Should the Use of the Death Penalty be banned from the United States Justice System?

Essay by celticfb13High School, 11th gradeB+, December 2004

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The death penalty is a major issue that brings up a lot of controversy in our society. The most important question concerning the death penalty is whether it should be abolished or not. There is no excuse for the number of citizen who have been falsely accused for a crime they didn't commit and then were sentenced to death. Should cases with the death penalty in the equation be examined by more than just a jury in the future? Is it cost effective to give the death penalty or just give criminals life in prison? You are about to find out the answers.

Many people think that the death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights and that it also violates the right to life. Some say it is cruel, inhumane, violates the right to life, and is a degrading type of punishment. Other people are for it and believe that we need to get rid of the bad and let the good move forward, no matter what type of actions we take.

Before capital punishment is used on a person, their case should be reviewed very carefully.

One issue raised by those opposed to the death penalty is whether or not the offender is innocent. Recent studies show that during the time we spend at work, seven adult men will be falsely accused of committing a serious crime and will carry a penalty of capital punishment. This means approximately 51,000 adult men are falsely accused of committing serious crimes each year. This figure is roughly the number of people who attend the Super Bowl. Currently, there are 3,500 people on death row in thirty-eight states that support and carry out the death penalty while only twelve states have outlawed it. At the same time, more than half the...