Callee Marshall
1
Miss Paxton
Oct. 8, 2012
An Eye for An Eye
"If we execute murderers and there is in fact no deterrent effect, we have killed a bunch of
murderers. If we fail to execute murderers, and doing so would in fact have deterred other
murders, we have allowed the killing of a bunch of innocent victims. I would much rather risk
the former. This, to me, is not a tough call" (qtd. Pro-Death Penalty.com). The death penalty
consists of the state putting someone to death for committing a crime. The crime is usually
something along the lines of murder, a murder that was premeditated and by someone who was in
a conscious state of mind. The practice started in Babylon in about the eighteenth century B.C.
It was carried out by crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burning alive, or impalement. Back
then, the death penalty was a common punishment for any crime. In America, the first death
sentence recorded was in Jamestown, Virginia in 1608. Captain George Kendall was executed
for being a spy in Spain. People were also routinely put to death for minor things like stealing,
trading with the Indians, and killing animals. The death penalty soon started spreading
throughout the colonies. In 1630, the Massachusetts Bay Colony had their first execution. The
New York Colony followed in 1665 and so on.
Obviously the death penalty is different today. There are several ways that criminals are
put to death. The most common is lethal injection. The prisoner gets a last meal, shower, and
some fresh clothes. They mentally prepare for death and get a last statement. Through an IV,
large doses of sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide, and sometimes potassium chloride are
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fed into the body. After a few minutes, the prisoner is declared dead and then the body is given
to the family for burial. Another method is by electrocution, or the “electric chair.” The next
most common way is the gas chamber. The prisoner is put in an airtight container and deathly
gases are released until the prisoner can no longer breathe or chooses not to breathe in the gas
and dies within a few minutes. Another way is by hanging. A noose is tied around the prisoner's
neck and when the trap-door opens the prisoner falls through it, leaving the rope around their
neck the only thing holding them up. It will either fracture the neck, killing the person instantly,
or he will hang there and die from asphyxiation. The least common method is death by the firing
squad, where the person convicted gets tied to a pole and five gunmen fire guns at the same time,
though only one is actually loaded so that the actual killer can't be pointed out. It is very quick
and simple if it works out correctly, but if they miss the heart, can cause extra suffering.
But here's the question: Is the death penalty right or wrong? It could be argued either
way. I intend to prove that the death sentence is preferable to life in prison. First, although some
may say that it is inhumane, the methods used today to perform execution do not qualify as cruel
and unusual. “Throughout our history, whenever a method of execution has been challenged in
this Court as cruel and unusual, the Court has rejected the challenge. Our society has nonetheless
steadily moved to more humane methods of carrying out capital punishment" (qtd. Criminal Law
and Procedure p. 502). Secondly, taking the life of one who has taken others could actually
prevent future deaths by murder. "Common sense, lately bolstered by statistics, tells us that the
death penalty will deter murder... People fear nothing more than death. Therefore, nothing will
deter a criminal more than the fear of death... life in prison is less feared” (qtd. Should the Death
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Penalty be Allowed?). Next, sentencing criminals to life in prison leads to prison overcrowding,
which means that more criminals e.g. rapists, thieves, and drug dealers are out on the streets.
“Each additional prisoner requires a portion of a cell, food, clothing, extra guard time, and so on.
When you eliminate the death penalty as an option, it means that prisoner must be housed for
life. Thus, it only adds to the problem of an overcrowded prison system” (qtd. Balanced Politics).
And lastly, life in prison is very expensive. Some sources say that the death penalty actually
costs more than it would cost to keep that person alive in prison, but that depends on the case.
For instance, the prisoner may not be on death row for twenty years. They may be there for a
short time, they might not need as many appeals, or they may die in prison. But who pays for all
this? Taxes. The people of America are paying for the life of prisoners. If our money is going to
the criminals who have taken the lives of others, then it should be going towards their deaths. We
shouldn't be paying to keep someone alive who doesn't deserve it. The death penalty is
preferable to life in person for convicted murderers for financial reasons, life in prison results in
overcrowding, it's carried out in a humane manner compared to wasting away in a cell for life,
and it's a deterrent to potential murderers.
