Death Penalty, is it a Deterent to Crime?

Enforcing the death penalty will probably be an ongoing debate for years yet to come. Some believe in the death penalty whole heartedly, citing an eye for an eye, whereas others are adamantly against it (usually for religious reasons as well). However, with the ever increase in crime, is it really a deterrent anyway?

Crime is rampant in our cities and towns across North America. Many states in the US carry the death penalty for the more severe crimes (capital murder), however some states have totally abolished it. Other countries such as Canada, the UK and Australia do not have a death penalty at all. It has been held up to scrutiny for many years, some believing that it is a deterrent, to murders in particular, others believing it will never truly deter criminal activity. If for no other reason, it may at least give some form of comfort and closure to the families who have lost a loved one to crime. However, many still insist that it's an outdated, barbaric way to operate the judicial system. Others will point out that far too many innocent people have been put to death, their innocence soon discovered after the fact. Some will even argue that it's not a deterrent in the least, and they might just be absolutely correct in their observations.

If you were to use the states in the US that do have the death penalty as your determining guideline, you will notice that the crime rates are still high and murder cases still present themselves before the courts at an alarming rate. It obviously isn't deterring many from brandishing weapons and using them indiscriminately. One would think that if they had a fear of being caught and then put to death for their actions, that they would think twice about what they're about to do. Unfortunately, it's not that simple.

Much of society has become so desensitized to crime and the true value to another human's life. There are many reasons for this, and when compiled all together, it makes for a very volatile existence. Some of these reasons are as follows:

1) Living in crime ridden neighborhoods. When crime is all around you while growing up, you do become very desensitized to it. It becomes a part of your ever day life and is similar to living in the midst of a war zone. It almost comes to the point of "kill or be killed".

2) Upbringing, broken homes, poverty. The breakdown of the family can also create the breakdown of family values and good moral ethics. Without proper guidance towards the right path in life, it is easy to become embroiled in a lifestyle of criminal activity. Many in fact, will use poverty as their excuse, and they may actually believe it.

3) Gangs. Often times, the only "family" one comes to know is the gang and the gang way of life. Their only influences are from others who have grown to be so angry at the system. Sometimes there is actually recognition for breaking the law. It's a right of passage for many. By participating in a criminal act, it's their step into manhood or adulthood. In a number of cases, they don't even value their own lives as they have lost all hope. When your own life has no value, it's hard to value that of another human being's.

4) Crime and violence on tv, movies, video games. Of course there is much debate as to whether pervasive crime on tv, the movies and/or in video games is helping to desensitize the nation. The life of an actual person becomes no more important or of value than the characters in a movie or game. When these things are before you over a lengthy period of time, it is thought that reality becomes so distorted. The person might actually be thinking they are only acting out a part and not actually doing damage to another human.

5) Anger, revenge, vigilantism. In the heat of the moment, the passion of anger or revenge, can be so great that the consequences of suffering the death penalty are the furthest thing from a person's mind. There is no deterrent here, when someone is that enraged over what they may deem an injustice or threat to themselves.

6) Mental disorders. Whether you have an actual mental disorder or not, you can still cite insanity or temporary insanity at the moment of the crime. It's a sure way to escape the death penalty if you can prove that you were not of sound mind on that one occasion.

7) The amount of time spent in the court system. Once caught for their crime, it can take a number of years before they even step in front of a judge and jury. Often times, that passing of time can cause witnesses to forget the details of the events or the loss of the victim's life can ultimately lose its importance to the courts or the public. In waiting so long for the trial to actually take place, the uproar over the crime itself has long died down. Criminals use this long wait to their advantage.

8) The amount of time spent on death row, awaiting appeal after appeal. Criminals are only too aware that they can drag out their death sentences by requesting a number of appeals. They can be on death row so long that nature can take its course before they ever see the electric chair or lethal injection.

So, as you can see, when putting all these factors together, there is very little deterrent to crime, even if the laws state that you will be put to death. However, prisons are becoming over populated, rehabilitation does little to reduce recidivism, it's becoming overwhelmingly costly to continuously house those who become repeat offenders. As well, we just cannot allow murderers the chance to once again, walk our streets. And so, the debate goes on.