Death penalty is still a legal punishment in a lot of countries. Although a lot of countries have now recognized the cons of such a punishment, it seems like there is still a lot more work needed to be done because 30% of the world’s countries still practice this sort of punishment (source: International | Death Penalty Information Center ). Many of these countries are ruled by authoritarian regimes. However, a few decades ago, this practice was legal in a lot of countries.
But why is death penalty not just immoral, but also useless? I will provide evidential arguments in this article to explain why I believe death penalty should be abolished worldwide.
No Reduction in Crime Rate
A lot of people who support the death penalty believe that this could reduce the crime rate as people would be too scared to commit major crimes, but is that really the case? According to a report published in 2018 by Abdorrahman Boroumand Center, 10 of the 11 countries that abolished the death penalty actually experienced a decline in murder rates a decade after the abolishment of death penalty. A study also compared the U.S. states where the capital punishment is abolished with states where it isn’t, it was found that death penalty doesn’t affect the homicide rate at all. (Source: Study: International Data Shows Declining Murder Rates After Abolition of Death Penalty | Death Penalty Information Center ) The fact of the matter is that capital punishment does absolutely nothing useful for the society.
Economical Impact
Studies in different US states has shown that capital punishment is more expensive than life in prison without parole. There have been times in history when the cost of death penalty resulted into higher taxes because of bankruptcy. (source: The Cost of Capital Punishment – Foundation for Economic Education (fee.org) ). So it doesn’t make sense to support a legal punishment that isn’t just ineffective, but also economically bad for the society.
Moral Argument
A lot of people might say “Well, the convict deserves to be put to death for their crimes!”. Wanting to seek revenge on someone who has wronged you is a natural feeling. However, does that mean its justice? When we’re kids, we are told by our teachers at school that if a student tries to hurt you, you shouldn’t retaliate and instead speak to your teacher about it so they can discipline the student in a non-violent manner. As kids we are always taught that revenge is not the way to deal with issues, why is it any different for the government to do the exact same thing? It is fair for the government to murder a man if he murders someone first? Even if we’re to make a religious argument, in the bible when a woman was brought to Jesus to be stoned for adultery, he said “He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her.”, people around him were so touched by his words that they left the woman alone and Jesus told the woman not to repeat his sins again.
This is not to say that criminals shouldn’t be convicted, they should be as they are a danger to the public and need to be rehabilitated, but to demand their death is not moral according to me.
Innocents Put to Death
Many innocents have been put to death because of the capital punishment. In USA, since 1973 there have been around 190 people who had been wrongly convicted and sentenced to death. (source: Innocence | Death Penalty Information Center ). Depending on the country you’re in, there can be a racial prejudice in determining who gets the death penalty. For example, in America, a 2003 study found that you are more likely to get a death penalty if you kill a white person. (source: Race and the Death Penalty | American Civil Liberties Union (aclu.org) ). Perhaps one of the most devastating examples of an innocent being put to death is the case of George Stinney Jr. who was a 14 year old black kid in America that was wrongfully accused of the murder of two white girls. (source: It took 10 minutes to convict 14-year-old George Stinney Jr. It took 70 years after his execution to exonerate him. – The Washington Post ).
Actual Solution?
It is very clear that death penalty isn’t going to fix anything. But how do we reduce crime rate without having strict punishments? Poor people tend to commit more crimes than anyone else. It is important that the government passes policies that would reduce poverty, improve living conditions and enhance the educational system. Parents must also learn how to raise their kids, boys and girls, to be well-behaved. Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) programs and services also need to be increased so that more social workers are able to help young and poor mothers learn how to be better to their kids and improve their life skills.
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