George Gomes Collage Now

3/20/11 English 101

Reflection Essay on The Unquiet Death of Robert Harris by Michael Kroll Capital punishment or better known as death penalty is a very controversial issue that has virtually been practiced in every society. The death penalty is given to an individual who has committed a serious offence that people in society would think of as a taboo. Many countries and states have abolished the use of death penalty but some still actively use it such as China, India and South Korea. The punishment has been used throughout history as a way to justify the crimes committed against a victim and their family but the issue is that it is not considered humane, the killing of another person. Although death penalty has been frowned upon by many people for being unreasonable and inhumane, it is rather a fair punishment because it protects society from those criminals and brings a well deserved justice upon them.

Capital punishment is not given to just anyone, it is given to those who haven been thoroughly processed by the judicial process and is proven guilty. Those who commit heinous crimes are judged accordingly of their crimes. If, to say, a person killed 3 children on a fit than he would face serious punishments. Obviously, it would be fair to sentence him to death because he has taken the lives of 3 children just on a fit. Most people would not want this kind of person in society, especially the parents of those who want retribution for the injustice that happened to their children, and jailing him for live would not ensure the peoples safety. It is self evident that dead criminals cannot commit any further crimes, either within prison or after escaping or after being released from it. There have been many cases that murders that have escaped or released

from incarceration continued committing crimes. Criminals released early from prison wearing electronic tags have committed more than a thousand violent offences - including murder and rape (1,000 Crimes Committed by Tagged Criminals Exposed by MPs. Matthew Hickley. 10/12/2006. 3/22/11. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-409966/1-000-crimescommitted-tagged-criminals-exposed-MPs.html>). If these criminals were sentenced to death, than these crimes probably wouldnt have occurred. Capital punishment protects us, the public, from these sorts of criminals and so there should be no opposition to death penalty.

To imprison criminals, it costs money and not just any money, our money. Taxpayers money is used to feed, clothe and entertain prisoners. Money is not an inexhaustible commodity so why use our money to pay for the necessities for criminals who committed horrific crimes when you can execute them which is much simpler and cheaper. Americans spend $60 billion dollars a year to pay for prisoners necessities (High Costs of Prisons Not Paying Off, Report Finds. Jenifer Warren. 6/8/2008. 3/22/11. <http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0608-05.htm>). It is $60 billion too many seeing as that amount of money could be spend on the old, young, sick, etc. Keeping capital punishment would protect our society economically than paying for them eating 3 times a day, watching t.v. and working out.

Anti- capital punishment campaigners argue that executing prisoners is inhumane and it goes against a humans rights. The question is wasnt the criminal inhuman and violating another humans rights when the criminal was murdering the victim (most likely it is more than a victim). Just as the criminal that is to be executed has feeling, emotions and can feel pain, so did the

victim. The old fashion principle an eye for an eye is applied here becoming a life for a life. Many people who are against capital punishment believe that taking the live of the criminal wont bring the victim back to life and nothing can come out of it (Capital Punishment The Death Penalty. Bruce A. Robinson. 2/7/11. 3/22/11. <http://www.religioustolerance.org/executb
.htm>). True, executing a criminal would not bring the victim back to life but it will ensure that

the criminal would not be able to hurt anyone else and also it would bring a well deserved justice.

The issue of practicing death penalty should not be debated as it is obvious that practicing it is more sensible than letting murders live. They are eating 3 meals a day, living comfortably to say in prisons while the victims are inside a coffin. There is no reason these people should live because executing these criminals would be the only way to justify their crimes and it would also ensure the safety of society as there would be one less threat.