What is the death penalty?
By law, about half the states in the US still provide the death penalty as a form of punishment for heinous crimes. The death penalty comes in the form of a lethal injection, electrocution, lethal gas, hanging and a firing squad. This form of punishment has been around for hundreds of years and many states are starting to get rid of it, but 27 still have not. While some argue that capital punishment serves as a solution to crime and provides justice for victims, the reality is the death penalty is heavily flawed, unjust and inhumane. It is riddled with racial bias, the risk of executing innocent people and does not stop crime from happening.
The risk of executing the innocent
One of the most common arguments of the death penalty is the risk of executing an innocent person. The U.S justice system, despite all the guidelines, is far from perfect. Wrongful convictions happen more often than we would like to believe, and the consequence of the death penalty is irreversible. According to the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC), at least 195 people in the U.S have been exonerated and released from death row since 1973. These were victims that were convicted and sentenced to die, to only later find evidence to prove their innocence.
David woods found innocent after being charged with the death penalty – Death penalty action
Racial and Economic Bias
The death penalty tends to have an unfair effect on marginalized communities, particularly Black Americans and those from low-income backgrounds. Studies have shown that defendants of color are more likely to receive the death penalty, especially when the victim is white. A study by the University of Washington found that in Washington State, jurors were three times more likely to impose a death sentence on a Black defendant than a white defendant in similar cases.
Furthermore, access to quality legal representation plays a crucial role in determining who gets sentenced to death. Wealthier defendants can afford experienced attorneys, expert witnesses, and thorough defense investigations, while poorer defendants often rely on overworked and underfunded public defenders. This leads to a system where those with money are more likely to escape the death penalty, while the poor are more likely to face execution.
Lack of Deterrence
One of the most common justifications for the death penalty is that it deters violent crime. However, decades of research suggest otherwise. Studies have consistently shown that the death penalty does not have a significant deterrent effect on murder rates.
A report from the National Research Council in 2012 concluded that there is no credible evidence that capital punishment deters crime more effectively than long-term imprisonment. States without the death penalty often have lower homicide rates than those that still practice it. For example, in 2019, the murder rate in states with the death penalty was 40% higher than in states without it.
If the goal is to reduce crime, resources would be better spent on proven crime-prevention strategies, such as improving education, addressing poverty, and increasing mental health support. The death penalty does not make society safer, it only creates a cycle of violence.
High Cost of Capital Punishment
Many people assume that executing criminals is cheaper than keeping them in prison for life. In reality, the death penalty is significantly more expensive due to the lengthy legal process required for capital cases.
Death penalty cases involve multiple trials, extended appeals and increased security costs. A study conducted in California found that the state had spent over $4 billion on the death penalty since 1978, averaging $308 million per execution. Meanwhile, cases resulting in life imprisonment without parole are far less expensive, as they do not require the extensive legal proceedings associated with capital punishment.
Instead of spending billions on executions, those funds could be redirected toward crime prevention, rehabilitation programs, and victim support services-initiatives that would have a far greater impact on public safety.
The Death Penalty is Inhumane
Beyond its practical and systemic flaws, the death penalty is fundamentally inhumane. Regardless of the method used, whether it be lethal injection, the electric chair or firing squad, executions are cruel and degrading.
Lethal injections, often believed to be the most “humane” method, have led to numerous botched executions, causing prolonged suffering. In 2014, the execution of Clayton Lockett in Oklahoma became a national scandal after he writhed in agony for 43 minutes due to a botched injection. Such cases highlight the inherent cruelty of capital punishment, making it clear that no execution method is truly humane.
Moreover, state-sanctioned killing sends a dangerous message that violence is an acceptable form of justice. If we condemn murder, how can we justify responding with more killing? Abolishing the death penalty would reaffirm our commitment to human rights and dignity.
Conclusion
The death penalty is a deeply flawed, unjust and outdated practice that has no place in a modern justice system. It risks executing the innocent, disproportionately affects marginalized communities, fails to deter crime, and wastes taxpayer money. Most importantly, it is an inhumane form of punishment that contradicts the values of justice and human dignity. The movement to abolish the death penalty is gaining momentum, and it is time for the United States to take a stand against capital punishment. We must move toward a justice system that prioritizes fairness, rehabilitation and true accountability rather than perpetuating cycles of violence. Ending the death penalty is not just a legal or political issue, it is morally right.
