Should The Death Penalty Be Banned? | Teen Ink

Should The Death Penalty Be Banned? MAG

By Anonymous

   There are many things in this society which should be banned, but the death penalty is not one of them. It is definitely the right way to go as far as capital discipline is concerned. Right now in our country, I find it outrageous that criminals think that they can get away with just about anything. In some states, including Alabama, the death penalty has helped them lower the rate of violent crimes. We need some form of capital punishment to send a message to career criminals that they will not get away with these severe crimes.

The death penalty would also make people more secure. In some countries of South America and the Far East, they have very severe penalties, including flogging, for even minor crimes. People in some areas of our nation feel they cannot walk around or step outside their houses for fear of criminals. In other countries, however, you would rarely see laws being broken because the penalties are so stern. The United States is one of the most lenient countries in the world as far as discipline. If we had the death penalty, all people would be able to use the streets even in troubled areas.

Another reason we should use this is to set an example to all criminals. Some criminals who have committed many violent crimes (robbery, rape, and murder) are walking the streets like normal citizens because we are much too lenient on them. If the death penalty is instituted, there would not be as many daring and violent crimes as there are presently. Our present laws are much too "soft" on criminals. We need to get stricter.

In closing, I would like to add that this law would make a major difference. It would make our streets safer, people more secure, and make a better world to live in. The death penalty is a definite plus for our society as a whole.

What do you think? ?



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This article has 173 comments.


on Mar. 26 2011 at 7:27 am
aspiringauthor_ BRONZE, Fairfield, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 324 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." - MLK Jr.

So do you actually know how much a death penalty can cost - or rather, the preparations for it can cost? Up to and over $253 million. If the criminal gets put in for a life sentence at age 25, and they die at age 90 or so, that's 65 years. And there's something called an "account" that holds money people can give you. For anything besides the three basic meals, you must pay. So, really, the state even makes a little bit of money.

on Mar. 26 2011 at 7:22 am
aspiringauthor_ BRONZE, Fairfield, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 324 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." - MLK Jr.

There are not always cracks in the system. Rarely - very, very rarely - do prisoners escape. We would hear about it in our local news, and I haven't heard about it in my whole lifetime. For that matter, neither have my parents! So that argument isn't true. Sorry!

on Mar. 26 2011 at 7:20 am
aspiringauthor_ BRONZE, Fairfield, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 324 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." - MLK Jr.

Before you make such an opinionated comment, make sure everything you wrote was spelled right!!!

on Mar. 26 2011 at 7:19 am
aspiringauthor_ BRONZE, Fairfield, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 324 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." - MLK Jr.

That is also a good point! :)

on Mar. 26 2011 at 1:46 am
Jesusisalive BRONZE, Neosho, Missouri
3 articles 0 photos 14 comments
We should totally have the death penalty. Do child molesters deserve to live? They may have just ruined a child's life. They did something DISGUSTING. Rapists don't deserve to live. Do murderers deserve to live? NO! They took someone else's life so why should they get to keep theirs? Even if the do get a life sentence, it still isn't just because they are still alive while they left their victim's family grieving and seeking true justice for the murder. Plus, even God had laws that people should be killed if they did certain things, because those things were heinious in His site

on Mar. 24 2011 at 7:22 pm
Dragonscribe BRONZE, West Lafayette, Indiana
4 articles 0 photos 303 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;A Person&#039;s a Person no Matter how Small&quot;<br /> and<br /> &quot;A Rose by Any Other Name Would Smell as Sweet&quot;<br /> and<br /> &quot;God helps those who help themselves&quot;

Exactly. God is the ultimate Judge - who are we to hand out death to people who assume deserve it? How do we decide what they do and don't deserve? I'm glad you put the name of God in these comments - the rest of them are really lacking in compassion.

on Mar. 24 2011 at 7:19 pm
Dragonscribe BRONZE, West Lafayette, Indiana
4 articles 0 photos 303 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;A Person&#039;s a Person no Matter how Small&quot;<br /> and<br /> &quot;A Rose by Any Other Name Would Smell as Sweet&quot;<br /> and<br /> &quot;God helps those who help themselves&quot;

Who are you, the Jury for the world? Some kind of Judge? These are people we're talking about - people with families, no matter how messed up they are. I'm going to have to tell a little story here, sorry, you've made me very upset.

