Top 10 Pro & Con Arguments

death penalty proposal essay

Life without Parole

Retribution

Victims’ Families

Methods of Execution

Medical Professionals’ Participation

Federal Death Penalty

1. Legality

The United States is one of 55 countries globally with a legal death penalty, according to Amnesty International. As of Mar. 24, 2021, within the US, 27 states had a legal death penalty (though 3 of those states had a moratorium on the punishment’s use).

Proponents of the death penalty being legal argue that such a harsh penalty is needed for criminals who have committed the worst crimes, that the punishment deters crime, and that the US Supreme Court has upheld the death penalty as constitutional.

Opponents of the death penalty being legal argue that the punishment is cruel and unusual, and, thus, unconstitutional, that innocent people are put to death for crimes they did not commit, and that the penalty is disproportionately applied to people of color.

Read More about This Debate:

Should the Death Penalty Be Legal?

ProCon.org, “International Death Penalty Status,” deathpenalty.procon.org, May 19, 2021 ProCon.org, “Should the Death Penalty Be Legal?,” deathpenalty.procon.org, Sep. 20, 2021 ProCon.org, “States with the Death Penalty, Death Penalty Bans, and Death Penalty Moratoriums,” deathpenalty.procon.org, Mar. 24, 2021

2. Life without Parole

Life without Parole (also called LWOP) is suggested by some as an alternative punishment for the death penalty.

Proponents of replacing the death penalty with life without parole argue that imprisoning someone for the duration of their life is more humane than the death penalty, that LWOP is a more fitting penalty that allows the criminal to think about what they’ve done, and that LWOP reduces the chances of executing an innocent person.

Opponents of replacing the death penalty with life without parole argue that LWOP is just an alternate death penalty and parole should always be a consideration even if the prisoner never earns the privilege. While other opponents argue that life without parole is not a harsh enough punishment for murderers and terrorists.

Should Life without Parole Replace the Death Penalty?

ProCon.org, “Should Life without Parole Replace the Death Penalty?,” deathpenalty.procon.org, Sep. 20, 2021

3. Deterrence

One of the main justifications for maintaining a death penalty is that the punishment may prevent people from committing crimes so as to not risk being sentenced to death.

Proponents who argue that the death penalty is a deterrent to capital crimes state that such a harsh penalty is needed to discourage people from murder and terrorism.

Opponents who argue that the death penalty is not a deterrent to capital crimes state that there is no evidence to support the claim that the penalty is a deterrent.

Does the Death Penalty Deter Crime?

ProCon.org, “Does the Death Penalty Deter Crime?,” deathpenalty.procon.org, Sep. 20, 2021

4. Retribution

Retribution in this debate is the idea that the death penalty is needed to bring about justice for the victims, the victims’ families, and/or society at large.

Proponents who argue that the death penalty is needed as retribution argue that “an eye for an eye” is appropriate, that the punishment should match the crime, and that the penalty is needed as a moral balance to the wrong done by the criminal.

Opponents who argue that the death penalty is not needed as retribution argue that reformative justice is more productive, that innocent people are often killed in the search for retribution, and that “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”

Should the Death Penalty Be Used for Retribution for Victims and/or Society?

ProCon.org, “Should the Death Penalty Be Used for Retribution for Victims and/or Society?,” deathpenalty.procon.org, Sep. 20, 2021

5. Victims’ Families

Whether the death penalty can bring about some sort of closure or solace to the victims’ families after a horrible, life-changing experience has long been debated and used by both proponents and opponents of the death penalty.

Proponents who argue that the death penalty is needed to bring about closure and solace to victims’ families argue that the finality of the death penalty is needed for families to move on and not live in fear of the criminal getting out of prison.

Opponents who argue that the death penalty is needed to bring about closure and solace to victims’ families argue that retributive “justice” does not bring closure for anyone and that the death penalty can take years of media-friendly appeals to enact.

Does the Death Penalty Offer Closure or Solace to Victims’ Families?

ProCon.org, “Does the Death Penalty Offer Closure or Solace to Victims’ Families?,” deathpenalty.procon.org, Sep. 20, 2021

6. Methods of Execution

Because the drugs used for lethal injection have become difficult to obtain, some states are turning to other methods of execution. For example, South Carolina recently enacted legislation to allow for the firing squad and electric chair if lethal injection is not available at the time of the execution.

Proponents of alternate methods of execution argue that the state and federal government have an obligation to carry out the sentence handed down, and that, given the recent botched lethal injection executions, other methods may be more humane.

Opponents of alternate methods of execution argue that we should not be reverting to less humane methods of execution, and that the drug companies’ objection to use of lethal injection drugs should signal a need to abolish the penalty altogether.

Should States Authorize Other Methods of Execution Such as Hanging or the Firing Squad?

ProCon.org, “Should States Authorize Other Methods of Execution Such as Hanging or the Firing Squad?,” deathpenalty.procon.org, Sep. 20, 2021

7. Innocence

Reports indicate over 150 innocent people have been found not-guilty and exonerated since the death penalty was reinstated in 1973.

Proponents of abolishing the death penalty because innocent people may be executed argue that humans are fallible and the justice system is flawed, putting more Black and brown people on death row than are guilty of capital crimes, and that we cannot risk executing one innocent person just to carry about retributive “justice.”

Opponents of abolishing the death penalty because innocent people may be executed argue that the fact that death row inmates have been exonerated proves that the checks and balances to prevent innocent people from being executed are in place and working well, almost eliminating the chance that an innocent person will be executed.

Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished Because Innocent People May Be Executed?

ProCon.org, “Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished Because Innocent People May Be Executed?,” deathpenalty.procon.org, Sep. 20, 2021

8. Morality

Both religious and secular debates have continued about whether it is moral for humans to kill one another, even in the name of justice, and whether executing people makes for a moral and just government.

Proponents who argue that the death penalty is a moral punishment state that “an eye for an eye” is justified to promote a good and just society than shuns evil.

Opponents who argue that the death penalty is an immoral punishment state that humans should not kill other humans, no matter the reasons, because killing is killing.

Is the Death Penalty Immoral?

ProCon.org, “Is the Death Penalty Immoral?,” deathpenalty.procon.org, Sep. 20, 2021

9. Medical Professionals’ Participation

With the introduction of lethal injection as execution method, states began asking that medical professionals participate in executions to ensure the injections were administered properly and to provide medical care if the execution were botched.

Proponents who argue that medical professionals can participate in executions ethically state that doctors and others ensure that the execution is not “cruel or unusual,” and ensure that the person being executed receives medical care during the execution.

Opponents who argue that medical professionals cannot participate in executions ethically state that doctors and others should keep people alive instead of participate in killing, and that the medicalization of execution leads to a false acceptance of the practice.

Is Participation in Executions Ethical for Medical Professionals?

