The death penalty is a very controversial and emotional subject in today's society. For many of the victim's families there is an emotional response to the damaging loss of a family member or friend. For many it is seen as "An Eye for an Eye" response to the heinous crime or murder that put the criminal on death row in the first place. I believe that every sentencing should reflect what each crime deserves. Although many of the opponents of the death penalty believe that this punishment is immoral and non-productive, advocates of the death penalty have proven that is causes a deterrence, it is retribution for the family of the victim, and it is an actual punishment for the criminal's actions.
Incapacitation of that criminal leads to a safe environment in the prison and, in the event of an escape, it keeps citizens safe as well. There are many criminals who have escaped and then murdered again and those lives could have been saved if those criminals had a heavier sentencing. Even though retribution maybe seen as selfish and inhuman to favor the death penalty; execution is a very real sentence instead of rehabilitation or long term incarceration. Most prisoners who end up spending their life in prison get hot meals every day, have a bed to sleep in every night and are allowed to exercise. They watch TV and read books, they are able to take classes and get a potential education. Many of the homeless in today's society do not even get half of that. These criminals many have lost their freedom, but they get gain many things in return for that. The long term incarceration does not seem justified if someone killed someone else. Many states allow the families of the victims to watch the execution of their loved one's killer, as it may provide closure for them. Even though it does not bring back the one that they lost, it marks an end of the suffering and then the family can start to work on closing the emotional wounds.
According to the Rational Choice Theory criminals are not that different than you or I. We make or decisions based on cost and benefit to ourselves. Criminals have a different balance between those two then the rest of us. Having the death penalty in place instills the fear of that consequence, making most people choose not to commit a major crime. There was a study done by Professor Joanna M. Shepard where she compares the relationship of murders and executions aft...