The methods of execution used today in America are much more humane than they were
in the past. As I stated before it was done by crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burning
alive, or impalement. In ancient times, it was meant to be torturous, slow, and painful. Before
the eighteenth century, burning at the stake was a very common way to kill someone for
wrongdoing. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, it was common to behead someone
with the guillotine. In Asia “death by elephants” was used for thousands of years. “The animals
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were trained to execute in two ways. Slowly, in a prolonged manner, dismembering and torturing
or by crushing, which killed the victim nearly instantly” (qtd. The 15 Most Brutal Methods of
Execution of All Time). The American Mafia introduced tying cinder blocks to the victim's feet
and throwing them into the water to sink until they drown. One of the cruelest methods of death
is called the Brazen Bull. The prisoner is put inside a brass bull. They then set fire under the bull
until it heats the entire thing and the prisoner inside roasts to death. In America, the death
penalty has become more humane. Lethal injection is the most common method. It puts the
prisoner to death peacefully and calmly. The family can come to support and say their last
goodbyes and the body stays in good condition. The purpose of the death penalty is not to watch
them suffer. The purpose is to provide justice. I doubt that the people working on death row that
carry out the executions do it for the joy of killing. The criminal took the life of another and
earned the consequence of having his life taken as well. “An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,”
was the law used in ancient times. That law still stands, but in a more justly manner.
In addition, ridding the world of murderers is preventing future murders. “A society that
is not willing to demand a life of somebody who has taken somebody else's life is simply
immoral” (qtd. Should the Death Penalty be Allowed?). The reason that Immanuel Kant believed
that letting the person live is immoral is because leaving a murderer alive is just setting him up
for murdering again. If they did it once, why not do it again? What's the worst thing that can
happen to them? If they're already in prison for life then what is stopping them from killing
people around them if they get the chance? The one thing that people fear most, in my opinion,
is death. If you allow the person to take a life and live then there's nothing stopping them from
taking more lives. “The death penalty is appropriate for the worst of the worst, people who have
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committed crimes so atrocious that they are no longer fit to be among us” (qtd. Should the Death
Penalty be Allowed?). Death row is full of the worst people. Taking away the death penalty
means putting the worst of the worst people into the prisons. Criminals in prison deserve to be
there, but should not be surrounded by murders who are putting their lives at risk.
Without the death penalty, there is no death row. Without the threat of death row the
murderers would be imprisoned for life and the prisons would be extremely overcrowded. “The
ballooning incarcerated population puts inmates and guards in danger and holds back efforts to
rehabilitate convicts. Crowded cells and the loss of privacy increase the odds that inmates will
lash out, threatening the guards keeping watch” (qtd. Overcrowding In Federal Prisons Harms
Inmates, Guards: GAO Report). Having overcrowded prisons is a problem for several reasons.
First, two to three prisoners are put in a room that is fit for one person or they are put in rooms
that aren't even supposed to be cells. Second, criminals get less time in the cafeteria, television,
and recreation rooms. And last, being in an overcrowded area for a long time can cause the
prisoners to “lash out” against the guards or fellow inmates. “So far this year, 14 federal prison
workers have been assaulted with weapons and another 45 were assaulted by unarmed inmates,
according to statistics compiled by the union” (qtd. Overcrowding In Federal Prisons Harms
Inmates, Guards: GAO Report). Prison overcrowding is harmful to both those in the prison and
outside the prison. With too many people in the prisons, minor criminals will be released on the
streets, such as drug dealers, rapists, and thieves. With the death penalty as an option, the worst
murderers, who don't deserve a life of their own, will be sent to death row, allowing more room
in the prisons for those criminals who deserve a prison sentence.
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Although the death penalty is very expensive, so is the cost of life in prison. Obviously,
up front the cost of the death penalty case will look much more expensive than the cost of one
life in prison, but over time the life in prison cases end up being more expensive. "If the multiple
layers of appeal are pursued in an ethical and fiscally responsible manner, execution is less costly
than warehousing a murderer for life" (qtd. Does the death penalty cost less than life in prison
without parole?). To house an inmate for a full year, it cost an average of $27,117. The cost of
one lethal injection in the state of Utah is $1286.86. Every single case is different, but those
numbers are the same for every case. Therefore, the cost of housing a prisoner for life far
exceeds the cost of killing someone in a humane manner. Executing murderers is not only the
responsible thing to do for society, but it's less costly. In my opinion, if our taxes are being spent
on a criminal then they should be spent on ending the life of the criminal, not on housing them
for life. If while in prison they were doing something to give back to society and making up for
the costs that were being spent on them then sure, keep them in prison for life. But by sitting in a
cell all day they are doing nothing to earn their spot there. Even though the price of the death
penalty after it is all over and done with is very large, the cost of keeping them alive in an
overcrowded prison for life is much higher than ending their life and is very unethical.
