The saying goes “an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind,” but when it comes to the death penalty, I believe a life for a life serves the most justice. I am a strong supporter for the death penalty for several significant reasons: to set an example for other criminals to deter them from committing further crimes, to punish the criminal, and to get some sense of justice and closure for the friends and family of the victim.
Sentencing a violent and repeat offender of heinous crimes to the death penalty serves as a strong example to other criminals, who are heading down the same path: you cannot commit these atrocities against humankind and get a slap on the wrist. If you are going to take a life in a terrible way, than expect severe consequences. States should continue to use the death penalty to help continue deterring possible future criminals.
The only punishment suitable for a criminal who has taken a life or several lives is the death penalty. They should not get the luxury of living out their life, on the taxpayers’ dollars, after committing such a reprehensible deed. Life in prison does not punish the felon for the acts they committed, as being behind bars does not come close to unjustly taking the life of another human being. Living in prison for life does not serve justice for the crimes against humanity that the criminal committed, and they should expect to receive a punishment equal to the crime(s) they committed.
In considering the death penalty, states should also take into consideration the friends and families of the victims of the felon’s crime. Why should this criminal get to live out their life, while the victim lies in an untimely grave? If someone wrongly takes an innocent life, it is only fair and just that the death penalty be used. Cases in which the criminal receives a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole leave the friends and family of the victim(s) without a sense of closure and without a sense of security. Instead, they are left with an emptiness in their lives, where that victim used to be, as well as an uneasiness and a feeling of injustice knowing that the felon who took the victim away from them may eventually walk free.
Some may see the death penalty as cruel and unusual punishment, but I see it as the only just way of punishing felons who have committed such severe and heinous crimes against humanity. It provides deterrence to future criminals, punishment to the actual criminal, and a sense of justice and closure for the friends and family of the victim. I see the death penalty as a fair and just way of punishing those who need to be punished.
This blog post is an official entry for the <a href="http://www.joshuapondlaw.com/scholarship">Law Blogger’s Scholarship</a>, sponsored by The Law Office of Joshua Pond, <a href="http://www.joshuapondlaw.com/">http://www.joshuapondlaw.com</a>.