Good friends of our family had a horrible car accident five years ago. Their youngest son and oldest daughter were killed by a drunk driver. And guess what? Just a year later, the father of these dead children stood up in court and forgave the man from the bottom of his heart. Of course, you probably don't think that's worth anything, but that's the best law there is in this world. Forgiveness. Have a heart.


on Mar. 24 2011 at 7:14 pm
Dragonscribe BRONZE, West Lafayette, Indiana
4 articles 0 photos 303 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;A Person&#039;s a Person no Matter how Small&quot;<br /> and<br /> &quot;A Rose by Any Other Name Would Smell as Sweet&quot;<br /> and<br /> &quot;God helps those who help themselves&quot;

TheJust, what you are describing is reflexive defensive action, and though unfortunate, is justified. However, the death penalty can be years after the crime is committed and most likely the offender is regretting it. Mercy is the best option there. Let God - or any higher power you are willing to believe in - be the ultimate judge in the end.

on Mar. 22 2011 at 7:56 pm
aspiringauthor_ BRONZE, Fairfield, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 324 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.&quot; - MLK Jr.

It is not the exactly the same thing. In the example you gave, the man didn't have a choice. With the death penalty, there is a choice. And so many people are making the wrong one.

P.S. Why do you keep replying to all of my comments and keep saying I'm wrong. We all get that you don't like me for some reason, but I would like to know that reason.


on Mar. 22 2011 at 7:54 pm
aspiringauthor_ BRONZE, Fairfield, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 324 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.&quot; - MLK Jr.

The death penalty is not a joking matter. It's someone's life on the line. And in other comments you insulted my opinion so why should I listen to yours now? (Although to be fair I am obligated to do so.) Actually, you can be put to death for murder. There's first degree, second degree, and third degree. If you commit first degree murder, you can be sentenced to death. For it to be first degree murder, though, there has to be a specific number of aggravating factors in the situation. In each state it's different, but I know in Alabama it's 18. So, as you can see, I do know the law.

TheJust ELITE said...
on Mar. 22 2011 at 7:09 pm
TheJust ELITE, Ellenton, Florida
254 articles 202 photos 945 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I feel that a hero is somebody who will stand up for their values and what they believe in and that can take any form. People that have values and have thought them through rather than those who just do what they&rsquo;re told.&quot;-Skandar Keynes<br /> <br /> &quot;When it&rsquo;

First of all you don't know the law if that's your hypothetical situation. You're not put to death simply for murder. If you murder a police officer, then yes, most likely you will be sentenced to death. But other than that the death sentence is only given for the most heinous crimes and only given to those (the majority of the time) with no chance of possible rehabilitation.

So, start smiling, the mom who killed her cheating husband's lover won't be put to death! :D


TheJust ELITE said...
on Mar. 22 2011 at 6:51 pm
TheJust ELITE, Ellenton, Florida
254 articles 202 photos 945 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I feel that a hero is somebody who will stand up for their values and what they believe in and that can take any form. People that have values and have thought them through rather than those who just do what they&rsquo;re told.&quot;-Skandar Keynes<br /> <br /> &quot;When it&rsquo;

Exactly! Completly agree with you!

TheJust ELITE said...
on Mar. 22 2011 at 6:50 pm
TheJust ELITE, Ellenton, Florida
254 articles 202 photos 945 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I feel that a hero is somebody who will stand up for their values and what they believe in and that can take any form. People that have values and have thought them through rather than those who just do what they&rsquo;re told.&quot;-Skandar Keynes<br /> <br /> &quot;When it&rsquo;

What would you call a man who killed a man who shot and killed his wife in front of him? Would you call him a murderer? If you did, you're a cold-hearted cretin. No, the man was protecting his wife and his family. 

It's exactly the same with a man put to death, it only takes longer.


TheJust ELITE said...
on Mar. 22 2011 at 6:45 pm
TheJust ELITE, Ellenton, Florida
254 articles 202 photos 945 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I feel that a hero is somebody who will stand up for their values and what they believe in and that can take any form. People that have values and have thought them through rather than those who just do what they&rsquo;re told.&quot;-Skandar Keynes<br /> <br /> &quot;When it&rsquo;

Completely agree! Prisons are not the safest place to keep hardened criminals. There are always cracks in the system and criminals/murderers slip through and wind up on the street. How is that supposed to keep us safe? 

