The Death Penalty Is Ethical

The Death Penalty is Ethical
Jay Tommie
ACCT 2101
Ed Bagley
15 July 2011

All crime is punishable by law and the ultimate punishment for those crimes is death. The death penalty has been used for centuries in ancient and modern society. The death penalty is often time called capital punishment. Capital punishment is sentenced for many crimes, the most common are felony murder, which includes killing for hire, killing a police officer, judge or firefighter, and killing more than one person, treason, and kidnapping. Capital punishment is the ultimate punishment if a judge or jury finds the crime to be especially cruel, horrible, or brutal. The death penalty is ethical for many reasons that are passionately debated for by those that are in favor of the death penalty. The claims for capital punishment are that it discourages criminals from a life of crime, provides closure for the victim’s family, and protects citizens from criminals under the Constitution.
One of the reasons that capital punishment is ethical is because it is a deterrence factor for criminals. The theory concerning the death penalty is that the threat of death discourages criminals from a life of crime. This theory has not been proven or disproven thus far. The FBI Uniform Crime Report from 2009 showed that the highest murder rate was in the south and accounts for over 80% of executions. However, the death penalty does stop the convicted murderer from ever killing again. Advocates of the death penalty argue that would-be murderers are “not in their right mind” when they decide to take another human’s life. Therefore, most murderers do not think about the death penalty at the time the crime is committed. If murderers do not have any respect for human life that means that they really do not fear the death penalty. Limitations are place on the death penalty when it comes to criminals that are mentally disable or a juvenile.  
Capital punishment is also ethical because it protects citizens from...