The death penalty is the most extreme measure of punishment that is abolished in most countries, including the United States. However, sometimes the issue of returning to this measure of punishment is brought up in society again, and discussions on the matter a held. Certain disturbing crimes evoke a high emotional response, and the public reaction to such resonant crimes is to take the criminal’s life and sentence him to death. In these times, it is essential to remember why was death penalty was abandoned. I am strictly against the death penalty practice, and in this discussion, I will provide three reasons that I think are relevant to the case.
First of all, no evidence would support the efficiency of the death penalty as a preventive measure. While some proponents argue that fear of the death sentence would make criminals abstain from extreme crime, the actual practice shows that there is no correlation between the rates of serious crimes and the death penalty’s legal status. For example, after some states abolished the practice, statistical studies on severe crime rates were conducted. After comparing the statistics of the states where the death penalty is abolished with the states where it was not, changes in the crime rates were not found. Therefore, there is no credible proof that the death penalty is an effective crime prevention measure.
In the US, racism stands out as a sophisticated dilemma that has affected the country for many centuries. Racial profiling can be termed as targeting or suspecting people considering observed group characteristics instead of taking an individual perspective. This practice is common in the US, especially in the police force. Police officers have profiled minority groups regarding crime and other violent behaviors for a long time. The African American community is highly linked with these facets. This development has created a situation where one black person is profiled through race-oriented stereotypes. In addition, the poorer segments of society cannot provide legal protection for themselves. Therefore, the racial injustice and disproportions of the US criminal system would lead to numerous innocent victims if the death penalty is enforced.
Finally, the criminal justice system has its flaws, and some people may serve a sentence but then be proven innocent. Usually, they receive financial compensation; however, the damage that was done to their lives was done. In the death penalty case, the sentence cannot be undone after the execution. This lack of options and alternatives for cases of mistakes makes the death penalty an unacceptable choice for criminal punishment.
In conclusion, the current world is filled with people who are more concerned with material things and have no respect for human life; the Catholics are fighting aggressively to restore a society that considers human life sacred. Human dignity is the primary foundation of a morally upright society. The Catholic Church believes that human life is sacred, and intrinsic dignity is the basis of their teachings. Practices such as abortion and euthanasia that are gaining acceptance in our society put human life at risk. The death penalty and some scientific innovations like cloning and embryonic stem cell research have jeopardized the value of human life. Therefore, I consider the death penalty unacceptable as it takes the most valuable thing, which is human life. In addition, it cannot be canceled, is ineffective, and in the realms of the United States, the justice system can cause many innocent lives to be taken away by mistake.