ProCon.org, “Is Participation in Executions Ethical for Medical Professionals?,” deathpenalty.procon.org, Sep. 20, 2021

10. Federal Death Penalty

The federal death penalty has only been carried out 16 times since its reinstatement after Furman v. Georgia in 1988: twice in 2001, once in 2003, ten times in 2020, and three times in 2021. Several moratoriums have been put in place by presidents in the interims. Under President Joe Biden, the US Justice Department has enacted a moratorium on the death penalty, reversing President Donald Trump’s policy of carrying out federal executions.

Proponents of keeping the federal death penalty argue that justice must be carried out to deter crime and offer closure to families, and that the federal government has an obligation to enact the sentences handed down by the courts.

Proponents of banning the federal death penalty argue that the United States federal government should set an example for the states with a ban, and that only a ban will prevent the next president from executing the prisoners on death row.

Should the US President Reinstate the Federal Death Penalty?

ProCon.org, “Most Recent Executions in Each US State,” deathpenalty.procon.org, Aug. 26, 2021 ProCon.org, “Should the US President Reinstate the Federal Death Penalty?,” deathpenalty.procon.org, Sep. 20, 2021

death penalty proposal essay

People who view this page may also like:

  • States with the Death Penalty and States with Death Penalty Bans
  • US Executions by Race, Crime, Method, Age, Gender, State, & Year
  • Should Euthanasia or Physician-Assisted Suicide Be Legal?

ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA

Natalie Leppard Managing Editor [email protected]

© 2023 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved

  • History of the Death Penalty
  • Top Pro & Con Quotes
  • Historical Timeline
  • Did You Know?
  • States with the Death Penalty, Death Penalty Bans, and Death Penalty Moratoriums
  • The ESPY List: US Executions 1608-2002
  • Federal Capital Offenses
  • Death Row Inmates
  • Critical Thinking Video Series: Thomas Edison Electrocutes Topsy the Elephant, Jan. 4, 1903

Cite This Page

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Private Prisons
  • Space Colonization
  • Social Media
  • Death Penalty
  • School Uniforms
  • Video Games
  • Animal Testing
  • Gun Control
  • Banned Books
  • Teachers’ Corner

ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. Proper citation depends on your preferred or required style manual. Below are the proper citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): the Modern Language Association Style Manual (MLA), the Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago), the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), and Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Turabian). Here are the proper bibliographic citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order):

[Editor's Note: The APA citation style requires double spacing within entries.]

[Editor’s Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries.]

  • International Relations Topics Topics: 176
  • International Organizations Essay Topics Topics: 97
  • Diplomacy Essay Topics Topics: 78
  • Elections Research Topics Topics: 124
  • Totalitarianism Research Topics Topics: 72
  • Political Parties Essay Topics Topics: 105
  • Federalism Essay Topics Topics: 74
  • Capital Punishment Essay Topics Topics: 65
  • United Nations Research Topics Topics: 116
  • Public Administration Topics Topics: 133
  • Political Science Paper Topics Topics: 96
  • International Law Essay Topics Topics: 117
  • Socialism Topics Topics: 92
  • European Union Essay Topics Topics: 75
  • Donald Trump Paper Topics Topics: 90

142 Death Penalty Research Questions & Title Ideas

Are you looking for the best death penalty research title? StudyCorgi has got you covered! On this page, you’ll find plenty of death penalty titles and research questions about capital punishment. Feel free to use them for your debate, argumentative paper, and other writing assignments.

📌 Death Penalty Subtopics

🏆 best death penalty essay titles, 📚 death penalty essay topics for college, 👍 good death penalty research topics & essay examples, 🎓 most interesting death penalty topics for discussion, ❓ death penalty research questions, 🔎 questions about the death penalty for research project, ✍️ creative titles for death penalty essay, 📝 death penalty title ideas for essays.

If you’re wondering what to include in your research questions about death penalty, here are some subtopics you can consider.

