬‭sentenced‬‭to‬

‭death”(NACDL),‬‭which‬‭is‬‭just‬‭one‬‭major‬‭contributing‬‭factor‬‭to‬‭racial‬‭bias‬‭in‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭is‬

‭the‬‭role‬‭of‬‭systemic‬‭discrimination‬‭throughout‬‭the‬‭entire‬‭legal‬‭process.‬‭It‬‭starts‬‭with‬‭the‬‭initial‬

‭arrest,‬‭as‬‭racial‬‭profiling‬‭and‬‭b‬‭i‬‭as‬‭can‬‭influence‬‭who‬‭is‬‭targeted‬‭by‬‭law‬‭enforcement.‬‭So‬‭from‬‭the‬

‭beginning‬‭of‬‭the‬‭arrest‬‭to‬‭the‬‭conviction,‬‭black‬‭people‬‭are‬‭set‬‭up‬‭through‬‭sytemically‬‭rooted‬

‭racism.‬‭This‬‭kills‬‭innocent‬‭lives‬‭and‬‭it‬‭is‬‭something‬‭that‬‭can’t‬‭be‬‭undone,‬‭unlike‬‭a‬‭normal‬

‭conviction.‬‭In‬‭relation‬‭to‬‭wrongful‬‭convictions‬‭leading‬‭to‬‭the‬‭loss‬‭of‬‭innocent‬‭lives,‬‭the‬‭death‬

‭penalty‬‭not‬‭only‬‭falsely‬‭convicts‬‭Black‬‭individuals‬‭but‬‭also‬‭affects‬‭people‬‭of‬‭all‬‭races.‬

‭Death‬‭penalties‬‭aren’t‬‭issued‬‭now‬‭as‬‭much‬‭as‬‭they‬‭were‬‭in‬‭the‬‭90’s‬‭but‬‭that‬‭does‬‭not‬‭discount‬
‭their‬‭innocence.‬‭According‬‭to‬‭a‬‭study‬‭done‬‭in‬‭2014‬‭by‬‭the‬‭DPIC,‬‭4%‬‭of‬‭inmates‬‭issued‬‭the‬‭death‬

‭penalty‬‭were‬‭innocent,‬‭noting‬‭innocent‬‭noting‬‭that‬‭the‬‭majority‬‭of‬‭them‬‭were‬‭black‬‭people.‬‭For‬

‭something‬‭that‬‭can‬‭not‬‭be‬‭changed,‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭is‬‭something‬‭that‬‭should‬‭be‬‭extremely‬

‭thorough‬‭and‬‭most‬‭definitely‬‭not‬‭lead‬‭to‬‭false‬‭convictions.‬‭4%‬‭might‬‭not‬‭seem‬‭like‬‭a‬‭large‬

‭number,‬‭but‬‭that‬‭being‬‭possible‬‭deaths‬‭changes‬‭its‬‭significance‬‭as‬‭that‬‭number‬‭should‬‭be‬‭nothing‬

‭above‬‭0.‬

‭The‬‭significant‬‭number‬‭of‬‭false‬‭convictions,‬‭particularly‬‭impacting‬‭Black‬‭individuals‬‭brings‬

‭concern‬‭to‬‭the‬‭inherent‬‭flaws‬‭lining‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty.‬‭The‬‭error‬‭and‬‭room‬‭left‬‭for‬‭potential‬‭error‬

‭is‬‭a‬‭problem‬‭worth‬‭discussing.‬

‭Contrary‬‭to‬‭popular‬‭belief,‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭can‬‭be‬‭more‬‭expensive‬‭than‬‭withholding‬‭an‬

‭inmate.‬‭These‬‭costs‬‭take‬‭away‬‭from‬‭both‬‭the‬‭state‬‭and‬‭the‬‭taxpayers.‬‭The‬‭money‬‭used‬‭for‬‭the‬

‭death‬‭penalty‬‭could‬‭be‬‭redirected‬‭into‬‭something‬‭that‬‭supports‬‭a‬‭more‬‭cost-effective‬‭criminal‬

‭justice‬‭initiative.‬‭Holding‬‭an‬‭inmate‬‭is‬‭very‬‭expensive‬‭and‬‭can‬‭cost‬‭up‬‭to‬‭hundreds‬‭of‬‭thousands‬

