Persuasive Essay: Death Penalty

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thread starter BabysAreFood Mar 11 2010 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

My school holds a standard for sophomore students where we are required to write a persuasive essay. For mine, I have chosen to oppose the death penalty. Here is what I have gathered on the pros of stopping the death penalty • It is possible for prisoners to be falsely convicted of a crime • Capital punishment can be interpreted to be cruel and unusual punishment which is opposed by the Eight Amendment of the U.S. Bill of Rights • Promotes eye to eye punishment Of course, in any persuasive essay I must explain why certain counter arguments do not invalidate my thesis.. :/ The problem is that I'm having trouble showing why. Common counter arguments would be.. • DNA testing provides near accurate results • Heavy costs in prison (food, clothing, additional task force) • Eliminates worst criminals in society I regret taking that speech and debate class now. Can anyone help me invalidate the counter arguments? The only one I can think of is the cost for appeals/court and all that fun stuff.

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Fade2BlacK 03/11/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Actually, capital punishments usually cost more than the cost of lifetime imprisonment. You could say that it delivers a message to society if you commit a serious crime.

BeSubtle 03/11/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

1 2 3 (TIME article) I usually don't link, but I'm about to head to bed, and these will help you in a way beneficial to me and you x) NIGHT

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ImBored808 03/11/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

[quote] Fade2BlacK : Actually, capital punishments usually cost more than the cost of lifetime imprisonment. You could say that it delivers a message to society if you commit a serious crime. [/quote] no it doesnt... a lifetime in prison where u provide it food, and clothes, and a bed compared to ending a guys life in a moment? u know u need to check ur logics

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Fade2BlacK 03/11/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

[quote] ImBored808 : no it doesnt... a lifetime in prison where u provide it food, and clothes, and a bed compared to ending a guys life in a moment? u know u need to check ur logics [/quote] The funny thing is that a long, long time ago, I thought the same thing. That was before I checked the facts, which you need to do. The legal fees to have someone executed cost millions of dollars.

edwinmz 03/11/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

why do people kill people, to show people that killing people is wrong? add that to your paper

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Pizzasoup 03/11/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

[quote] ImBored808 : no it doesnt... a lifetime in prison where u provide it food, and clothes, and a bed compared to ending a guys life in a moment? u know u need to check ur logics [/quote] New Study Reveals Maryland Pays $37 Million for One Execution A new study released by the Urban Institute on March 6, 2008 forecasted that the lifetime expenses of capitally-prosecuted cases since 1978 will cost Maryland taxpayers $186 million. That translates into at least $37.2 million for each of the state�s five executions since the state reenacted the death penalty. The study estimates that the average cost to Maryland taxpayers for reaching a single death sentence is $3 million - $1.9 million more than the cost of a non-death penalty case. (This includes investigation, trial, appeals, and incarceration costs.) The study examined 162 capital cases that were prosecuted between 1978 and 1999 and found that those cases will cost $186 million more than what those cases would have cost had the death penalty not existed as a punishment. At every phase of a case, according to the study, capital murder cases cost more than non-capital murder cases. Of the 162 capital cases, there werer 106 cases in which a death sentence was sought but not handed down in Maryland. Those cases cost the state an additional $71 million compared to the cost non-death penalty cases. Those costs were incurred simply to seek the death penalty where the ultimate outcome was a life or long-term prison sentence. (�Death penalty costs Md. more than life term,� by Jennifer McMenamin, The Baltimore Sun, March 6, 2008). One of several example articles on this site demonstrating that the costs of executions do often enough exceed the cost of other means of punishment.

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pr3stig3 03/11/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

� DNA testing provides near accurate results <--- DNA testings are accurate, but usually the evidence collected by the police are unreliable. They've either been tainted with something else or is irrelevant to the case. � Heavy costs in prison (food, clothing, additional task force) <--- You can keep costs down by having the prisoners work (laundry..cooking...etc), which builds character and saves cost both at the same time. � Eliminates worst criminals in society <--- Doesn't leave room for rehabilitation. Some people can be trained to become a positive member of society again.

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DirtCheapStr 03/11/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Food for thought: Why do people have double or triple life sentences given to them? How am I supposed to serve that? So if I die, I come back to life and have to serve another life sentence? Capital punishment is full of hypocrisy. An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

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Rotation 03/11/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

How does one human have the power to murder another human and call it "justice?" If murder is against the law, then the government as well as the supreme court should be in jail right now.

skittlesmoo 03/11/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

If there is abortion, there should be capital punishment.

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Rotation 03/11/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

[quote] skittlesmoo : If there is abortion, there should be capital punishment. [/quote] Where does that argument come from? Abortion has no relation to capital punishment in any way...

Sigyle 03/11/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

Why does it cost so much to kill someone?

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skittlesmoo 03/11/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

[quote] Rotation : Where does that argument come from? Abortion has no relation to capital punishment in any way... [/quote] Killing children to save money or kill criminals because they did something bad.

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eKyl 03/11/10 + PM | QUOTE | PERMALINK | REPORT

I just wrote an argumentative essay about "Capital punishment - a violation of human rights" so I think I can help you. These are some good topics if you want to be against it: - Capital punishment is VERY discriminating. This violates the right to be equal before the law and not to affected by any discrimination in the law as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/death-penalty-black-and-white-who-lives-who-dies-who-decides - Capital punishment violates the right to life. (This is a very tough topic to argue for, but it works if you quote the right persons (EU parliament, supreme judges, etc) - Mistakes happen! And often! Innocent can be killed. http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/innocence-and-death-penalty - I wouldn't take the "eye for an eye" argument. In my opinion, it's not a good idea to mix religion with law. - Exuection costs a lot, roughty 1,5-4 million dollars per execution. The reason of this cost is for the huge trials. - You should write about cruel, degrading and inhuman punishment. It violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. You can take show some facts about how cruel capital punishment can be (executions that have lasted up to 2 hours and failed, this DEFINITELY violates the human rights). - This is also a great argument: capital punishment is not deterrent! Look up some real facts and you can see that's true, at least to the extensive researches that have been made so far. This could also be a good rebuttal of a counterargument. That should be enough.

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