TheJust ELITE said...
on Mar. 22 2011 at 6:43 pm
TheJust ELITE, Ellenton, Florida
254 articles 202 photos 945 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I feel that a hero is somebody who will stand up for their values and what they believe in and that can take any form. People that have values and have thought them through rather than those who just do what they&rsquo;re told.&quot;-Skandar Keynes<br /> <br /> &quot;When it&rsquo;

Giving more luxuries isn't the answer.

1. it wastes more money (isn't that what the majority of these debates are about? Money?

2. Many people in America who are sent to jail, if given luxuries would never want to leave when given the opportunity, so what's it teaching them if jail is a great place to be?

I'm glad you're for the death penalty, so am I, but you're logic doesn't work.


TheJust ELITE said...
on Mar. 22 2011 at 6:39 pm
TheJust ELITE, Ellenton, Florida
254 articles 202 photos 945 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I feel that a hero is somebody who will stand up for their values and what they believe in and that can take any form. People that have values and have thought them through rather than those who just do what they&rsquo;re told.&quot;-Skandar Keynes<br /> <br /> &quot;When it&rsquo;

The whole "it costs more for the death penalty than life-in-prison"...that's only because convicted murderers and serial killers are left on death row for years after being given that sentence instead of being killed right away. That's what wastes money, NOT the death penalty. Look it up!

TheJust ELITE said...
on Mar. 22 2011 at 6:37 pm
TheJust ELITE, Ellenton, Florida
254 articles 202 photos 945 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I feel that a hero is somebody who will stand up for their values and what they believe in and that can take any form. People that have values and have thought them through rather than those who just do what they&rsquo;re told.&quot;-Skandar Keynes<br /> <br /> &quot;When it&rsquo;

The majority of those on death row are sadistic serial killers or psycotic. There is no rehabilitation. Many have killed the nerves that allow them to feel remorse, so why should they care about forgiveness? They don't think they have done anything wrong.

TheJust ELITE said...
on Mar. 22 2011 at 6:35 pm
TheJust ELITE, Ellenton, Florida
254 articles 202 photos 945 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I feel that a hero is somebody who will stand up for their values and what they believe in and that can take any form. People that have values and have thought them through rather than those who just do what they&rsquo;re told.&quot;-Skandar Keynes<br /> <br /> &quot;When it&rsquo;

If a murderer doesn't care about the person he killed, why in his right mind (if he had one) should he expect us to treat him any different than the person he killed? That's what illogical.

TheJust ELITE said...
on Mar. 22 2011 at 6:31 pm
TheJust ELITE, Ellenton, Florida
254 articles 202 photos 945 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;I feel that a hero is somebody who will stand up for their values and what they believe in and that can take any form. People that have values and have thought them through rather than those who just do what they&rsquo;re told.&quot;-Skandar Keynes<br /> <br /> &quot;When it&rsquo;

I'm not saying get through to the people who have been killed; but people in general. People learn from the consequences of others (unless they're completely narcissistic and believe they are invincable).

The majority of people on death row are either cop killers or serial killers, and a large percentage of serial killers are inable to be rehabilitated due to psycosis or demonic possession. But through their death not only do families get closure, but it shows how breaking the law will get you severe punishment.


on Mar. 22 2011 at 4:06 pm
aspiringauthor_ BRONZE, Fairfield, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 324 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.&quot; - MLK Jr.

I've looked through the comments before actually posting my own, something I prefer to do. And I've noticed this. Many of the people who are arguing for the death penalty are not looking at it in the right way. They are viewing it from afar. I suggest trying to view it as if it was happening to you. Okay. Here goes. Your mom murdered your neighbor because your dad was cheating on your mom with your neighbor (totally hypothetical and, I admit, extreme). When your mom goes to court, they sentence her to death. Even though your mom murdered someone over something dumb in comparison to murder, you wouldn't want her to die, would you? At least if she was in jail you could visit her, right? For every rapist, serial killer, or murderer, there's someone who cares about them. Be it their mom, dad, spouse, or kid(s), there is someone. It could even be someone they're not even related to. But my point is - do you want to take a mom, dad, child, uncle, aunt, wife, or husband away from someone? Would you want them to do that to you? This whole death penalty needs to be looked at with this quote in mind: Never judge someone until you've walked 2 miles in his/her shoes. That way, if you decide you don't like them after all, you're 2 miles away and you have their shoes. Never decide to let people be killed by the death penalty until you've put yourself in their shoes. Or at least in their loved ones' shoes.