Is capital punishment fair?
Does the death penalty effectively deter crime?
What crimes should be punished by the death penalty?
Should capital punishment be applicable to juveniles or mentally disabled offenders?
What methods should be used for the death penalty (electric chair, lethal injection, etc.)
  • Is the Death Penalty Effective?
  • Death Penalty Abolishment: Arguments For and Against
  • Death by Fire: The Death Penalty in Texas
  • Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished?
  • Forensic Psychologist’s Role in Death Penalty Trial
  • Justification of the Death Penalty
  • Violation of the Human Right to Life: Death Penalty
  • The Justness of Socrates’s Decision to Accept the Death Penalty Socrates was sentenced to death for instilling ‘wrong’ political views in the youth, but instead of escaping his death, the philosopher accepted it with honor.
  • The Death Penalty: Arguments in Favor The death penalty is a general discussion topic in modern society and is complicated. Federal and state courts progressively approve death penalty statutes.
  • Death Penalty: Contradictions Several crimes can lead to the death penalty: rape, racism, and murder. The death penalty has many and serious disadvantages and advantages.
  • Arguments Against Death Penalty Death penalties are nothing more than relics of the past. They were never enough to stop or even curb crime in any given country at any given period.
  • Death Penalty as Viewed within the Framework of Retributive Justice Modern society strives to develop compassion and understanding and reduce cruelty, as the value of human life and individuality is steadily growing.
  • The Death Penalty: James Holmes’ Case The death penalty does not violate the Sixth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. It does shape certain procedural aspects.
  • Aspects of Death Penalty Acceptance The death penalty is a form of punishment that should be used to justify criminals when they commit severe crimes concerning other people.
  • Court Cases That Impacted to Death Penalty Daryl Atkins, who has an IQ of 59, was found guilty of murdering an Air Force enlisted man inside a convenience shop and was sentenced to death for his crime.
  • Death Penalty and “Eye for an Eye” System The argument that the death penalty fits the narrative of the “eye for an eye” idea is valid. However, the state has the right to take away someone’s rights.
  • The Advantages of the Death Penalty This paper claims that the death penalty justified from an ethic since it reduces the number of criminals, satisfy the victims, and the state will not suffer financial losses.
  • Against the Death Penalty in the US The article presents arguments against the death penalty in the United States, focusing on its ineffectiveness as a deterrent, high costs, and racial and subjective biases.
  • Death Penalty: The Utilitarianism Ethical Theory Utilitarianism gives moral justification for the death penalty as long as it promotes society’s total well-being, approval, and happiness.
  • Death Penalty Position in Society Death penalty is the most severe punishment a government may sentence a person to for breaking the law, for example, by committing murder.
  • Death Penalty in Case of Mental Illnesses American legal thought posited that the defendant’s mental competence was a necessary prerequisite for issuing and implementing the death penalty.
  • Juvenile Justice and the Death Penalty When discussing the death penalty, especially for juvenile perpetrators, three concepts are critical: justice, deterrence, and possibility of error.
  • System of the Death Penalty in the United States Mitigation is a valuable and efficient tool for choosing an appropriate punishment during the juridical process and might be highly relevant for other social work practices.
  • The Case Roper v. Simmons: Concept of National Consensus About Juvenile Death Penalty The aim of this work is to investigate the case of the national consensus concerning the issue of the juvenile death penalty on the example of the case Roper v. Simmons.
  • Criminal Justice in Texas: Todd Willingham and Death Penalty The case of Cameron Todd Willingham was a controversial criminal justice case handled in Texas. The man was charged with the murder of his three young children by arson.
  • Death Penalty: To Be or Not To Be? This essay is aimed at discussing the ongoing death penalty debate with reference to Adam Liptak’s and Stephen Breyer’s arguments.
  • The Death Penalty in the United States The article “The Rise, Fall, and Afterlife of the Death Penalty in the United States” examines the past, present, and possible future of capital punishment in the United States.
  • Death Penalty Should Be Abolished in the United States The death penalty hinders the United States’ progress and should be criminalized to avoid more harm than good in the government’s efforts to realize the American dream.
  • Racial Disparities in Death Penalty Sentencing The assessment of the racial disparities problem and its correlations with the principles of death penalty sentencing is of high importance from a legal and social perspective.
  • Death Penalty: Practice and Ethics of the Use This paper discusses capital punishment as a legal measure, the history of the death penalty, and the appropriateness and relevance of this punishment.
  • Legislative Issues in Texas: The Death Penalty This article discusses the problem of imperfect trials in Texas, which allows a person to be mistakenly executed.
  • Judicial Error and the Death Penalty This research paper provides a critical analysis of the feasibility of stopping the death penalty in the United States through the lens of the innocence of victims.
  • Zimbabwe and Zambia Death Penalty Comparison The post compares capital punishment in Zimbabwe and Zambia, last death sentence dates, and methods of execution.
  • Death Penalty Debates in the United States: Inhumane Practice The process of the death penalty is highly flawed, and there are numerous ethical and practical challenges that suggest that capital punishment should be abolished.
  • Death Penalty and Other Issues That Surround It In the United States, capital punishment has been used for a long period of time and it is still practiced today. This paper will seek to analyze death penalty and related issues.
  • Death Penalty: Legal and Moral Issues Discussion of the legal and moral issues that literally are of life and death importance and is a major barometer when measuring a society’s collective conscience.
  • The Death Penalty in the USA The death penalty in the USA exists in some states, and it must be to discipline people and to threaten them from murders and other great crimes.
  • Should Death Penalty Be Abolished in the US? This essay examines whether the death penalty is an effective deterrent, and should it be abolished in the US.
  • Key Points for Abolishing the Death Penalty in the USA This briefing paper is presented to American people so that all doubts and plans of retaining the death penalty despite all the Supreme Court rulings and the bad effects of it shall henceforth be erased from our minds.
  • Death Penalty as a Cruel Murder While many arguments have been put forward for and against it, there is no doubt that the Death Penalty is nothing but a cruel murder perpetrated by the State.
  • Death Penalty Validity as a Form of Punishment The paper assesses the validity of the death penalty as a form of punishment for controlling the increasing crime rates and tries to provide a solution or an option that can eliminate an extreme step.
  • Death Penalty Abolition: Why It Is Needed? The death penalty should be done away with and instead replaced by a more humane form of punishing criminals irrespective of the intensity of the offense.
  • Participation in Government: The Death Penalty The death penalty is also referred to as capital punishment and is commonly reserved for capital offenses. The term capital has its origins in the Latin word capita.
  • The Death Penalty and Its Basic Reasons The death penalty also known as capital punishment is the execution of a person by the state as punishment for a crime.
  • Should the United States Abolish the Death Penalty? Being the agent responsible for the administration of the death penalty, the state is the chief proponent of the same as a form of punishment.
  • Death Penalty from a Prison Officer’s Perspective The death penalty can be considered as an ancient form of punishment in relation to the type of crime that had been committed.
  • Death Penalty and Its Theoretical Justification The activity of the justice system equally depends on the fairness of the justification and the validity of the punishment.
  • Death Penalty and Utilitarian Ethics This paper will analyze the ethical grounds of utilizing the death penalty for recidivist violent criminals based on Bentham’s utilitarianism.
  • “What Will Doom the Death Penalty” by Daniel LaChance This reading essay summarizes, explains, and evaluates the main points of the reading: “What Will Doom the Death Penalty: Capital Punishment, Another Failed Government Program?” by Daniel LaChance.
  • Death Penalty from Religious and Historical Standpoints The paper evaluates the benefits and analyzes the death penalty from a modern, religious, and historical perspective.
  • What Will Doom the Death Penalty? The increasing levels of crime in the United States encouraged more people to embrace the idea of capital punishment. This discussion gives a detailed analysis of this article.
  • Death Penalty Trends in American Justice System This paper discusses the death penalty abolition in Illinois, Innocence Project, sentencing of the mentally retarded individuals, and the case of Stanley Williams.
  • Death Penalty and Its Issues Serious criminals have usually imposed a death sentence. This type of punishment continues to exist, even nowadays. However, it seems completely irrelevant in a humanistic society.
  • Roots of Public Support for the Death Penalty In his article, Daniel LaChance analyzes the phenomenon of the death penalty in America and the social attitude towards it. LaChance expresses a negative attitude.
  • Death Penalty as Unjustified Measure Nowadays The person living in the 21st century should believe that the death penalty simply increases violence and grief and does not help the victim’s close ones recover from their pain.
  • Death Penalty: History and Rationale After WWII, the death penalty was limited through the creation of the international Human Rights Doctrines. The procedure of death punishment became more humane.
  • The Death Penalty and Mentally Retarded Capital Offenders The present paper attempts to discuss causes of wrongful conviction of capital offenders and the psychological assessment criteria that could be used by forensic psychologists.
  • Ethical Perspectives on Capital Punishment: Arguments for Abolition Capital punishment remains a contested issue in many societies across the globe. Many countries have abolished this form of punishment. Such countries believe that the malpractice is unethical.
  • Is Death Penalty Adequate? The death penalty is inadequate, as it leads to the punishment of not guilty people, feeling of insecurity, high volume of stress, cruelty of the execution process.
  • Death Penalty: Corporal Punishment in 58 Countries This paper seeks to establish that corporal punishment is not the best way to correct wrongdoers. It shows how death penalty is applicable and effective.
  • The Debate Over Whether the Death Penalty Is Just or Unjust
  • Death Penalty and Its Deterrent Effect of Murder Rates in Society
  • The Death Penalty and Its Effects on America
  • Potential Savings From Abolition of the Death Penalty in North Carolina
  • Pros and Cons Side of the International and Domestic Legislation on the Death Penalty
  • Ethical Issues either for or Against the Death Penalty
  • The Pros and Cons of Life Imprisonment and the Death Penalty
  • Religious and Morality Issues of Death Penalty
  • The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Death Penalty in the United States
  • The Death Penalty and Its Effect on the Social Position of the Criminal
  • Marxist Ideology and the Death Penalty
  • The Relationship Between Race & the Use of the Death Penalty
  • Thailand Should Kept Death Penalty for Certain Crime
  • How Can Death Penalty Prevent Repeat Offenders?
  • The Death Penalty and New Studies of Disparate Racial Impact
  • Death Row and Death Penalty in the United States
  • The Death Penalty Preserves Human Dignity
  • Death Penalty Support and Argument Rebuttal
  • The Death Penalty and Mental Illness
  • Should the Death Penalty Be Reinstated in the UK?
  • The Death Penalty Should Be Removed to Avoid Wrongly Punishing the Innocent
  • Life Sentence Without Parole – Better Than Death Penalty
  • Does the Death Penalty Breach Human Rights?
  • What Crimes Carried the Death Penalty?
  • Does Jodi Arias Deserve the Death Penalty?
  • Why Is the Death Penalty Good?
  • Does the Death Penalty Deter Crime?
  • Why We Should Ban the Death Penalty?
  • How Might the Death Penalty Prevent Crime?
  • Why the Death Penalty Should Be Abolished?
  • How Objective and Justifiable Are Our Reasons for Enforcing the Death Penalty?
  • Is the Death Penalty Ethical?
  • What Are Three Arguments for the Death Penalty?
  • What Is a Pro Argument for Death Penalty?
  • Should the Death Death Penalty Be Legal?
  • What Are the Pros and Cons of the  Death Penalty?
  • Should the Death Penalty Apply to Juvenile Criminals?
  • What Is the Strongest Argument in Favor of the Death Penalty?
  • Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished Across the Nations?
  • Why Is the Death Penalty Good for Society?
  • What Effects Does the Death Penalty Cause to Society?
  • What Role Does Race Play in the Death Penalty?
  • Who Is Most Affected by the Death Penalty?
  • Why Does the United States Government Need the Death Penalty?
  • Who Has Power Over the Death Penalty?
  • Why Some People Think That the Death Penalty Is Unfair and Unacceptable?
  • Why Did the Death Penalty Become a Thing?
  • Who Was the First Person to Get the Death Penalty?
  • Why the Death Penalty Is Appropriate for Cases Where Defendants Have Mental Retardation?
  • When Did Death Penalty End?
  • When Was the Death Penalty Most Popular?
  • How does the use of the death penalty vary in different countries?
  • What factors affect public support for capital punishment?
  • How does the death penalty affect crime rates?
  • How does capital punishment affect marginalized communities?
  • What racial and gender disparities exist in death sentencing?
  • How does international law address the death penalty?
  • What is the role of mental disability in death penalty cases?
  • What are the financial costs of maintaining capital punishment?
  • How does the media portrayal of the death penalty affect public attitudes?
  • Are there more effective alternatives to the death penalty?
  • The emotional toll of the death penalty on families.
  • The human rights aspect of capital punishment.
  • Views on capital punishment expressed in art.
  • How can we make the criminal justice system more compassionate?
  • Factors affecting the death penalty verdicts.
  • The psychological impact of capital punishment on offenders and executioners.
  • Religious perspectives on the death penalty.
  • The cultural significance of historical executions.
  • Personal stories of inmates sentenced to death.
  • Does the death penalty perpetuate violence?
  • The consequences of wrongful convictions in capital punishment.
  • The death penalty vs. life imprisonment.
  • Capital punishment and the possibility of redemption.
  • Media’s influence on policies related to capital punishment.
  • Is it ethical to execute juvenile offenders?
  • The significance of DNA evidence in death penalty cases.
  • The role of vengeance in capital punishment.
  • Controversies surrounding lethal injections.
  • The issue of human dignity in capital punishment.
  • Federal vs. state jurisdictions concerning the death penalty.