‭of‬‭dollars‬‭a‬‭year‬‭and‬‭many‬‭people‬‭use‬‭this‬‭to‬‭argue‬‭for‬‭the‬‭death‬‭pentaly.‬‭This‬‭can‬‭easily‬‭be‬

‭rebutted‬‭by‬‭comparing‬‭the‬‭cost‬‭of‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭with‬‭the‬‭cost‬‭of‬‭an‬‭inmate‬‭yearly.‬‭According‬

‭to‬‭USA‬‭facts,‬‭the‬‭average‬‭prisoner‬‭costs‬‭around‬‭45,000‬‭dollars‬‭a‬‭year.‬‭That‬‭price‬‭seems‬‭costly‬

‭but‬‭according‬‭to‬‭Amnesty‬‭International,‬‭the‬‭median‬‭price‬‭for‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty,‬‭for‬‭one‬‭prisoner,‬

‭is‬‭over‬‭1‬‭million‬‭dollars‬‭and‬‭can‬‭be‬‭more‬‭depending‬‭on‬‭the‬‭state.‬‭The‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭can‬‭be‬

‭extremely‬‭expensive,‬‭especially‬‭expensive‬‭especially‬‭since‬‭it‬‭is‬‭a‬‭large‬‭sum‬‭of‬‭money‬‭being‬‭taken‬

‭out‬‭at‬‭once‬‭in‬‭comparison‬‭to‬‭the‬‭smaller‬‭yearly‬‭costs‬‭taken‬‭out‬‭for‬‭non-death‬‭penalty‬

‭imprisonment.‬‭In‬‭addition‬‭to‬‭the‬‭previously‬‭mentioned‬‭cost‬‭disparity,‬‭another‬‭piece‬‭of‬‭evidence‬

‭that‬‭underscores‬‭the‬‭high‬‭expense‬‭of‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭is‬‭the‬‭lengthy‬‭legal‬‭process‬‭involved‬‭in‬

‭capital‬‭punishment‬‭cases.‬
‭The‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭is‬‭not‬‭only‬‭costly‬‭in‬‭terms‬‭of‬‭money‬‭but‬‭it‬‭is‬‭also‬‭costly‬‭when‬‭it‬‭comes‬‭to‬‭time,‬

‭it‬‭can‬‭take‬‭“more‬‭than‬‭a‬‭decade”(Death‬‭Penalty‬‭Information‬‭Center)‬‭not‬‭only‬‭is‬‭this‬‭timely‬‭but‬‭it‬

‭is‬‭also‬‭an‬‭extra‬‭expenditure‬‭of‬‭money.‬‭If‬‭deciding‬‭whether‬‭or‬‭not‬‭to‬‭kill‬‭someone‬‭because‬‭of‬‭their‬

‭crimes‬‭takes‬‭as‬‭long‬‭as‬‭a‬‭decade‬‭or‬‭more,‬‭they‬‭should‬‭just‬‭allow‬‭them‬‭to‬‭stay‬‭in‬‭jail‬‭for‬‭the‬‭rest‬‭of‬

‭the‬‭time.‬‭It‬‭wastes‬‭money‬‭because‬‭of‬‭the‬‭plethora‬‭of‬‭lawyers‬‭and‬‭finances‬‭put‬‭into‬‭it.The‬

‭evidence‬‭highlights‬‭the‬‭financial‬‭and‬‭temporal‬‭costs‬‭that‬‭are‬‭associated‬‭with‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty.‬‭It‬

‭puts‬‭a‬‭strain‬‭on‬‭both‬‭the‬‭state‬‭and‬‭the‬‭taxpayers.‬

‭Many‬‭people‬‭believe‬‭that‬‭the‬‭overarching‬‭impact‬‭of‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭is‬‭to‬‭deter‬‭crime‬

‭rates.‬‭Being‬‭sentenced‬‭to‬‭death‬‭can‬‭be‬‭seen‬‭as‬‭a‬‭scare‬‭tactic,‬‭based‬‭on‬‭observations‬‭found‬‭by‬

‭Amnesty‬‭international‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭is‬‭supposedly‬‭used‬‭to‬‭prevent‬‭other‬‭criminals‬‭or‬‭rising‬

‭criminals‬‭from‬‭committing‬‭certain‬‭crimes,‬‭mainly‬‭murder.‬‭This‬‭is‬‭actually‬‭something‬‭that‬‭people‬

