The main question or approach to the death penalty is if one believes in the good of man. Are we born as a "carte blanche" - a balance between good and evil? If one thinks that, they believe that an individual can change his character or his way of life for the good, than one may believe that capital punishment is nonsense. If a man could change, than there's always a way to make our world a better place. Therapy and psychological counseling will make a difference, but how many times did we think it helped and it didn't? Should there even be a second chance for murderers like the ones mentioned later in this essay?
To understand why there is a death penalty, without considering all the legal issues surrounding it, one has to consider the following question: If somebody murdered a person or slaughtered that person's family, what punishment would one want the criminal to receive, so that they feel that justice has been served? Should they get life-long sentencing, in a jail where the criminals have clean sheets, showers, a roof over their head, cable TV, three meals a day, a library, the chance to continue an education, family visitation and the right for appeal? Not just that, jails also have to have a certain comfort level.
Capital Punishment
Capital Punishment
Capital PunishmentThat's why there was an issue about prison overcrowding. Criminals also have a chance for parole in jail. Charlie Manson, for example is up for parole in 2007. He has probably committed every single crime possible. He masterminded several brutal murders, and spent most of his life in jail for such offenses like car theft, forgery, pimping and credit card fraud. He was also the leader of the crime group known as "the family". He showed no signs of remorse...