The Death Penalty Should Be Abolished

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The Death Penalty Should Be Abolished

The death penalty has been around in the U.S. for a long time. It is handed to criminals who have committed some of the most severe crimes, such as murder. It has been a highly contentious topic, with some in support while others vehemently oppose it. Some States in the U.S have abolished this form of punishment, but it is still being practiced in other states. Those who support it believe it is an effective way to keep hardcore criminals in check and maintain societal law and order. However, those opposed to it fear that it violates human rights and is an unhelpful method to reduce crime. It should be abolished in the USA since it contravenes the Constitution's Eighth Amendment, fails to be a deterrent, and breeds discrimination in criminal justice systems.

One legal ground for abolishing capital punishment is that it violates the Eighth Amendment of the U.S Constitution, which guards against cruel and unusual punishments. This Amendment ensures that penalties passed by the government are acceptable for the crime committed (The Eighth Amendment and the death penalty, n.d.). Some argue that capital punishment should be abolished according to this Amendment as it is deemed inhumane and savage. Studies from the Death Penalty Information Center have exposed multiple cases of botched executions that caused severe pain for those being executed. Moreover, lethal injection - a standard method of execution - has been strongly criticized due to the chances of complications and imperfect execution. Since this punishment cannot be reversed, flawed executions can cause immense distress for those convicted in the long run. Regardless of the offense one committed, preserving human dignity is crucial. Capital punishment fails to meet this threshold since it causes untold suffering and trauma to the victims and should be abolished. Alternative forms of punishment that uphold human dignity should be adopted instead.

One more reason justifying the abolition of the death penalty is its ineffectiveness in deterring or decreasing the number of serious offenses in the U.S. According to the Deterrence theory, criminals will be less likely to carry out unlawful activities if they are aware that punishment for those actions will be...