Masterpiece Presentation
Death Penalty
Death penalty is enforced in many countries, Taiwan included. Although 124 countries
have abolished the death penalty for all crimes, and the number is steadily increasing, it is still
a controversial issue. Whether to abolish death penalty or not involves different aspects of
concern such as human right, law, and religion. This issue has been discussed for a long time,
and it is like a wide spread issue debated in Taiwan in recent years. To me, I am against to
death penalty for the following reasons, and I will elaborate them in each paragraph.
First, I consider that death penalty is not an effective way to defer crime. The ultimate
goal to create or contact laws is to decrease the crime rate. However, death penalty does not
truly decline the crime rate but it continues a cycle of violence. Sometimes, it tends to be used
as a tool to revenge, and this will cause more crimes. According to a study, the average
homicide rate for the United States is 7.2 (and it will be noted that the death penalty obtains in
most of the states), while in the following countries without the death punishment, the average
homicide rate is, namely, Italy 3.59, Holland 0.31, Sweden, 1.31, Norway 0.82. This proves
that the countries having no capital punishment have a low homicide rate in comparison with
death penalty countries.
Second, I assume that death penalty is not always subjective. Economic and racial bias is
often involved in the use of death penalty. Legal systems are not always fair to the poor and to
members of minority ethic groups such as blacks in the U.S. There are an international
organization called Amnesty International that is opposed to death penalty and torture. A
study conducted by it showed that in some countries, the death penalty is not used for crimes,
but as a tool of political repression and to eliminate political opponents.
Third, I think capital punishment is the denial of human rights. Since that everyone is
protected by legal systems, death penalty morally and fundamentally undermines the basic
value of human right. It is really conflicting to deprive one’s life.
In contract, some countries might think that death penalty is necessary because they
regard it as the best way to maintain justice and social order. The governments claim that
death penalty can find a justice for the victims, and give comfort to victims’ family. However,
in most situations, death penalty does not relieve the victim’s family instead but it makes
another family suffer from endless pain. What worse, death penalty deepens the hatred
between people.
In the end, I stand up for abolishing death penalty. Death penalty is a matter of life and
death, but its disadvantages are more than its advantages. Due to death penalty is not a proper
way to decline crime rate, it is not subjective enough, and it is the denial of human rights, I
approve of abolishing death penalty. The taking of human life as a mode of punishment is not
justified in historical facts or human experience. I hope that there can be a replacement for
death penalty to avoid the disadvantages of it.
Masterpiece Presentation
About the Author
Kitty Wang is a freshman in National
Chung Hsing University. Her major is
Foreign Languages and Literatures. XXXX
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Rationale
So far, I have tried my best to finish the first four essays for this course. Frankly
speaking, I am still not satisfied with my performances. My English composition is still in
dire need of improvement. Nevertheless, to fulfill the requirements for the course, I decided to
select this essay for the presentation because I consider it the best. The following are reasons
for me to pick it:
1. The content is well developed. I first present …. Then, …. Finally, I ….
2. The essay is written by strictly following the “one paragraph, one idea” rule. The topic
sentence for each paragraph is very clear. The topic sentence for the first paragraph is ….
For the second is …. For the third is …. Finally,
3. Well-structured ideas.
4. Good examples.
5. Good introductory paragraph.
6. Good concluding paragraph.
7. Well-organized body paragraphs.
8. Good coherence.
9. Good consistency.
10. … etc.