Free Essay Example on Death Penalties

Over the years, this issue about death sentences has been a contemporary one, mainly by human rights. Part of the members of the society is in full support of death sentences as a way of punishing high level of crimes committed by offenders. On the other hand, some individuals feel like death sentences violate the rights of humans, regardless of the nature of evil committed. It has therefore been discussed at great depths, especially by persons dealing with law and enforcing the protection of human rights. This paper will help in improving the reader's insight on what exactly death sentence entails, how it is administered, and whether it is appropriate or not. Similarly, it will provide the pros and cons of the issue at hand. Having an improved understanding of death sentences will help us determine whether it is appropriate for a judge in a courtroom to offer death sentence or not. This paper will start by defining what death sentence is, then followed by whether it is appropriate or not (Banner, 2009).

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By definition, a death sentence describes a judgment that condemns a convict to death. In other words, any person found to have committed a certain level of crime is rendered lifeless, either by hanging, being electrocuted, or even his or her entire life in prison. This issue on death sentences has been one under critical criticism, primarily by human rights activists. Over the years, due to a change in nature if crime, there has been a high need of changing the modes of punishment for various forms of crimes. These punishments may include, imprisonment, community work, as well as death penalties. Usually, the nature of the crime determines the level of discipline to receive. As earlier mentioned, some countries are in full support of the death sentence as part of their judicial system. However, will argue out how inappropriate death sentence is and thus how much it should be shunned.

As earlier mentioned, death sentences have been a topic of critical discussion at even global scales. The society uses punishment to discourage bad habits. Given the rise of the number of crimes being committed worldwide, there has been the need to revolutionize the modes of punishment to criminals. It is quite clear that crimes have taken a whole new perspective, and this is mostly attributable to the changes in demographics as well as harsh economic times. According to a study conducted by criminologists, most of the individuals that are sentenced to death are usually culprits of offenses such as murder and rape. Just as the name sounds, death sentence results in the loss of life of the person found to have committed a crime. In some countries, death sentences are entirely acceptable by the society, as a way of teaching others a lesson and avoiding future crimes from happening.

Personally, I believe that death sentences are way too much and that they should be avoided at all costs. However severe a crime might seem, it does not have to cost the life of the individual. We are all humans, and thus prone to making mistakes here and there. Taking away the presence of a person by crime does not make things right. All the relevant parties that enforce laws and policies should review this issue and thus come up with more appropriate modes of punishment rather than rendering one lifeless. As earlier mentioned, human rights activists have been on the front line in fighting for the abolition of death penalties for offenders. I fully support these activists that perpetrators of crime should not be rendered lifeless by having committed a crime. Life once taken can never be brought back. In this line of thought, we understand that the offenders will not even be given a chance of changing their ways into acting right.

Just like in most countries, the United States of America should abolish the death sentence, mainly because it goes against the right to life and dignity. As a human rights issue, a penalty to death should be eliminated with the aim of enhancing human rights and dignity as well. We all need to understand that the judicial system in place can come up with much more appropriate measures and policies to punish offenders. I disagree with states that promote death sentences thinking that it will serve as a lesson to other criminals. What they do is a violation of human rights by denying the offender a chance to change hues habits to acceptable ones. As earlier mentioned, some countries are in full support of the death sentence as part of their judicial system. However, will argue out how inappropriate death sentence is and thus how much it should be shunned.

In conclusion, I would suggest that all countries should ban death sentences because it violates the rights of humans. It is worth noting that death sentences have lifelong effects, not only to the criminal but his or her entire family.

Works Cited

Banner, Stuart, and Stuart Banner. The death penalty: An American history. Harvard University Press, 2009.