Alharbi 1

Fawziah Alharbi

ENG 1201-215

Dr. Cassel

6 November 2018

Topic: Death Penalty.

1. Thesis Statement.

Thesis: The death penalty is unethical and immoral since it violates one's right to life and

is against religious teachings. There is a better alternative to the death penalty like life without

parole; therefore, the death penalty should be abolished.

2. What do other people think about my topic?

The topic on the death penalty has raised critical questions among diverse professionals.

The main groups which are concerned include; policymakers, legislators as well as human rights

activists. The majority of these people argue that such a penalty is inhumane and hence it should

be abolished. Human rights activists recommend the use of alternatives such as life

imprisonment without parole.

3. Problems with the status quo?

The status quo is very problematic as the death penalty is still practiced in some regions.

In the USA, there are thirty states which still use the death penalty and these include: Oregon,

Georgia, Kentucky, Virginia, California, Alabama, Washington, and Utah among others. The

current status is detrimental as more people are being executed. Also, other States and nations

may copy from these states leading to the legalization of the death penalty globally.
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4. Describe of real-world scenario related to the problem?

There are critical implications of the death penalty, and one of the core repercussions is

the increased loss of huge chunks of money by the Judiciary. A real example of such a case was

recorded in 1995 whereby the trials of three murder cases in Washington cost the Judiciary more

than $1.5 million (McLeod 8). In 2016, the Oregon Department of Administrative Services

argued that the state's judicial system would save at least $2.3 million annually by abolishing the

death penalty. In the context of Oregon, a total of $9 million is spent annually on prosecution and

defense costs on crimes in order to implement the death penalty. These examples prove that the

death penalty is not only detrimental to the moral aspects of life but also to economic issues.

5. List two solutions to these problems/ways people could change their way of thinking

about the issues?

Some States and nations are against the death penalty while others have remained staunch

on its legalization and this is problematic. This problem can be solved through the use of

alternative means of punishments. Below are solutions to the problem:

i. Life imprisonment without parole.

ii. Educating members of the public about the effects of crimes

iii. Creation and provision of employment opportunities for all would also reduce cases of

crimes which arguably warrant the use of the death penalty (Shively 38).

6. How would this problem change if they did what you said in number 4?

If alternative punishments are sought, cases of the death penalty will come to an end.

Educating members of the public about the repercussions of crimes would also lead to fewer

offenses which usually prompt lawmakers to think about the death penalty. Employment
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opportunities would also reduce cases of crimes and through all these, the problem of the death

penalty would be forgotten.

Works Cited.

McLeod, Marah. "The Death Penalty as Incapacitation."Social Sciences Research

Network. (2018).

Shively, David A. "Comment: The Crucial Issue in Making Death Penalty Policy."

Criminal Justice Review 12.2 (1987): 35-38.