Various controversies have emerged over the application of capital punishment to violent criminals. While some prioritize moral beliefs over this severe approach, I believe that execution should be justified in the interests of public safety. This essay aims to delve into both perspectives before clarifying my viewpoint.
On the one hand, those advocating for the idea that it is ethically wrong to take another person’s life may have grounds to justify their opinion. Foremost among these is religious values. For some individuals, sentencing criminals to death is synonymous with committing another murder. Thus, it is immoral to end other people’s lives, no matter what the reason is. The death penalty will not be considered as an optimal approach to discourage illegal activities, but instead a dubious concept. A good case in point is The Old Testament – “An eye for an eye”, which demonstrates that only the guilty deserve punishment, neither lenient nor severe, indicating its disapproval of the death penalty.
On the other hand, there are two primary reasons explaining why I am inclined toward the implementation of the death sentence for violent offenders. Firstly, this approach can serve as a deterrent to committing serious crimes. It is the death penalty that the gravity and the repercussions of these actions can be emphasized and fully understood. In the long run, people will likely be dissuaded from malicious wrong-doings. Were the legal system to continue imposing grave punishment on the perpetrators, the result would be a marked reduction in crime rates. Additionally, ending criminals’ lives brings justice and relief to the victims. A good illustration is the case of Saddam Hussein, many of the victims who were his target of violence and cruelty were overwhelmed with jubilation and relief when he was finally captured and executed
Personally, both viewpoints are convincing in their ways. However, I concur with the opinion that capital punishment should be justified. These criminals barely deserve a second chance. No matter how extreme the punishment is, the physical and mental scars they leave on the victims will be long-lasting. Therefore, capital punishment is the most appropriate way to compensate for the excruciating pain they have to experience and a wake-up call for other individuals.
In conclusion, there is a public debate over the concept of the death penalty towards criminal perpetrators. In extreme cases, it is more important to deter crime and promote national security rather than take the moral high ground.