Capital Punishment and Human Rights
Capital punishment or the death sentence, whichever you choose to call it, is the death of a human for an unforgivable crime. There are around 41 crimes that can result in the death penalty such as espionage, first-degree murder, and murder involving torture (41 Federal Capital Offenses). There are hundreds of websites and articles telling what the death sentence is and debating the morality of of the death sentence. The government even runs a website where you can find the history of the death penalty, a list of people on death row, upcoming executions, and multiple lists of people who have been executed in the past (Death Penalty Information Center). The violation of human rights is very clear here. Killing people, no matter how, is simply a human rights violation. Now it may be more humane but killing is killing. Yet when it comes to serial killers, people who are a threat to national security, and kidnappers who kill their hostages do they deserve all human rights?
So one might ask “Why do we even have the death penalty?” Well besides the obvious of a severe punishment for horrible criminals it has many purposes. Such as being a way for the government to keep as many people from committing heinous crimes. It is also said to be cheaper than the cost of keeping a prisoner fed, clothed, and in decent health for the rest of their life (5 Arguments for the Death Penalty). From the view of society rather than the government you get less reasonings with hard evidence. For example one might hear from a religious person that the bible says an eye for an eye. Meaning that if someone is done wrong then they have the right to make the score equal. Others say that the victim’s family deserve this as closure, and that they shouldn’t have to live with the knowledge that the person who killed the one they loved was still living. Many citizens agree that it’s what these criminals deserve for the crimes they have committed, and that life in prison isn’t a harsh enough for what they have done(10 Advantages and Disadvantages of the Death Penalty). Some people argue that they didn’t get a fair trial, but with a jury of 12, 2 competent lawyer, and an independent judge how can the trial be unfair (ProCon.org)? If people don’t agree with the death penalty they will have to find a way to change the American Constitution. Whether they like it or not there is benefits to the death sentence that cannot be denied.
The vast amount of amount of articles you will see on the death sentence will only show you the negatives to it because other than the reasons listed above there is no real pro’s to killing anyone. Not only is it harmful to the criminals, but it’s also harmful to the people who have to carry out the executions. A retired Oregon State Penitentiary superintendent said that “Regardless of their crimes, the fact that I was now to be personally involved in their executions forced me into a deeper reckoning with my feelings about capital punishment” (ProCon.org). The death penalty also violates Amendment 8 of the Constitution which forbids the infliction of cruel or unusual punishment. Capital punishment is both cruel and unusual, so it does violate amendment 8 of the constitution. So why is the United States government allowed to violate it year after year? The death sentence cannot be undone if the person afterward is found not guilty, they are already gone and there is no way to reverse their death. Death is also costly you hear people talking about how much it cost them to pay for a funeral for a loved one who died of natural causes. Imagine how expensive it must be to attempt to humanely kill a person. So when people say it’s less expensive than keeping a prisoner fed for the rest of their lives they are most definitely wrong. The death sentence could be executed improperly resulting in a botched execution, and there is no possible way that it can be humaine if they have to suffer while they die. In the United States the most popular way to carry out a death sentence is through lethal injection. America’s “humane” executions actually have the highest likelihood of going wrong, 75 people out of 1,054 executions with lethal injections have been botched thats 7.12%, now 75 people out of 1,054 may not seem like a big number but when you think about it in terms of people living, breathing, and thinking the number gets quite a bit bigger. Yet no matter the number there are many cons to the death sentence.
No matter what side you agree with everyone can agree that on some level it violates human rights. There is evidence for both sides to prove why their side is correct over the other. There will always be disagreements over what to do with the criminals who have committed the worst possible crimes but whatever our government decides to do we must remember to keep humans rights at the top of our priority list.
“Botched Executions.” Millions Misspent: What Politicians Don’t Say About the High Costs of the Death Penalty | Death Penalty Information Center, deathpenaltyinfo.org/some-examples-post-furman-botched-executions.
Head, Tom. “Common Arguments in Favor of the Death Penalty.” Thoughtco., Dotdash, 21 Dec. 2018, www.thoughtco.com/arguments-for-the-death-penalty-721136.
“Federal Death Penalty.” Millions Misspent: What Politicians Don’t Say About the High Costs of the Death Penalty | Death Penalty Information Center, deathpenaltyinfo.org/federal-death-penalty.
“Top 10 Pro & Con Arguments.” Should the Death Penalty Be Allowed?, deathpenalty.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=002000.
“10 Advantages and Disadvantages of the Death Penalty.” FutureofWorking.com, futureofworking.com/10-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-the-death-penalty/.
“41 Federal Capital Offenses.” Should the Death Penalty Be Allowed?, deathpenalty.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=004927.
