What if today was your last day to live; how would you spend it? What if today was your last day to live on Death Row; how would you spend it then? We underestimate the true mental destruction and cruelty of capital punishment. Really taking a good glance, it affects each and every one of us in some type of emotional or mental way. Death Penalty is a very immoral solution for justice due to the number botched executions which show how unstable the system is, the eighth amendment which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, and the simple fact that you cannot teach killing is wrong by killing; along with many other problematic ethical beliefs.
Based on the numerous arguments establishing there is nothing legally insignificant about the Death Penalty, it has become a very controversial topic. Inmates who commit heinous crimes obtain no morals or remorse for others neither do they for themselves. The retributive justice system states, the punishment should fit the crime; meaning if you kill someone, you should be killed. Once committing a capital murder, the person has already given up their rights as a human being, therefore the government is free to handle the situation in their own way. Of course, following the process of Capital Punishment with great compassion, it decreases the rate of future murders and improves on economic health. It is financially better to execute a criminal rather than holding them in prison for life.
Opposing that statement, although there are numerous arguments establishing nothing legally insignificant about the Death Penalty, there is significant evidence proving the legal boundaries as carefully watched as they follow through with the process of Capital Punishment. The government should not be free to handle the situation as they wish. Due to the hidden biases, allowing the government this freedom with considerable questionable terms on why they made the decisions they make; protests, riots, and even more outbursts are ignited by the doubt of someone being sent to Death Row. It is bluntly inconsiderate to consider the cost of life versus the cost of death. All life is precious and all life is a gift. Even criminals, they still have to live with the torturing thought of ending another one’s life; they still have to live with the low conditions of solitary confinement. Killing them would not only be morally wrong but causing them the mental stress amongst waiting to die should be punishment enough.
Following that note, there are still countless records proving the fact that the death penalty is anything but moral and should be outlawed in all of America. In order for the government to remain invalidation of the constitution while going through with this system, they must stay careful of how they carry out executions. However, not all executions have gone as planned. Making this system of justice very inconsistent, botched executions have a 3.15% rate from 1890 to 2010. Botched executions happen when the planned procedure of a particular form of execution falls off track. Many times, this causes more than the intended pain to the inmate; unreasonable pain that is, conflicting with the eighth amendment. The government knows they are at risk of legal costs if the procedure is not perfect.
As a result, people today question the true meanings behind the eighth amendment. What is considered cruel and unusual punishment and how does the government come to their conclusion? The cause of this unfairness has considered all the cases where the punishment did not match the crime, along with all the people who’ve been innocently executed. If we, as a nation, are attempting to prevent further atrocious, how is ending someone’s life an acceptable solution? Lethal injection is the main procedure of Capital Punishment, has been labeled the most ‘humane’ method of execution. Along with that, electrocution, gas chamber, firing squad, and hanging are still legal in our country today and performed frequently as well.
In addition, the death penalty promotes great ethical and practical issues and arguments. The first argument being, doctors should not participate in executions due to their vow to healing the sick. Although there are prisoner technicians trained in the same areas as a medical physician, they are still more likely to corrupt the process faster than a medical professional. During lethal injection, a prisoner technician could accidentally puncture a muscle, rather than a vein when inserting the needle, causing intense pain. The ultimate goal of lethal injection is to follow through with execution while keeping the process as humane and pain-free as possible.
The second argument being a question, how do you teach killing is wrong by killing? This ethical belief is a loaded question and obviously only has one answer; you cannot. Although there is evidence of a crime rate decline, it is minimal. Why is it acceptable for the government to kill, and it be illegal for citizens to kill? This happens a lot with our government today; they rule something out for everyone, only making it okay for them to do it. Not saying that the government is after total control, but they aren’t showing people that killing is wrong. They are only showing them that if you kill, you will die as well. Nevertheless, we are all bound to become deceased one day.
The final argument agreeing with that statement, capital punishment does not only mildly prevent future crimes, but it installs fear into criminals. Depriving them of their right to life, teaching them they have nothing to live for and stripping them of human value itself. Instead of a criminal thinking, “I better not commit a murder because I will die,” they think, “They’re only going to kill me if I commit this murder, oh well.” Real criminals hold no fear of death so what’s the point of killing them?
As a result of these, Death Penalty should be ruled illegal in all states of America. Due to many botched executions, it nearly violates the purpose of some methods of execution; due to the eighth amendment prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment, how do we know which punishments are cruel and unusual? Finally, our ethnically and practical conflicts; doctors are supposed to heal and one does not simply prevent killing by killing. The evidence proving Capital Punishment has been a success only shows the surface. It is never a success in every aspect. From innocent and botched executions to the feeling of a priced life on Death Row and not knowing when or if that day is ever coming. It goes deeper than just a punishment; it’s a life on the line we’re talking about here.
