Opposing Articles, Death Penalty

Capital punishment is a controversial issue that each state has control over. There are moral and financial issues with both sides. In a Fox News article about how the death penalty is good for society it points out some strong facts about the benefits of capital punishment. The main point of the argument is that having the death penalty decreases crime in that area. Studies have shown that capital punishment is a deterrent to murders and that between three and 18 lives are saved by each execution of a convicted killer. Many people oppose this data and question its truth however the quantity of the data doesn’t seem to lie. There were about a dozen studies done all showing the same facts.

On the opposite side, the moral and fiscal sense of not having the death penalty is also very convincing. In a New York Times article by Ian Urbina, the facts show that in cases where the death penalty is involved, the costs of the trial is much greater due to the extreme significance of what may happen. Many more lawyers are involved and it is usually longer. In the article it also brings up the moral issue of executing someone. Many religious groups oppose the death penalty because of this.

Both articles seem to be based on facts and neither have anything to deter me from their arguments. Before reading the articles I had a fairly neutral stance on capital punishment but leaned slightly onto the pro side. After reading both of these I have more inclination to side on the pro side. I believe that the death penalty does deter crime and that is the most important fact of all. If 18 people can be saved by killing one convicted killer then that is the right choice to take.