Cite this post

  • Chicago (N-B)
  • Chicago (A-D)

StudyCorgi. (2022, January 16). 142 Death Penalty Research Questions & Title Ideas. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/death-penalty-essay-topics/

"142 Death Penalty Research Questions & Title Ideas." StudyCorgi , 16 Jan. 2022, studycorgi.com/ideas/death-penalty-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . (2022) '142 Death Penalty Research Questions & Title Ideas'. 16 January.

1. StudyCorgi . "142 Death Penalty Research Questions & Title Ideas." January 16, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/death-penalty-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "142 Death Penalty Research Questions & Title Ideas." January 16, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/death-penalty-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2022. "142 Death Penalty Research Questions & Title Ideas." January 16, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/death-penalty-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Death Penalty were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 21, 2024 .

Human Rights Careers

5 Death Penalty Essays Everyone Should Know

Capital punishment is an ancient practice. It’s one that human rights defenders strongly oppose and consider as inhumane and cruel. In 2019, Amnesty International reported the lowest number of executions in about a decade. Most executions occurred in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Egypt . The United States is the only developed western country still using capital punishment. What does this say about the US? Here are five essays about the death penalty everyone should read:

“When We Kill”

By: Nicholas Kristof | From: The New York Times 2019

In this excellent essay, Pulitizer-winner Nicholas Kristof explains how he first became interested in the death penalty. He failed to write about a man on death row in Texas. The man, Cameron Todd Willingham, was executed in 2004. Later evidence showed that the crime he supposedly committed – lighting his house on fire and killing his three kids – was more likely an accident. In “When We Kill,” Kristof puts preconceived notions about the death penalty under the microscope. These include opinions such as only guilty people are executed, that those guilty people “deserve” to die, and the death penalty deters crime and saves money. Based on his investigations, Kristof concludes that they are all wrong.

Nicholas Kristof has been a Times columnist since 2001. He’s the winner of two Pulitizer Prices for his coverage of China and the Darfur genocide.

“An Inhumane Way of Death”

By: Willie Jasper Darden, Jr.

Willie Jasper Darden, Jr. was on death row for 14 years. In his essay, he opens with the line, “Ironically, there is probably more hope on death row than would be found in most other places.” He states that everyone is capable of murder, questioning if people who support capital punishment are just as guilty as the people they execute. Darden goes on to say that if every murderer was executed, there would be 20,000 killed per day. Instead, a person is put on death row for something like flawed wording in an appeal. Darden feels like he was picked at random, like someone who gets a terminal illness. This essay is important to read as it gives readers a deeper, more personal insight into death row.

Willie Jasper Darden, Jr. was sentenced to death in 1974 for murder. During his time on death row, he advocated for his innocence and pointed out problems with his trial, such as the jury pool that excluded black people. Despite worldwide support for Darden from public figures like the Pope, Darden was executed in 1988.

