Know About Advantages & Disadvantages of the Death Penalty

The death penalty, commonly known as capital punishment, is a legal punishment of death for murder or any other equally offense crime. The term "execution" is also used by some for the same purpose. Whatever name you give it, the fact remains that if a person is found guilty of a crime, he is sentenced to death.

People convicted of capital crimes have been put to death using a variety of methods over the years. The death sentence is still enforced in many countries worldwide via means such as hanging, beheading, and other techniques of lethal injection. The electric chair and lethal injection are two of the most popular methods of execution in many Western countries today. Executions carried out in this manner are often thought to be more merciful. While hanging is the widely preferred option in countries like India.

Which Crimes "Deserve" the Death Penalty?

The goal of the death sentence is evident from everything we've spoken about so far. Due to the minimal application of death punishment, it can be argued that it is justifiable for both the perpetrator and society as a whole. It has a profound effect on society and teaches us a valuable lesson.

Below is a list of some of the crimes punishable by death (which differs from state lists):

• Genocide
• Atrocities committed during the wars
• Treason
• Espionage
• Terrorism
• Drug trafficking on a large scale
• Murder-for-hire
• Torture-related murder
• Attempting to murder a witness, juror, court employee, or state or local law enforcement officer

Advantages of the death penalty

Because of the fact that the death penalty has some advantages to some extent, there are many countries that still accept it. To be very honest, many actually feel that it is the right thing to do to people who have committed heinous crimes. To give a clearer understanding, we have mentioned the benefits of the death penalty below -

• In comparison to the expense of keeping a criminal in jail for a lifetime, executing the same person via lethal injection is a lot more inexpensive. As a result, the death penalty is thought to be a good option.
• Many people argue that the punishment should be more brutal the more serious the crime. The death sentence is reserved for those who have committed the most terrible crimes; it is the most severe punishment available. Strict measures should determine the course of justice in extreme instances, and the sentence should be appropriate to the crime.
• In the past, it has been stated that capital punishment serves as a powerful deterrence for criminals. Instilling fear in would-be offenders will deter them from committing crimes.
• Moreover, the death penalty protects the rest of the jail population because statistics show that most of those sentenced to death are violent and unpredictable. They could put the lives of other inmates at risk in a tense scenario.
• Execution puts an end to the chance that a seasoned criminal may be released on parole and threaten civil society. Prisoners who have been released on parole have been known to engage in illegal activity while on parole.

Disadvantages of the death penalty

Because of the severe disadvantages of the death penalty, it has been outlawed in many countries. More than 100 countries throughout the world have abolished the death sentence, making it the most widely repealed punishment in history. The death sentence has been abolished in a large number of countries. The use of the death penalty has a variety of disadvantages, which are detailed below -

• Although it is believed that the death penalty is cost-effective, many cases are appealed to higher courts, increasing the overall expense of the procedure. The death sentence is no longer cost-effective as a result of the additional procedures and appeals that must be undertaken.
• Regardless of the severity of the crime, some say that the death penalty is barbaric and harsh. The state-sanctioned executions tend to justify the murder of the offender and undermine the entire rationale for the death penalty as a punishment for heinous crimes, such as murder.
• People who advocate for human rights believe that the death penalty outright infringes a person's right to life. Humans are entitled to survive, but they are also entitled to live with dignity. How is it possible for a government to violate a person's inalienable right to life?
• There is no opportunity for repentance in the face of capital punishment. It also fails to give repentant individuals of their sins a fair chance to change their ways.
• A lack of clear evidence that cruel punishment deters criminal behavior has also been cited. Many people believe that the justification for capital punishment as a deterrent to future offenses is oversimplified.

Conclusion

Many countries have banned death punishment outright, yet it is still widely used in dozens of other countries. The United States and India are prime examples of countries that continue to use the death sentence.

Of course, countries that continue to carry out executions have good reasons for doing so. But what is your opinion on the death penalty? Do you believe in the abolition of capital punishment? Take time to consider the benefits and drawbacks of capital punishment before responding.