The death penalty. A topic that every American citizen has an opinion on. It seems simple to choose a side. However, when each reason is being challenged, you don’t know where the true information lies. Does the death penalty actually deter crime? Is the cost a factor? Is vengeance truly a feeling within the victim’s families? At the beginning of my research, I thought I knew the answers. My opinion was strong and firm, but now I’m not so sure. There are many reasons as to why individuals are for the death penalty. Deterrence of crime seems to be something that the majority agrees on. Supporters agree that with the death penalty set in place, the number of murders committed declined.David Muhlhausen stands firmly with this opinion. The Senior
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Whereas, life in prison sounds like a taxpayer 's nightmare. However, which really costs more? Those in support argue that the cost of the death penalty is less due to the states will not incur any extra charges to house the inmate once the sentence is carried out. Stating that they would only have to pay for the execution. In review of information published by the ACLU the cost of the death penalty is not as cost effective as supporters think. Florida has found that each execution costs approximately 3.2 million dollars which is about six times the cost of a life in prison sentence. In addition, a study performed by the state of California showed that 13 executions cost the state’s taxpayers four billion dollars. Overall, the costs of either death or life are pricey punishments to …show more content…
Based on the information that I have come across, I am not so sure anymore. Both opposing and supporting views have very valid points, but which do I personally believe in more? If I look at it from the crime deterrence side, I’m stuck in the middle of the road. There are so many opinions as to whether the death penalty helps at all in reducing crime especially when one of the sources helping support the opposing side is the FBI. When it comes to the cost aspect, you could say I can lean more to the opposing side. As a taxpayer it saddens me to see the amount of our money that goes into sentencing someone to death versus what resources are put into our youth today so they can grow up to be productive law abiding citizens. Revenge, an eye for an eye but, most of all justice. I believe that any victim and their family deserve to have it. If you murder and you were fully aware of the crime you were committing then yes you deserve the punishment of death. I do believe that is the right punishment as long as their is no
Whereas, life in prison sounds like a taxpayer 's nightmare. However, which really costs more? Those in support argue that the cost of the death penalty is less due to the states will not incur any extra charges to house the inmate once the sentence is carried out. Stating that they would only have to pay for the execution. In review of information published by the ACLU the cost of the death penalty is not as cost effective as supporters think. Florida has found that each execution costs approximately 3.2 million dollars which is about six times the cost of a life in prison sentence. In addition, a study performed by the state of California showed that 13 executions cost the state’s taxpayers four billion dollars. Overall, the costs of either death or life are pricey punishments to …show more content…
Based on the information that I have come across, I am not so sure anymore. Both opposing and supporting views have very valid points, but which do I personally believe in more? If I look at it from the crime deterrence side, I’m stuck in the middle of the road. There are so many opinions as to whether the death penalty helps at all in reducing crime especially when one of the sources helping support the opposing side is the FBI. When it comes to the cost aspect, you could say I can lean more to the opposing side. As a taxpayer it saddens me to see the amount of our money that goes into sentencing someone to death versus what resources are put into our youth today so they can grow up to be productive law abiding citizens. Revenge, an eye for an eye but, most of all justice. I believe that any victim and their family deserve to have it. If you murder and you were fully aware of the crime you were committing then yes you deserve the punishment of death. I do believe that is the right punishment as long as their is no