Capital Punishments. It's Wrong! | Teen Ink

Capital Punishments. It's Wrong!

January 8, 2013
By letspretendimfamous BRONZE, Chesterfield, New Jersey
letspretendimfamous BRONZE, Chesterfield, New Jersey
1 article 1 photo 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don't Have One


Capital punishments are murderous. What are capital punishments? A capital punishment is a death penalty. This means the person that committed the crime, gets “put to sleep.” If murders are bad, then why are there capital punishments? The only difference is that the people that are enforcing the law have a legal right, but criminals don’t. Why should a random authority figure be allowed to “kill” someone when a normal person isn't allowed to kill another person. It is wrong. Very wrong.

Capital punishments are irreparable crimes even though that’s not what the government calls them. Even though capital punishments are punishing people that have perpetrated murder, sexual abuse, etc, I believe anyone can change. Sometimes, a person is voted not guilty in a trial. What if a person who didn't commit any crime be mistaken and are proven guilty of a crime even though they are not? What if they are given a death penalty for this crime that they were accused of committing? It would have been a lost life to an innocent man/woman. Death penalties don’t help in those types of situations because innocent people would have suffered and a murderous person would still be loose. Because there are lives at stake, errors like this are not options.

Many people argue that it would be better to take the lives of someone rather than locking them up in a cell with food to eat and clothes to wear. They say that they are just more expenses for us and the end result is just having the criminal get out of jail and committing crimes again. I agree with them too, however, there are possibilities of the person changing. When you kill a person, murderous or not, their family feels for them. They get depressed. However, knowing they still have a chance to see the family member brings them hope. A lot of people also argue that we should just show apathy towards the family because they are probably crazy just because they have the same blood as the culprit, but most of the people related to them probably don’t have a taste in committing crimes.

The Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty states, “We don’t cut off the hands of thieves to ­protect property; we do not stone adulterers to stop adultery. We consider that barbaric. Yet we continue to take life as a means of protecting life.” I completely agree with this quote. They say one crime is greater than another crime, however, a person feels the same amount of hurt no matter what the crime was. Murder and sexual harassment are not greater crimes than robbing, so there should not be greater punishments (unless it’s 5 years in prison compared to 25 years in prison). It is just not fair.

All in all, capital punishments are not necessary to teach someone a lesson. There should be a different way to punish criminals for their crimes. Death penalty is not a good answer. Death penalty can cause more tension by building up hate and nothing good can come from hate. Capital punishments don’t give justice to all as promised. They hurt many people along the way, even if you are not on their side. No one deserves the death penalty and they are wrong!



Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 3 comments.


Sir_Bromsten said...
on May. 6 2013 at 6:40 pm
Sir_Bromsten, Scottsdale, Arizona
0 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good.<br /> -Helen Keller

Ahh, but that's where what happens during prison makes a difference.  There are many programs driven by Christians or other people that have amazing results of people's lives being turned around for a lasting effect.  But then again, there are people who's heart's are hard, too hard for any gospel of grace and mercy to penetrate, and they are without hope due to their own choice.

on May. 6 2013 at 5:55 pm
letspretendimfamous BRONZE, Chesterfield, New Jersey
1 article 1 photo 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don&#039;t Have One

I agree, but disagree at the same time.  Of course, it's really hard to forgive anyone that has done something bad to your family, but in my belief, they should be taken to prison for life, etc. because when they die, they will be taken straight to the underworld, or the opposite of heaven (i don't feel comfortable using that word). You have a great opinion, but this is just what I think.

Sir_Bromsten said...
on Jan. 12 2013 at 8:02 pm
Sir_Bromsten, Scottsdale, Arizona
0 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good.<br /> -Helen Keller

I agree that capital punishment is wrong...But that's assuming that your view on what is wrong is the right view.  Years ago, communities would stone or hang individuals who practiced prohibited actions: Adultery, murder, abortion, etc.  Those communities were choosing to protect their society from "immoral" beliefs and the people that would spread them given the chance.  I'm not saying I have the ultimate authority on immorality, or right and wrong; but I do think that a community and government need to stand by the ethics they were built upon.  The goal of prison time is to discipline criminals.  Those that just sit there just fume, and think hard, very hard to improve their smarts.  That is besides building muscle.  Now even rehabilitation programs don't always work, and even when they do, it's usually not with permanent results. Forgiveness is a hard concept to grasp for most people.  Try telling a lonely mother to forgive the drunk driver who just killed her daughter.  It's not going to be easy, even though it's possible.  Capital punishment is not only okay, but necessary when taking the life of a criminal will prevent much pain, much suffering, much agony that would have been inflicted on people at the criminals release. And for those unfortunate inmates who will be serving a life-long sentence: Prison wasn't made to be an apartment without a rent, it was made to be hell.  So why have we made the big house so comfortable?