The last few decades have seen considerable growth in the crime rate. Some people associate this predicament with the absence of the death sentence as a means of deterrence to discourage violent crimes such as murder and therefore suggest reintroducing this form of punishment into the legal system. From my perspective, I completely disagree with this notion. The reasons are twofold:
First of all, the existence of capital punishment is evidently a violation of human rights, considering that everyone has the right to live, and no one shall take away a man’s life. Not only is the death penalty unethical, but it also deprives criminals of second chances to contribute to society. Therefore, such a harsh form of punishment should continue to be opposed.
Further and more importantly, capital punishment can have serious repercussions for society, as innocent lives could be mistakenly taken. It is a well-established fact that the death penalty is an irreversible process. Yet, the legal system and law enforcement mechanisms are immature in many less developed countries. Even in more developed nations, it is impossible to guarantee that all inmates caught are guilty. In this sense, it is highly likely that some innocents will be sentenced to death if the death penalty is reintroduced. Meanwhile, there is certainly no compensation that can be made if an innocent person is sentenced to death. Seen in this light, it is undeniably more ideal to incorporate more appropriate penalties, such as fines and imprisonment, into the legal system to avoid such tragedies.
In conclusion, the problems associated with capital punishment, such as violating basic human rights and risking innocent lives, are complex and insurmountable. Hence, it is in the best interest of society to prohibit such punishment for a brighter and healthier future.