‭believe‬‭or‬‭say‬‭but‬‭there‬‭happens‬‭to‬‭be‬‭no‬‭truth‬‭to‬‭it.‬‭Criminals,‬‭specifically‬‭those‬‭who‬‭murder‬‭for‬

‭fun‬‭aren't‬‭arent‬‭thinking‬‭about‬‭what‬‭sentence‬‭they‬‭are‬‭theyre‬‭getting‬‭because‬‭if‬‭they‬‭did‬‭they‬

‭would‬‭not‬‭have‬‭murdered‬‭at‬‭all.‬‭The‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭is‬‭just‬‭for‬‭severe‬‭criminal‬‭cases‬‭so‬‭criminals‬

‭will‬‭still‬‭act‬‭on‬‭smaller‬‭crimes‬‭knowing‬‭they‬‭are‬‭not‬‭going‬‭to‬‭face‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭for‬‭it.‬‭To‬

‭further‬‭strengthen‬‭this‬‭point,‬‭the‬‭crime‬‭rate‬‭itself‬‭proves‬‭that‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭does‬‭not‬‭deter‬‭the‬

‭crime‬‭rate.‬‭The‬‭constant‬‭proof‬‭of‬‭ineffectiveness‬‭concerning‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭calls‬‭for‬‭a‬

‭reevaluation‬‭of‬‭the‬‭system.‬‭The‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭does‬‭not‬‭deter‬‭crime‬‭rate‬‭which‬‭is‬‭just‬‭as‬

‭ineffective‬‭as‬‭withholding‬‭an‬‭inmate‬‭in‬‭prison‬‭for‬‭life‬‭underscored‬‭by‬‭ACLU.‬‭The‬‭original‬

‭reasoning‬‭for‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭cannot‬‭be‬‭backed‬‭up‬‭with‬‭evidence‬‭and‬‭can‬‭even‬‭be‬‭proven‬

‭against‬‭is‬‭a‬‭significant‬‭sign‬‭that‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭should‬‭be‬‭abolished.‬‭Punishing‬‭people‬‭for‬

‭killing‬‭by‬‭killing‬‭them‬‭is‬‭unsound‬‭and‬‭seemingly‬‭immoral.‬‭The‬‭deterrence‬‭that‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬

‭was‬‭set‬‭in‬‭place‬‭for‬‭is‬‭now‬‭ineffective‬‭and‬‭lacks‬‭empirical‬‭support‬‭because‬‭most‬‭criminals‬
‭sentenced‬‭to‬‭life‬‭aren't‬‭thinking‬‭about‬‭their‬‭sentences‬‭while‬‭committing‬‭heinous‬‭acts‬‭of‬‭crime.‬

‭In‬‭conclusion,‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭fails‬‭to‬‭uphold‬‭its‬‭purpose‬‭as‬‭it‬‭is‬‭inherently‬‭flawed‬

‭through‬‭its‬‭racial‬‭bias,‬‭costly‬‭in‬‭regard‬‭to‬‭both‬‭time‬‭and‬‭money,‬‭and‬‭ineffective‬‭in‬‭deterring‬‭crime‬

‭which‬‭is‬‭supposed‬‭to‬‭be‬‭its‬‭most‬‭significant‬‭function‬‭in‬‭society‬‭and‬‭within‬‭the‬‭legal‬‭system.‬

‭Although‬‭the‬‭death‬‭penalty‬‭may‬‭seem‬‭like‬‭its‬‭going‬‭to‬‭be‬‭a‬‭sense‬‭of‬‭relief‬‭for‬‭the‬‭victim's‬

‭families,‬‭many‬‭families‬‭don’t‬‭get‬‭anything‬‭from‬‭it‬‭and‬‭learn‬‭and‬‭experience‬‭more‬‭from‬‭the‬‭death‬

‭of‬‭their‬‭family‬‭member‬‭memeber‬‭over‬‭the‬‭death‬‭of‬‭the‬‭killer.‬‭Ending‬‭a‬‭life‬‭because‬‭they‬‭ended‬‭a‬

‭life‬‭seems‬‭like‬‭a‬‭cycle‬‭that‬‭has‬‭no‬‭serious‬‭benefits‬‭or‬‭positive‬‭effect‬‭on‬‭society‬‭which‬‭is‬‭why‬‭the‬

