The Debate On The Death Penalty - 1892 Words

Death Penalty The debate on if the death penalty is ethical is something that is a long-standing debate depending on what side of the issue you are on. Both sides of this issue have their points yet there are always things about the issue that kept it in the forefront. The right to life is taken for granted without thinking twice, however, due to the laws of this country the freedom we take for granted can be taken away with the mistakes we made. Looking at both sides of the issue gives insight on why this remains a relevant and will continue being debated not only civilly, but also in many appeals in our court system today. In the past twenty years, thirty-eight of the fifty states have meted out at least one death sentence and†¦show more content†¦1). Walter Berns expressed himself by saying,† If human life is to be held in awe, as it should be, the law forbidding the taking of it must be held in awe, and the only way the law can be made awe inspiring is to entitle it to inflict the penalty of death†(Berns,1980). The value of a human life varies depending on which side of the issue one’s beliefs lay. Understanding more on why the thought of taking a life instead of a life sentence in a prison is complex yet simple at the same time due to the nature of the crimes that were committed with the mentality of the punishment fits the crime. The majority of the executions of people come from the countries Vietnam, China, Iran, and the United States which is the only westernized country. The cost difference between putting someone to death versus a life sentence can be major due to the legal appeals that are granted to death row cases. The cost of putting someone to death varies depending on state and what cost they pay for security, police time, and investigation. If the death penalty was replaced with life without, the possibility of parole protects the public as well as saves the cost of many appeals. Putting to death innocent people happen all the time yet if they were sentenced to jail for the rest of their life than many of those would have been saved. The most comprehensive study in the country found that the death penalty costs North Carolina $2.16 million per