I do recognize that there are two sides to this argument. Some say that for many reasons,
the death penalty is wrong and our nation should rid of it. They say that it is immoral. Taking a
life for taking a life just doesn't seem quite right. But even though the death penalty is enforced,
it is done in several very humane ways. Also, some may say that the death penalty is unfair for
racial reasons and that more blacks are executed than whites and that is how it has been
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throughout history. They also say that one prisoner may be more likely to be sent to death row
than another prisoner because of their social class. “Drawing on theory and previous research,
our analysis treats white support for the death penalty as a product of four types of factors: racial
attitudes, social group differences, core values and political attitudes, and features of social
context” (Why Do White Americans Support the Death Penalty? 400). While that may have been
true in the past, today each prisoner is given appeals, a lawyer, and a chance to be substantiated.
Along with that, the death penalty is very expensive. “Incapacity can be imposed by long terms
of imprisonment, particularly for habitual offenders; the policy of "keeping criminals off the
streets" does indeed protect the public for a period of time, although it is done at a considerable
cost” (The Death Penalty in the United States of America 63). But that is depending on the case,
and isn't taking into consideration the cost of housing someone for life. Some even say that a
convicted murderer has rights, even the right to live.
In conclusion, the death penalty is the better option in cases of convicted murder.
Although some cases are overturned, many years of time and research are put into deciding the
fate of the convict. The methods of putting someone to death have changed throughout history.
Technology has made it possible for us to carry out the sentence humanely and without suffering.
If we let criminals keep their lives for taking another’s, how can we as a society demand justice
for lesser crimes? Keeping the death penalty helps our society financially. The costs of housing a
murderer in maximum security prison for life is debated in several sources, but most agree that in
the end it saves taxpayer money. The cost of lethal injection is far less than the amount of money
paid toward a life in prison every year. If my money is going toward a murderer I would rather it
be used to kill them than keep them alive for years and years, which would end up costing more.
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We need more space in prisons. Because the prisons are full of lifetime murderers there is no
room for the criminals that should be there. This will harm our society because those criminals
will be out on the streets committing more crimes. Finally, it will be a deterrent to future
murders. The goal is to prevent tragedies from happening and convicts that have already taken
someone’s life mostly likely won’t have a problem taking more. These reasons outweigh those
of the opposite view.
Works Cited
"Brainz." The 15 Most Brutal Methods Of Execution Of All Time. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2012.
<http://brainz.org/15-most-brutal-methods-execution-all-time/>.
"Costs of the Death Penalty." Death Penalty Information Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.
“"Criminal Law and Procedure." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2012.
<http://books.google.com/books?id=KnBnknQAHlkC>.
"Death Penalty." LII. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/death_penalty>. "
"Death Penalty News: Texas: Lethal Injection Costs Increasing." Death Penalty News: Texas:
Lethal Injection Costs Increasing. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.
Does the Death Penalty Cost Less than Life in Prison without Parole? - Death Penalty ProCon.org." Does the Death Penalty Cost Less than Life in Prison without Parole? Death Penalty - ProCon.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2012.
<http://deathpenalty.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001000>.
"Frequently Asked Questions ." FAQs. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2012.
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“The Death Penalty in the United States of America” – Catalina Miron Popa - EIRP
McLaughlin, Michael. "Overcrowding In Federal Prisons Harms Inmates, Guards: GAO
Report." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 14 Sept. 2012. Web. 08 Oct. 2012.
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/14/prison-overcrowdingreport_n_1883919.html>.
“Pro-Death Penalty.com” John McAdams – Marquette University/Department of Political
Science, on deterrence.
"Should the Death Penalty Be Allowed? - Death Penalty - ProCon.org." Should the Death
Penalty Be Allowed? - Death Penalty - ProCon.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2012.
<http://deathpenalty.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001324>.
"Should the Death Penalty Be Banned as a Form of Punishment?" BalancedPolitics.org. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2012. <http://www.balancedpolitics.org/death_penalty.htm>.
“Why Do White Americans Support the Death Penalty?” p. 402
Joe Soss
American University
Laura Langbein
American University
Alan R. Metelko