“We Need To Talk About An Injustice”

By: Bryan Stevenson | From: TED 2012

This piece is a transcript of Bryan Stevenson’s 2012 TED talk, but we feel it’s important to include because of Stevenson’s contributions to criminal justice. In the talk, Stevenson discusses the death penalty at several points. He points out that for years, we’ve been taught to ask the question, “Do people deserve to die for their crimes?” Stevenson brings up another question we should ask: “Do we deserve to kill?” He also describes the American death penalty system as defined by “error.” Somehow, society has been able to disconnect itself from this problem even as minorities are disproportionately executed in a country with a history of slavery.

Bryan Stevenson is a lawyer, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, and author. He’s argued in courts, including the Supreme Court, on behalf of the poor, minorities, and children. A film based on his book Just Mercy was released in 2019 starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx.

“I Know What It’s Like To Carry Out Executions”

By: S. Frank Thompson | From: The Atlantic 2019

In the death penalty debate, we often hear from the family of the victims and sometimes from those on death row. What about those responsible for facilitating an execution? In this opinion piece, a former superintendent from the Oregon State Penitentiary outlines his background. He carried out the only two executions in Oregon in the past 55 years, describing it as having a “profound and traumatic effect” on him. In his decades working as a correctional officer, he concluded that the death penalty is not working . The United States should not enact federal capital punishment.

Frank Thompson served as the superintendent of OSP from 1994-1998. Before that, he served in the military and law enforcement. When he first started at OSP, he supported the death penalty. He changed his mind when he observed the protocols firsthand and then had to conduct an execution.

“There Is No Such Thing As Closure on Death Row”

By: Paul Brown | From: The Marshall Project 2019

This essay is from Paul Brown, a death row inmate in Raleigh, North Carolina. He recalls the moment of his sentencing in a cold courtroom in August. The prosecutor used the term “closure” when justifying a death sentence. Who is this closure for? Brown theorizes that the prosecutors are getting closure as they end another case, but even then, the cases are just a way to further their careers. Is it for victims’ families? Brown is doubtful, as the death sentence is pursued even when the families don’t support it. There is no closure for Brown or his family as they wait for his execution. Vivid and deeply-personal, this essay is a must-read for anyone who wonders what it’s like inside the mind of a death row inmate.

Paul Brown has been on death row since 2000 for a double murder. He is a contributing writer to Prison Writers and shares essays on topics such as his childhood, his life as a prisoner, and more.

You may also like

death penalty proposal essay

13 Facts about Child Labor

death penalty proposal essay

Environmental Racism 101: Definition, Examples, Ways to Take Action

death penalty proposal essay

11 Examples of Systemic Injustices in the US

death penalty proposal essay

Women’s Rights 101: History, Examples, Activists

death penalty proposal essay

What is Social Activism?

death penalty proposal essay

15 Inspiring Movies about Activism

death penalty proposal essay

15 Examples of Civil Disobedience

death penalty proposal essay

Academia in Times of Genocide: Why are Students Across the World Protesting?

death penalty proposal essay

Pinkwashing 101: Definition, History, Examples

death penalty proposal essay

15 Inspiring Quotes for Black History Month

death penalty proposal essay

10 Inspiring Ways Women Are Fighting for Equality

death penalty proposal essay

15 Trusted Charities Fighting for Clean Water

About the author, emmaline soken-huberty.

Emmaline Soken-Huberty is a freelance writer based in Portland, Oregon. She started to become interested in human rights while attending college, eventually getting a concentration in human rights and humanitarianism. LGBTQ+ rights, women’s rights, and climate change are of special concern to her. In her spare time, she can be found reading or enjoying Oregon’s natural beauty with her husband and dog.

Encyclopedia Britannica

  • History & Society
  • Science & Tech
  • Biographies
  • Animals & Nature
  • Geography & Travel
  • Arts & Culture
  • Games & Quizzes
  • On This Day
  • One Good Fact
  • New Articles
  • Lifestyles & Social Issues
  • Philosophy & Religion
  • Politics, Law & Government
  • World History
  • Health & Medicine
  • Browse Biographies
  • Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates
  • Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates
  • Environment
  • Fossils & Geologic Time
  • Entertainment & Pop Culture
  • Sports & Recreation
  • Visual Arts
  • Demystified
  • Image Galleries
  • Infographics
  • Top Questions
  • Britannica Kids
  • Saving Earth
  • Space Next 50
  • Student Center
  • Introduction
  • Historical considerations

Moral arguments

Utilitarian arguments, practical arguments, the abolition movement.

  • Capital punishment in the early 21st century

capital punishment

Arguments for and against capital punishment

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

  • Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Capital Punishment
  • Santa Clara University - Capital Punishment: Our Duty or Our Doom?
  • Cornell Law School - Legal Information Institute - Death penalty
  • capital punishment - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
  • capital punishment - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
  • Table Of Contents

death penalty proposal essay

Capital punishment has long engendered considerable debate about both its morality and its effect on criminal behaviour. Contemporary arguments for and against capital punishment fall under three general headings: moral , utilitarian, and practical.

Recent News

Supporters of the death penalty believe that those who commit murder , because they have taken the life of another, have forfeited their own right to life. Furthermore, they believe, capital punishment is a just form of retribution , expressing and reinforcing the moral indignation not only of the victim’s relatives but of law-abiding citizens in general. By contrast, opponents of capital punishment, following the writings of Cesare Beccaria (in particular On Crimes and Punishments [1764]), argue that, by legitimizing the very behaviour that the law seeks to repress—killing—capital punishment is counterproductive in the moral message it conveys. Moreover, they urge, when it is used for lesser crimes, capital punishment is immoral because it is wholly disproportionate to the harm done. Abolitionists also claim that capital punishment violates the condemned person’s right to life and is fundamentally inhuman and degrading.

Although death was prescribed for crimes in many sacred religious documents and historically was practiced widely with the support of religious hierarchies , today there is no agreement among religious faiths, or among denominations or sects within them, on the morality of capital punishment. Beginning in the last half of the 20th century, increasing numbers of religious leaders—particularly within Judaism and Roman Catholicism—campaigned against it. Capital punishment was abolished by the state of Israel for all offenses except treason and crimes against humanity, and Pope John Paul II condemned it as “cruel and unnecessary.”

Supporters of capital punishment also claim that it has a uniquely potent deterrent effect on potentially violent offenders for whom the threat of imprisonment is not a sufficient restraint. Opponents, however, point to research that generally has demonstrated that the death penalty is not a more effective deterrent than the alternative sanction of life or long-term imprisonment.

