The Imperfections of Capital Punishment
There are many people that would agree that capital punishment is one of the most debated topics in American courts. There are large amounts of supporters for both sides on this issue. People for capital punishment would argue that it serves as deterrence and also as retribution. People against it state that the death penalty is unethical and unhuman. The use of capital punishment can cause the death of innocent people, can be treated unfair and serves as a cruel and unusable punishment.
Can Cause the death of Innocent People
One major flaw of capital punishment is that innocent people can die. Capital punishment is literally a life and death situation. The wrongly accused and death sentenced will no longer have a chance to be released if proven innocent by new evidence. “With …show more content…
“Supporters of capital punishment believe that some crimes, especially murder, are so serious and so destructive to society that the perpetrators deserve the most severe punishment” (Opposing Viewpoint, 2015). But according to a study done in Texas, “failed to find any support for the use of death as a deterrent” (Schmalleger, 2014).
Based on my reading, classical school of criminology would argue against Capital Punishment. People like Jeremy Bentham and Cesare de Beccaria. The classical school says criminals are rational, they weigh up the costs and therefore we should create deterrents which slightly outweigh what would be gained from the crime. Therefore, classical school of criminology views the death penalty as pointless.
In contrary neo classical thinkers Lawrence Cohen, Marcus Felson, Derek B. Cornish, Jack Katz and others would say, “neoclassical thinking, it is expanded to support the ancient concept of retributions” (Schmalleger, 2014). Advocates of retribution see punishment as revenge and therefor would support capital punishment.
There are many people that would agree that capital punishment is one of the most debated topics in American courts. There are large amounts of supporters for both sides on this issue. People for capital punishment would argue that it serves as deterrence and also as retribution. People against it state that the death penalty is unethical and unhuman. The use of capital punishment can cause the death of innocent people, can be treated unfair and serves as a cruel and unusable punishment.
Can Cause the death of Innocent People
One major flaw of capital punishment is that innocent people can die. Capital punishment is literally a life and death situation. The wrongly accused and death sentenced will no longer have a chance to be released if proven innocent by new evidence. “With …show more content…
“Supporters of capital punishment believe that some crimes, especially murder, are so serious and so destructive to society that the perpetrators deserve the most severe punishment” (Opposing Viewpoint, 2015). But according to a study done in Texas, “failed to find any support for the use of death as a deterrent” (Schmalleger, 2014).
Based on my reading, classical school of criminology would argue against Capital Punishment. People like Jeremy Bentham and Cesare de Beccaria. The classical school says criminals are rational, they weigh up the costs and therefore we should create deterrents which slightly outweigh what would be gained from the crime. Therefore, classical school of criminology views the death penalty as pointless.
In contrary neo classical thinkers Lawrence Cohen, Marcus Felson, Derek B. Cornish, Jack Katz and others would say, “neoclassical thinking, it is expanded to support the ancient concept of retributions” (Schmalleger, 2014). Advocates of retribution see punishment as revenge and therefor would support capital punishment.