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Death Penalty

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Should the death penalty be allowed?

Should the death penalty be allowed?

1,188 people were executed in the US from 1977 through 2009, primarily by means of lethal injection. Most death penalty cases involve the execution of murderers although capital punishment can also be applied for treason, espionage, and other crimes.

Proponents of the death penalty say it is an important tool for preserving law and order, deters crime, and costs less than life imprisonment. They argue that retribution or "an eye for an eye" honors the victim, helps console grieving families, and ensures that the perpetrators of heinous crimes never have an opportunity to cause future tragedy.

Opponents of capital punishment say it has no deterrent effect on crime, wrongly gives governments the power to take human life, and perpetuates social injustices by disproportionately targeting people of color (racist) and people who cannot afford good attorneys (classist). They say lifetime jail sentences are a more severe and less expensive punishment than death.

Top 10 Pros & Cons

Historical Timeline

Comments

Death Penalty ProCon.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit website that presents facts, studies, and pro and con statements related to debate over the legality of the death penalty.

Pros & Cons by Category

CORE QUESTION

Should the death penalty be allowed?

Background / General

What is the death penalty and capital punishment?

What makes a death penalty case different from other criminal cases?

What are considered capital crimes in the United States?

What are the forms of execution in the United States?

What are the federal acts and policies governing the death penalty?

How are federal and state death penalty standards different?

Moral & Ethical Issues

Is the death penalty immoral?

Should physicians participate in executions?

What is the Hippocratic Oath?

Legal Considerations

Is the death penalty unconstitutional?

Has DNA testing led to significant improvements in the criminal justice system?

Is poor representation by public defense attorneys a widespread problem in capital cases?

Is prosecutorial misconduct a widespread problem in capital cases?

What is clemency?

Does clemency serve as a safeguard in capital punishment cases?

Deterrence & Retribution

Does the death penalty deter crime?

Should executions be made public?

Should the death penalty be used for retribution?

Social Issues

Does a person's race affect the likelihood of him/her receiving the death penalty?

Does a person's income level affect the likelihood of him/her receiving the death penalty?

Should a death penalty moratorium be implemented?

Should victims' opinions matter when considering the death penalty?

Death Penalty vs. Life in Prison

What is life in prison without parole?

Is life in prison without parole a better option than the death penalty?

Does the death penalty cost less than life in prison without parole?

Religious Views

Does Buddhism support the death penalty?

Does Christianity support the death penalty?

Does Hinduism support the death penalty?

Does Islam support the death penalty?

Does Judaism support the death penalty?

Share your thoughts on death penalty and read, vote on, and reply to existing comments. Join the debate.

Thomas Edison Electrocutes Topsy the Elephant, Jan. 4, 1903

ProCon.org Notices (archived after 30 days)

5/8/2013 - Governments That Use ProCon.org – The 11 international governments that have used ProCon.org include Australia, Canada, Israel, Palestinian territories, Philippines, and South Africa. Plus ProCon.org has been used by 27 US state governments and 14 US federal entities.

5/7/2013 - 221 Books Citing ProCon.org - We've added another 26 books to the list of published texts citing ProCon.org research. Some of the authors who used ProCon.org include Mark Bittman, Newt Gingrich, Condoleezza Rice, Michael Schmoker, Tavis Smiley, and Joseph Stiglitz.

5/3/2013 – Maryland Repeals the Death Penalty – On May 2, 2013, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed into law legislation that repeals the death penalty, making Maryland the 18^th state to do so. See which states have the death penalty and which do not, and how that number has changed over time.

Archived Notices (archived after 30 days)

Last updated on 5/14/2013 12:52:01 PM PST