The Death Penalty: a Deterrant or Not?

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1. A) The disagreements that come about with use and practice of the death penalty by social scientists comes from a practical perspective. In its essence the death penalty represents an unconstitutional act that is barbaric. In some countries of the European Union the use of the death penalty is banned. In my opinion I feel that the use of the death penalty is in fact a healthy measure that allows for criminals that commit acts of murder or other acts of violence to be executed in the form of injection or electrocution, the effects put families and victims at ease for their lost loved ones. The Economic and social effects of crime are as followed, one the death penalty costs 25 times more than if a life sentence was imposed. It costs more to execute an individual than to keep the individual in prison for life. Two there is no evidence that capital punishment prevents crime. Three, capital punishment goes against almost every religion. 1. B) Positive analysis over this issue is so problematic if a factual resolution to the issue exists because of human rights abusers, countries creating a domino effect on the ban on capital punishment, and amount of money spent on cases leading to capital punishment. 1. C) Sunstein view’s the death penalty as indeed a deterrent arguing as followed, “Capital punishment is morally required” on the other hand Donohue views are neutral on the death penalty and almost views it as a non-deterrent because of the lack of evidence. Donohue article Death Penalty: No evidence Of Deterrence, goes on to say “The reason for this is simple: over the past half century the U.S has not experimented enough with capital punishment policy to permit strong conclusions.” He also goes on to say, “On balance, the evidence suggests that the death penalty may increase the murder rate although it remains possible that the death penalty may decrease it. If
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