Why I Think the Death Penalty Should Be Abolished
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One of the most contentious and polarizing topics in the world today is the death penalty. While some contend that it is a violation of human rights and a type of state-sanctioned murder, others maintain that it is an essential and effective deterrence for the most heinous crimes.
I am a member of the latter group. I have multiple arguments in favor of my belief that the death penalty ought to be abolished in the twenty-first century. I’ll discuss some of the moral and legal ramifications of doing away with the death penalty in this blog article, along with my reasons for believing it to be the appropriate decision.
The Death Penalty Is Discriminatory and Arbitrary.
The death penalty’s capricious and discriminatory application is one of the primary defenses used against it. This implies that considerations like race, ethnicity, religion, gender, social status, or location have no bearing on the decision to apply or carry out the death penalty or not.
How Equality Is Violated by the Death Penalty
Amnesty International, for instance, claims that the death sentence is disproportionately used against poor and marginalized people as well as members of racial, ethnic, and religious minorities. For example, in the United States, 13% of the population is African American, however 42% of death row inmates are African Americans. In certain nations, In order to quell dissent and opposition, the death sentence is also employed as a tactic of political repression.
This demonstrates that the death penalty is a reflection of the biases and prejudices of those in positions of power rather than a just and impartial system of justice. It also transgresses the fundamental human right of equality before the law.
Actions We Can Take to Advance Equality
Regardless of one’s identity or origin, I believe that we should all be treated with respect and decency in a more equitable and inclusive society. In addition, we ought to insist that our governments respect the law and defend everyone’s rights, particularly those of the weakest and most disadvantaged members of society. The death sentence should never be applied as a tool of oppression or discrimination.
Death Penalties Don’t Stop Crime
One such prevalent defense of the death sentence is that it deters crime by making potential criminals think twice before committing a horrible act by delivering a strong message to them. Nevertheless, there is little proof to conclude that the death sentence has any unique ability to lower crime or violence.
The Death Penalty’s Ineffectiveness in Deterring Crime
A number of studies have demonstrated that nations who have abolished the death penalty have experienced an increase or decrease in murder rates, whilst nations that continue to apply the death penalty have not seen a discernible shift in their rates of crime. This implies that social, economic, and political factors—rather than the possibility of execution—have a bigger influence on preventing crime.
Furthermore, by fostering a culture of brutality and violence, the death sentence may actually have the reverse effect of discouraging crime. As Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, stated in 2023:
The threat of the death penalty and its reality in nations that uphold it can be used for illegitimate ends, like inciting fear, suppressing resistance, and restricting the right to exercise one’s liberties. To put it succinctly, the death penalty is, in our collective opinion, an antiquated vestige of the past that ought to be abandoned in the twenty-first century.
How We Can Cut Down on Crime
In my opinion, we should concentrate on developing more efficient and compassionate responses to crime and violence, such as enhancing social services, health care, and education; tackling the underlying causes of inequality and poverty; and advocating for restorative justice and rehabilitation. In addition, we ought to promote a culture of nonviolence and peace in which human life is cherished and treasured.
The Death Penalty Is Unchangeable and Unrelenting
Irreversible and infallible nature of the death penalty is perhaps the strongest argument against it. This implies that if it turns out that a person was innocent or unfairly convicted, there is no way to reverse the error or right the injustice once they have been put to death.
How the Death Penalty Puts Accused People at Risk of Death
Sadly, this is a terrible truth rather than a fictitious one. Since 1973, at least 185 persons on death row in the US have been freed due to new evidence or successful legal challenges, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. This indicates that one person is determined to be innocent for every nine executed persons.
How many more innocent persons have been put to death without ever being found guilty? How many more people are there waiting to be given the opportunity to clear their names? How can we have faith in a system that endangers the lives of innocent people and is so prone to corruption and error?
What We Can Do to Safeguard Those Who Are Not At Risk
For the most egregious offenses, I believe that the maximum punishment should be life in prison or some alternative, rather than the death penalty. Additionally, we must guarantee the fairness and transparency of the criminal justice system as well as the protection and respect of the victims and accused’s rights. We ought to assist groups and activists in their endeavors to release innocent persons from death row and to uncover and rectify erroneous convictions.
In summary
In conclusion, I believe that the death sentence ought to be abolished due to its arbitrary and discriminatory nature, irreversibility and infallibility, and lack of ability to discourage crime. I hope that these reasons to support my cause of ending the death penalty have persuaded you of the moral and legal ramifications of doing so.
The death penalty is a problem, not a solution. It is a show of weakness rather than strength. It is a sign of barbarism rather than civilization. It’s time to put an end to this practice and adopt a more efficient and compassionate approach to justice and crime.
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