The Death Penalty-a Major Deterrent of Crime

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The Death Penalty is it a deterrent to major crimes? In light of the recent increase in murders and rapes of innocent people in the society today, the death penalty is seen as the appropriate punishment that should be used to prevent these major crimes. I favor the death penalty as a means of justice and human dignity along with it being used as a deterrent. The penalty must be appropriate to the seriousness of the crime. Capital punishment is not an excessive, unnecessary punishment, for those who knowingly and intentionally commit murder. When persons take the lives of innocent people it is only fitting that they are punished in the same fashion. Can you visualize a young child or other innocent people not been given a chance to tell someone they love them or ask for forgiveness before they are brutally murdered? What then is a more fitting punishment for such an act of violence; “life imprisonment wherein the murderer is eligible for parole and can commit more crimes against innocent people or the death penalty where that criminal will not be able to take more lives?” Think about it. The fear of the death penalty will send a message to stop people from being violent and killing each other; people are afraid of death more than any other moral punishment, so enforcing the death penalty for criminals will certainly see a reduction in crimes as imminent death is what people fear the most. Therefore the death penalty is the best or at least a better deterrent against major crimes compared to life imprisonment, if used consistently and swiftly; the frequency and certainty of the punishment is more important than the severity of the punishment. Moreover if criminals know that the punishment of death will be enforced after committing crimes, they will think twice; but if they know that they will get a slap on the wrist or even get away with murder what then is going

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