‭death‬‭penalty‬‭should‬‭be‬‭abolished‬‭in‬‭every‬‭state‬‭in‬‭America‬‭American‬‭.‬

‭Works‬‭Cited‬

‭Amnesty‬‭International.‬‭“Amnesty‬‭International.”‬‭Amnesty.org‬‭,‬‭2022,‬‭www.amnesty.org/en/.‬

‭Death‬‭Penalty‬‭Information‬‭Center.‬‭“Deterrence.”‬‭Death‬‭Penalty‬‭Information‬‭Center‬‭,‬‭2019,‬

‭deathpenaltyinfo.org/policy-issues/deterrence.‬

‭“How‬‭Much‬‭Do‬‭States‬‭Spend‬‭on‬‭Prisons?”‬‭USAFacts‬‭,‬

‭usafacts.org/articles/how-much-do-states-spend-on-prisons/#:~:text=Spending%20per%2‬

‭0prisoner%20varies%20widely.‬
 ‭“Innocence‬‭and‬‭the‬‭Death‬‭Penalty.”‬‭Innocence‬‭Project‬‭,‬

‭innocenceproject.org/innocence-and-the-death-penalty/#:~:text=Since%201973%2C%20‬

‭at%20least%20190.‬

‭NACDL.‬‭“NACDL‬‭-‬‭Race‬‭and‬‭the‬‭Death‬‭Penalty.”‬‭NACDL‬‭-‬‭National‬‭Association‬‭of‬‭Criminal‬

‭Defense‬‭Lawyers‬‭,‬‭7‬‭Dec.‬‭2022,‬‭www.nacdl.org/Content/Race-and-the-Death-Penalty.‬

‭“The‬‭Death‬‭Penalty:‬‭Questions‬‭and‬‭Answers.”‬‭American‬‭Civil‬‭Liberties‬‭Union‬‭,‬‭9‬‭Apr.‬‭2007,‬

‭www.aclu.org/documents/death-penalty-questions-and-answers#:~:text=Q%3A%20Does‬

‭n.‬

‭H‬‭Argument‬‭Essay‬‭Rubric‬

‭Skill‬ ‭Not‬‭Yet‬ ‭Foundational‬ ‭Proficient‬ ‭Advanced‬

‭Identifies‬‭a‬‭basic‬‭claim‬ A
‭ ppears‬‭in‬‭first‬ ‭ hesis‬‭establishes‬‭a‬
T
‭Thesis‬ ‭paragraph‬ ‭complex‬‭claim‬

‭ hesis‬‭establishes‬‭a‬
T ‭ stablishes‬
E
‭topic‬‭and‬‭a‬‭claim‬ ‭counter-argument‬‭in‬
‭claim‬

‭ opic‬‭sentences‬
T ‭ opic‬‭sentences‬‭have‬
‭Claims/Reasons‬ ‭contain‬‭basic‬‭claims‬
T ‭ opic‬‭sentences‬‭have‬
T
‭clear‬‭and‬‭distinct‬ ‭clear‬‭and‬‭distinct‬
‭claims‬‭that‬‭relate‬‭to‬ ‭claims‬‭that‬‭relate‬‭to‬
‭the‬‭thesis‬ ‭the‬‭thesis‬‭and‬‭make‬
‭nuanced‬‭points‬‭that‬
‭consider‬‭alternate‬
‭perspectives‬‭or‬
‭counterarguments‬

‭ ses‬‭some‬‭brief‬
U ‭ ses‬‭multiple‬‭pieces‬
U ‭ ses‬‭a‬‭variety‬‭of‬
U
‭Evidence‬ ‭examples,‬‭or‬‭one‬ ‭of‬‭evidence‬‭(personal‬ ‭evidence‬‭(see‬
‭example,‬‭to‬‭support‬ ‭experience,‬‭anecdotes,‬ ‭previous‬‭column)‬‭that‬
‭each‬‭claim;‬‭may‬‭all‬‭be‬ ‭survey,‬‭research‬‭etc.)‬ ‭supports‬‭each‬‭claim;‬
 ‭personal‬‭experience‬ ‭to‬‭support‬‭each‬‭claim‬ ‭ ifferent‬‭types‬‭of‬
d
‭evidence‬‭in‬‭each‬‭body‬
‭paragraph‬