There also are disputes about whether capital punishment can be administered in a manner consistent with justice . Those who support capital punishment believe that it is possible to fashion laws and procedures that ensure that only those who are really deserving of death are executed. By contrast, opponents maintain that the historical application of capital punishment shows that any attempt to single out certain kinds of crime as deserving of death will inevitably be arbitrary and discriminatory. They also point to other factors that they think preclude the possibility that capital punishment can be fairly applied, arguing that the poor and ethnic and religious minorities often do not have access to good legal assistance, that racial prejudice motivates predominantly white juries in capital cases to convict black and other nonwhite defendants in disproportionate numbers, and that, because errors are inevitable even in a well-run criminal justice system, some people will be executed for crimes they did not commit. Finally, they argue that, because the appeals process for death sentences is protracted, those condemned to death are often cruelly forced to endure long periods of uncertainty about their fate.

Under the influence of the European Enlightenment , in the latter part of the 18th century there began a movement to limit the scope of capital punishment. Until that time a very wide range of offenses, including even common theft, were punishable by death—though the punishment was not always enforced , in part because juries tended to acquit defendants against the evidence in minor cases. In 1794 the U.S. state of Pennsylvania became the first jurisdiction to restrict the death penalty to first-degree murder, and in 1846 the state of Michigan abolished capital punishment for all murders and other common crimes. In 1863 Venezuela became the first country to abolish capital punishment for all crimes, including serious offenses against the state (e.g., treason and military offenses in time of war). San Marino was the first European country to abolish the death penalty, doing so in 1865; by the early 20th century several other countries, including the Netherlands, Norway , Sweden , Denmark , and Italy , had followed suit (though it was reintroduced in Italy under the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini ). By the mid-1960s some 25 countries had abolished the death penalty for murder, though only about half of them also had abolished it for offenses against the state or the military code. For example, Britain abolished capital punishment for murder in 1965, but treason, piracy, and military crimes remained capital offenses until 1998.

During the last third of the 20th century, the number of abolitionist countries increased more than threefold. These countries, together with those that are “de facto” abolitionist—i.e., those in which capital punishment is legal but not exercised—now represent more than half the countries of the world. One reason for the significant increase in the number of abolitionist states was that the abolition movement was successful in making capital punishment an international human rights issue, whereas formerly it had been regarded as solely an internal matter for the countries concerned.

In 1971 the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution that, “in order fully to guarantee the right to life, provided for in…the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” called for restricting the number of offenses for which the death penalty could be imposed, with a view toward abolishing it altogether. This resolution was reaffirmed by the General Assembly in 1977. Optional protocols to the European Convention on Human Rights (1983) and to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1989) have been established, under which countries party to the convention and the covenant undertake not to carry out executions. The Council of Europe (1994) and the EU (1998) established as a condition of membership in their organizations the requirement that prospective member countries suspend executions and commit themselves to abolition. This decision had a remarkable impact on the countries of central and eastern Europe , prompting several of them—e.g., the Czech Republic , Hungary , Romania , Slovakia , and Slovenia—to abolish capital punishment.

In the 1990s many African countries—including Angola, Djibouti, Mozambique, and Namibia—abolished capital punishment, though most African countries retained it. In South Africa , which formerly had one of the world’s highest execution rates, capital punishment was outlawed in 1995 by the Constitutional Court, which declared that it was incompatible with the prohibition against cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment and with “a human rights culture.”

Benefits of the Death Penalty

This essay about the death penalty discusses the arguments made by its proponents, emphasizing its role as a deterrent, a means of providing closure to victims’ families, and a necessary action for ensuring public safety. Advocates argue for the death penalty’s alignment with retributive justice, suggesting that it proportionately addresses severe crimes and offers fiscal benefits by reducing recidivism. However, the text also acknowledges the critical views against it, highlighting the moral and practical concerns raised by opponents, thus illustrating the deep divisions and ethical complexities surrounding capital punishment debates.

How it works

In the intricate tapestry of discourse surrounding the death penalty, proponents wield a diverse arsenal of arguments in defense of its continued existence within the justice system. They fervently advocate for its retention, contending that it serves as a formidable deterrent against the commission of heinous crimes. The looming specter of capital punishment, they argue, acts as a chilling reminder to would-be offenders, dissuading them from crossing the threshold into irreversible acts of violence.

Furthermore, proponents espouse the notion that the death penalty offers a semblance of closure and justice to the victims and their shattered families.

The profound trauma inflicted by acts of violence leaves indelible scars on the fabric of society, tearing at its very seams. In the eyes of proponents, the imposition of the ultimate penalty upon perpetrators represents a form of recompense, a solemn acknowledgement of the irreparable harm inflicted upon innocent lives.

In the realm of public safety, proponents assert that the death penalty serves as a vital safeguard against recidivism, effectively removing irredeemable threats from society’s midst. By permanently incapacitating individuals who have demonstrated an unyielding propensity for violence, proponents argue that society can shield itself from the looming specter of future atrocities.

Moreover, proponents uphold the principle of retributive justice as the moral cornerstone of their advocacy for the death penalty. They contend that the severity of the punishment should be commensurate with the gravity of the crime, ensuring a measure of accountability for those who have callously violated the sanctity of human life. In their eyes, the death penalty stands as a solemn testament to society’s unwavering commitment to justice, a resolute stance against the forces of lawlessness and chaos.

Economically speaking, some proponents argue that the death penalty can yield long-term fiscal benefits, notwithstanding the initial costs associated with capital punishment trials. By expeditiously administering justice in cases of egregious violence, proponents posit that society can alleviate the burden on an overtaxed criminal justice system, reallocating resources to address pressing societal needs.

Yet, amidst the impassioned rhetoric of proponents, dissenting voices persist, casting a shadow of doubt upon the moral and practical underpinnings of the death penalty. Opponents raise compelling concerns regarding the risk of wrongful convictions, the disproportionate impact on marginalized communities, and the moral ambiguity of state-sanctioned killing. These voices serve as a poignant reminder of the complex and multifaceted nature of justice, urging society to tread cautiously in its pursuit of retribution.

In the crucible of debate, the death penalty remains a contentious and divisive issue, eliciting fervent emotions and stirring profound introspection. While proponents champion its virtues as a bulwark against crime, a source of solace for victims, and a safeguard for society, opponents sound a clarion call for compassion, fairness, and the sanctity of human life. As society grapples with the weighty implications of its choices, it must strive to navigate a path that balances the imperatives of justice with the dictates of mercy, forging a future that upholds the dignity and worth of every individual.

owl

Cite this page

Benefits of the Death Penalty. (2024, Apr 29). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/benefits-of-the-death-penalty/

"Benefits of the Death Penalty." PapersOwl.com , 29 Apr 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/benefits-of-the-death-penalty/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Benefits of the Death Penalty . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/benefits-of-the-death-penalty/ [Accessed: 14 Sep. 2024]

"Benefits of the Death Penalty." PapersOwl.com, Apr 29, 2024. Accessed September 14, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/benefits-of-the-death-penalty/

"Benefits of the Death Penalty," PapersOwl.com , 29-Apr-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/benefits-of-the-death-penalty/. [Accessed: 14-Sep-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Benefits of the Death Penalty . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/benefits-of-the-death-penalty/ [Accessed: 14-Sep-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

owl

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

  Take 10% OFF— Expires in h m s Use code save10u during checkout.

