Reese1

Connor Reese
Mrs. Crouch
English III AP
11/8/16
To Abolish the Death Penalty
Since nearly the beginning of Human Civilization, the death penalty has existed, dating back
to Hammurabi's eye for an eye principle. It has, throughout the ages, remained a staple
of modern legal practice. But, why are nations today still executing people? It does not
deter crime, nor is it a permanent solution to a lasting social issue, and it is nowhere near
cost effective to prosecute the death penalty. As such, it only seems right that United
States should abolish the practice of the death penalty.
To begin, it does not deter crime. According to nccadp.org, in reference to the state of North
Carolina There is no evidence that the death penalty deters crime. North Carolinas
murder rate declined after executions stopped. The death penalty has failed to deliver on
the much touted promise that it makes the people of North Carolina safer. The last time
the death penalty was pursued in North Carolina was in 2006.
Additionally, the death penalty is not a permanent solution to a lasting social issue. Many
death row inmates come from broken homes, or bad neighborhoods, and their
developmental years are fraught with misfortune. They are not given adequate guidance
as a child, or are not supervised properly during their developmental years, and are driven
to commit capital offenses by their contorted upbringings. In a 2012 lecture, David R.
Dow, an attorney who defended death row clients for over 20 years, said There is a

Reese2
shocking similarity among death row inmates, and that is their upbringing. They often
have the exact same, or very similar, childhood stories. (Dow)
Lastly, it is extremely inefficient, cost wise, to pursue the death penalty. Cases without the
death penalty cost $740,000, while cases where the death penalty is sought cost $1.26
million. Maintaining each death row prisoner costs taxpayers $90,000 more per year than
a prisoner in general population. Additionally, between 1982-1997, capital trials cost the
United States Government roughly 1.2billion dollars.
Now, it is often lauded that the death penalty has the potential to save lives, and the logic
behind this statement is sound. However, the facts are that one in every twenty five
people executed on death row are proven innocent after the fact, according to recent
statistics.
And so, then, why should it be within the right of a civilized nation to punish their criminals
according to their heinous and violent actions as the nation sees fit, if it means the nation
must act in kind? It has proven an in effective solution since nearly the beginning of
human civilization, and it has never solved the ever present social issue that is violent
crime. As such, it only makes sense that the death penalty should be abolished.

Citations

Reese3
https://nccadp.org/death-penalty-issue/failure-to-deter-crime/. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.

Lessons from Death Row Inmates, David R. Dow, TED talks, June 18th, 2012.

deathpenaltyinfo.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.