‭ se‬‭of‬‭reliable‬‭outside‬
U
‭sources‬

‭ rief‬‭explanation‬‭of‬
B ‭ xplains‬‭how‬
‭Analysis‬ ‭how‬‭evidence‬
‭supports‬‭topic‬
‭sentence‬‭of‬‭individual‬
‭paragraphs‬
E ‭ rovides‬‭strong‬
‭evidence‬‭supports‬
‭topic‬‭sentence/claim‬
‭of‬‭individual‬
‭paragraphs‬‭and‬‭the‬
‭thesis‬
I‭ ncludes‬‭at‬‭least‬‭2‬
‭concessions‬‭in‬‭body‬
‭paragraphs‬
P
‭explanations‬‭of‬‭how‬
‭evidence‬‭supports‬
‭topic‬‭sentence‬‭and‬‭the‬
‭thesis‬‭while‬‭also‬
‭considering‬
‭counterarguments‬
S‭ eamlessly‬‭mentions‬
‭concession,‬‭and‬‭offers‬
‭response/rebuttal‬

‭Counter-‬ ‭ akes‬‭some‬‭mention‬
M S‭ tructure‬ ‭ ell-structured‬‭and‬
W
‭Argument‬ ‭of‬‭opposing‬‭argument‬ ‭counter-argument‬ ‭effective‬
‭which:‬ ‭counter-argument‬
‭Mentions‬‭the‬ ‭which:‬
‭opposing‬‭argument,‬ ‭Establishes‬‭an‬‭aspect‬
‭some‬‭mention‬‭of‬‭how‬ ‭of‬‭the‬‭opposing‬
‭opposing‬‭argument‬ ‭argument,‬‭clearly‬‭and‬
‭may‬‭be‬‭disproven‬ ‭logically‬‭disproves‬‭the‬
‭argument‬
S‭ ome‬‭elements‬‭missing‬ H ‭ eading‬‭is‬‭correctly‬ ‭ o‬‭errors‬‭in‬‭MLA‬
N
‭MLA‬‭Format‬ ‭or‬‭some‬‭errors‬‭in‬‭MLA‬ ‭formatted‬ ‭format‬
‭format‬
‭Pages‬‭are‬‭numbered‬

I‭ n-text‬‭citations‬‭are‬
‭correctly‬‭formatted‬‭(if‬
‭sources‬‭are‬‭used)‬

‭ orks‬‭Cited‬‭format:‬
W
‭hanging‬‭indent,‬
‭double-spaced,‬
‭alphabetized,‬‭starts‬‭on‬
‭a‬‭new‬‭page‬‭(if‬‭sources‬
‭are‬‭used)‬

‭ orks‬‭Cited:‬‭each‬
W
‭source‬‭entry‬‭is‬‭in‬
‭correct‬‭MLA‬‭format‬‭(if‬
‭sources‬‭are‬‭used)‬
 S‭ hows‬‭evidence‬‭of‬ ‭ uotes‬‭are‬‭correctly‬
Q ‭ uotes‬‭are‬‭correctly‬
Q
‭Conventions‬ ‭basic‬‭proofreading‬ ‭integrated‬‭most‬‭of‬‭the‬ ‭integrated‬
‭time‬ ‭(if‬‭sources‬‭are‬
‭used)‬ S‭ hows‬‭evidence‬‭of‬
‭careful‬‭proofreading‬
‭ ollows‬‭essay‬
F
‭organization‬‭(claims‬‭in‬ I‭ ncludes‬‭fluid‬
‭topic‬‭sentence;‬ ‭transitions‬‭between‬
‭evidence;‬‭analysis;‬ ‭ideas‬
‭concluding‬‭sentences)‬
‭Eliminates‬‭wordiness‬
‭Shows‬‭evidence‬‭of‬
‭proofreading‬

‭ tilizes‬‭mostly‬‭simple‬
U S‭ ome‬‭varied‬‭sentence‬ ‭ onsistently‬‭varied‬
C
‭Fluency‬ ‭sentence‬‭structures‬ ‭structures‬ ‭sentence‬‭structures‬

S‭ ome‬‭use‬‭of‬‭advanced‬ ‭ dvanced‬‭use‬‭of‬
A
‭vocabulary‬ ‭vocabulary;‬‭including‬
‭use‬‭of‬‭active‬‭verbs‬