Chat with us

  • Live Chat Talk to a specialist
  • Self-service options
  • Search FAQs Fast answers, no waiting
  • Ultius 101 New client? Click here
  • Messenger  

International support numbers

Ultius

For reference only, subject to Terms and Fair Use policies.

  • How it Works

Learn more about us

  • Future writers
  • Explore further

Ultius Blog

Expository mla-style essay on the death penalty.

Ultius

Select network

The death penalty is a highly controversial practice in modern times. While many governments have outlawed it, some  practice capital punishment on the state level. This sample expository essay  explores those governments and how the death penalty plays a part in society.

The United States is more or less the only advanced nation on the planet that still has the death penalty as a component of its judicial system. The first part of this essay will provide a conceptual definition of the death penalty. The second part will then consider arguments against the death penalty, and the third part will consider arguments for the death penalty. Finally, the fourth part will engage in a considered reflection on whether the death penalty meets pragmatic needs within society, especially in relation to the concept and practice of vigilante justice.

Conceptual definition of the death penalty

The death penalty can be defined as the legal practice of executing (or putting to death) a person who has broken the laws of society in certain ways. In principle, any crime could be punished by the death penalty (as it is in the U.S. Constitution and legally available as a remedy). For example, until recently in China, it was legal, albeit seldom actually done, to put people to death for economic crimes such as:

"tax fraud, the smuggling of cultural relics or precious metals, tomb robbing and stealing fossils" (paragraph 4).

Likewise, throughout the history of much of Europe, it was fairly common to consider it justifiable to punish certain forms of theft by death. As the world grew more modern and civilized, however, nations increasingly abolished the death penalty for all but the crime of murder and perhaps also of rape; and many nations, especially the nations of Europe, abolished the death penalty altogether, making life in prison the most severe punishment that could be given to any purpose, regardless of his crime.

U.S. slow to join Europe in abolishing death penalty

While the ethicality of the death penalty is debatable , The United States, is a highly developed modern nation that still has the death penalty as a part of its judicial system—or at least, it leaves the decision up to the individual states of the nation, which means that the death penalty has not been outlawed at the federal level. Many advocacy groups, including Amnesty International , have considered this a travesty and argued that the United States should join the rest of the civilized world in doing away with the death penalty once and for all. Yet, other stakeholders within the United States and beyond insist that the death penalty fulfills an essential function within the fabric of the judicial system and that it would be a grave error to do away with this aspect of criminal justice altogether in the name of high idealistic considerations. The present essay will now turn to a consideration of arguments against and arguments in favor of the death penalty.

Argument against the death penalty

One of the most compelling arguments against the death penalty as mentioned in a previous blog from Ultius , probably consists of the fact that its application is not always accurate: that is, it is possible that death penalty could be applied against an innocent person, and that people may not find out about this mistake until it is too late. The relevant statistical data on this subject, as well as actual cases of people having been given the death sentence only to be pardoned later on the basis of further evidence, strongly suggest that the number of innocent people being executed for capital crimes they did not commit is in all likelihood considerably higher than anyone knows or would even want to imagine (Pilkington). It is such a consideration, for example, that led former Illinois governor to commute the sentences of all the inmates on his state's death row:

"Condemning the capital punishment system as fundamentally flawed and unfair, Gov. George Ryan commuted all Illinois death sentences today to prison terms of life or less, the largest such emptying of death row in history" (Wilgoren).

The main idea was that if even one mistake could be made in one case, then the entire system itself must surely be condemned as untenable.

Inability to apply uniform punishment

The above discussion points toward the fact that it would be more or less impossible to systematically apply the death penalty in an accurate way that is protected from human error, which implies that it would be problematic to apply the death penalty at all; this could be called the pragmatic case against the death penalty. It is also possible, though, to make a moral case against the death penalty, based on the inherently problematic nature of the practice itself, irrespective of whether it could or could not be applied in an accurate way. The main point here would be that the applying the death penalty against any human being at all, even someone who has been absolutely confirmed to be a murderer, would be a grotesque violation of all moral standards and completely unbecoming of a civilized society.

The writer Camus, for instance, has eloquently argued that the very idea of the death penalty—according to which a man is told that he will for certain die at a certain appointed day and hour, in accordance with the workings of a bureaucratic apparatus—is far more cruel than the relatively random way in which the murderer may have taken another human life in the first place. Camus not only feels the death penalty is unjust , he has suggested that this is tantamount to a form of psychological torture that was likely never experienced by the original victim himself, and that the punishment of the death penalty is thus out of proportion with the nature of the crime committed. Of course, it can also be simply argued that two wrongs do not make a right, and that by murdering someone who himself has committed murder, one merely contributes to the perpetuation of an ongoing cycle of violence. If the baseline moral premise is that no person should kill another person, then it is surely also true that society as a whole would not be exempt from this law, insofar as society itself is nothing other than an amalgamation of actual persons.

Arguments for the death penalty

The main argument in favor of continued use of the death penalty surely consists of the sheer emotional appeal of the practice. In the abstract, it is perhaps easy for anyone to speak of forgiveness and moving on, with respect to the crimes committed by a murderer. However, if a criminal were to directly hurt a given person's loved ones, then that person would almost certainly want to see blood; in such a situation, it would seem to be emotionally self-evident that there is no possibility of talking about forgiveness until after justice has been dealt (justice in the sense that the person cannot repeat the crime). There would seem to be a direct, immediate justice in people being allowed to punish those who have hurt their loved ones; and the practice of the death penalty could then be understood as simply an extrapolation of this basic principle to the societal level. Although one would perhaps discourage a murder victim's family member from pursuing vengeance, one would likely also not condemn that person for wanting to pursue vengeance. Something similar could perhaps be said about the practice of the death penalty.

In short, then, the death penalty could be justified on the grounds of emotional catharsis . For example, Rosenbaum has quoted Foreman, the father of a murder victim who now faces the impending release of the murderer from prison, as having stated the following:

"If this man is released anywhere in my vicinity, or if I can find him after the fact, I do intend to kill this man" (paragraph 10).

Considering that these are the words of a father whose young son was brutally murdered, it would be difficult for most to not sympathize with the basic ethos expressed in that statement. The death penalty could then be justified as the official vindication of such basic feelings of loyalty, pain, and vengeance: it is the doctrine that someone who has committed the ultimate crime also deserves the ultimate punishment; it is the doctrine that society no longer has moral obligations to a person who has violated the social contract in such a final way.

