nada and the USA Argumentative Persuasive EssaysThe Death Penalty in Canada and the USA
The death penalty, also referred to as capital punishment, has been
abolished in Canada since 1976, but still exist in a few American States. The
last execution in Canada took place in 1962.
I disagree with the death penalty for several reasons. My first reason is
that I find it extremely inhumane to take someone’s life in order to demonstrate
the power of the law. Another reason for my disapproval of the death penalty, is
the amount of money that it takes to put someone to death, as it would cost the
same to keep an inmate in jail for life, as it would to put that same inmate to
death. My third and final reason, is the guilty conscience that is placed on
everyone involved: the jury who convicted the accused to death; the witnesses to
the execution; and the jail warden who must give out the execution; and the
person who pulls the switch or induces the poison.
Early societies were based on a simple code of law: “an eye for an eye
and a tooth for a tooth”. Today, now that our society has become more advanced,
we do not function by this ancient code of punishment. For example, we do not
rape the rapist’s daughter; we do not kidnap the kidnapper’s children; but if
the death penalty were permitted, we would ” kill the killer”. So why, as
educated citizens, would we want to lower ourselves to this level? Do we feel
that we need to show the power of the police force by killing the killers? The
death penalty is extremely barbaric and is often botched in order to let the
accused suffer for several minutes. Society by now must realize that two wrongs
certainly do not make a right. You do not show society anything, by killing the
killers, except your ignorance for human life and well being.
Some thought has been that if you do “kill the killer”, it will deter
others from committing such a terrible crime. However, murder rates in Canada
have remained the same and there is no significant difference when comparisons
are made of those States who still have the death penalty. A widely publicized
execution might reduce homicides, but only for a brief period. Therefore, I do
not feel that Canada should permit such a deplorable undertaking of a human life.
I know they must be punished, but there is a better way.
Prior to putting someone to death, the accused’s lawyer will attempt
several appeals to the courts in order to lengthen the amount of time he has to
live; and dependent on a technicality, or a sympathetic jury, the accused may be
sentenced to life imprisonment. These appeals take up an abundance of court time
and cost the public millions of dollars. With the cost of these appeals, it
would cost the same amount to keep the same inmate in jail for a life term.
Would it not be better for the inmate to perhaps obtain an education or be given
the chance to rehabilitate, rather than strapped to a chair and killed ??? I
personally would rather see the inmate suffer in prison and have nothing to look
forward to rather than letting the government put him out of his misery by
killing him. To sentence someone to death takes one trial but to actually get
some one in the chair to kill them could take a dozen of trials. The question
must be asked why do we bother with this lengthy and costly process when we
could sentence people to life in prison, at the same cost.
The killing of a human being is very traumatizing to all. Whenever the
courts issue someone to death, the innocent everyday people who are involved
must be affected. Just imagine how these normal human beings, like you and I,
must feel after witnessing a gruesome killing of another human being. These
people will never forget the face on the person that they saw being gassed,
electrocuted, or poisoned. The prison wardens who must carry out the killing of
the sentenced inmate must deal with the emotional problems that performing this
act will accompany. Also the jury must convict the accused and then sentence
this person, whom they have never seen in their life, to death. These twelve men
and women a