Pragmatic reflection on capital punishment

The quote by Foreman (the father of a murder victim) above calls attention to the rather intriguing concept of vigilante justice. That is, in the absence of the death penalty, it is quite plausible that at least some of the family members of murder victims would likely take it upon themselves to mete out final justice to the criminal who hurt their loved ones. it is a moral tragedy regardless of how you look at it. Moreover, it is not clear that such persons should be condemned for society for having taken such a course of action upon themselves; indeed, there would even seem to be something intrinsically morally appropriate about such a form of vigilante justice becoming an acceptable mode of retribution for the crime of murder. However, the implications of this would clearly be frightening, at the pragmatic level; and it is close to impossible to imagine a modern civilized nation seriously considering the integration of vigilante justice into its criminal justice system.

Aside from this, though, it is perhaps also worth considering whether any form of vengeance against a murderer really does produce the kind of catharsis that it is expected to produce. The research evidence in this regard would seem to point toward the negative. As Jason Marsh from CNN has indicated ,

A 2008 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people who were taken advantage of financially by someone else though they would feel better if they exacted revenge. In fact, punishing the offender actually made them feel worse, apparently because meting out a punishment caused them to think about the offender more and dwell on the negative incident . (paragraph 9)

In other words, vengeance would seem to a paradoxical emotion that does not necessarily have the effects that it is expected to have. For most people, vengeance would not seem to produce an emotional catharsis that causes them to feel that the crime has been avenged; rather, it merely makes them feel confused and/or empty inside; and it definitely causes them to dwell on some of the darkest moments of their lives.

Finally, it is worth reiterating that given that the implementation of the death penalty cannot be done with perfect accuracy, it would be pragmatically impossible to hold on to the practice in a way that is congruent with basic principles of justice. Among other things, the very idea that an innocent person could be executed for a crime he did not commit is intolerable within a just and civilized society; and given the nature of human error, such a risk will always necessarily exist. This risk would perhaps be somewhat diminished in the case of vigilante justice. And indeed, if retribution for murder were to be an accepted part of the justice system, then vigilante justice would seem to have several moral advantages to the death penalty, chief among which are personal responsibility for vengeance, lack of abstraction, and acknowledgement that murder as punishment is always a more or less extra-judicial solution and could never be an integrated part of the legal code of moral and civilized society.

Review of the death penalty debate

This essay has defined the concept, considered arguments both against and for the use of the death penalty, and engaged in a pragmatic reflection regarding the death penalty and its effects. A key conclusion that has been reached here is that given the impossibility of guaranteeing the systematic accuracy of the death penalty, it is pragmatically unfeasible for the United States to hold on to this practice in a way that would be in line with principles of justice (even if the assumption were to be made that there is nothing intrinsically wrong with the practice). The feelings of the loved ones of murder victims are surely justified; but one way or the other, implementation of the death penalty likely will not give them the closure they want.

Works Cited

Amnesty International. "End Capital Punishment." 2016. Web 29 Mar. 2016.http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/campaigns/abolish-the-death-penalty.

Camus, Albert. Resistance, Rebellion, and Death: Essays . New York: Vintage, 1995. Print.Hogg, Chris. "China Ends Death Penalty for 13 Economic Crimes." BBC. 25 Feb. 2011. Web.29 Mar. 2016. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-12580504

Marsh, Jason. "Does the Death Penalty Bring Closure?" CNN . 20 May. 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/20/opinions/marsh-tsarnaev-forgiveness/.

Pilkington, Ed. "US Death Row Study: 4% of Defendants Sentenced to Die Are Innocent." Guardian . 28 Apr. 2014. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/28/death-penalty-study-4-percent-defendants-innocent

Rosenbaum, Thane. "Justice? Vengeance? You Need Both." New York Times . 27 Jul. 2011. Web. 29 Mar. 2016. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/opinion/28rosenbaum.html?_r=0

Wilgoren, Jodi. "Citing Issue of Fairness, Governor Clears Out Death Row in Illinois." New York Times . 12 Jan. 2003. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/12/us/citing-issue-of-fairness-governor-clears-out-death-row-in-illinois.html.

Cite This Post

This blog post is provided free of charge and we encourage you to use it for your research and writing. However, we do require that you cite it properly using the citation provided below (in MLA format).

Ultius, Inc. "Expository MLA-Style Essay on the Death Penalty." Ultius Blog . Ultius | Custom Writing and Editing Services, 20 Apr. 2016. Web. <https://www.ultius.com/ultius-blog/entry/expository-mla-style-essay-on-the-death-penalty.html>

Thank you for practicing fair use.

This citation is in MLA format, if you need help with MLA format, click here to follow our citation style guide.

https://www.ultius.com/ultius-blog/entry/expository-mla-style-essay-on-the-death-penalty.html

  • Chicago Style

Ultius, Inc. "Expository MLA-Style Essay on the Death Penalty." Ultius | Custom Writing and Editing Services. Ultius Blog, 20 Apr. 2016. https://www.ultius.com/ultius-blog/entry/expository-mla-style-essay-on-the-death-penalty.html

Copied to clipboard

Click here for more help with MLA citations.

Ultius, Inc. (2016, April 20). Expository MLA-Style Essay on the Death Penalty. Retrieved from Ultius | Custom Writing and Editing Services, https://www.ultius.com/ultius-blog/entry/expository-mla-style-essay-on-the-death-penalty.html

Click here for more help with APA citations.

Ultius, Inc. "Expository MLA-Style Essay on the Death Penalty." Ultius | Custom Writing and Editing Services. April 20, 2016 https://www.ultius.com/ultius-blog/entry/expository-mla-style-essay-on-the-death-penalty.html.

Click here for more help with CMS citations.

Click here for more help with Turabian citations.

Ultius

Ultius is the trusted provider of content solutions and matches customers with highly qualified writers for sample writing, academic editing, and business writing. 

McAfee Secured

Tested Daily

Click to Verify

About The Author

This post was written by Ultius.

Ultius - Writing & Editing Help

  • Writer Options
  • Custom Writing
  • Business Documents
  • Support Desk
  • +1-800-405-2972
  • Submit bug report
  • A+ BBB Rating!

Ultius is the trusted provider of content solutions for consumers around the world. Connect with great American writers and get 24/7 support.

Download Ultius for Android on the Google Play Store

© 2024 Ultius, Inc.

  • Refund & Cancellation Policy

Free Money For College!

Yeah. You read that right —We're giving away free scholarship money! Our next drawing will be held soon.

Our next winner will receive over $500 in funds. Funds can be used for tuition, books, housing, and/or other school expenses. Apply today for your chance to win!

* We will never share your email with third party advertisers or send you spam.

** By providing my email address, I am consenting to reasonable communications from Ultius regarding the promotion.

Past winner

Past Scholarship Winner - Shannon M.

  • Name Samantha M.
  • From Pepperdine University '22
  • Studies Psychology
  • Won $2,000.00
  • Award SEED Scholarship
  • Awarded Sep. 5, 2018

Thanks for filling that out.

Check your inbox for an email about the scholarship and how to apply.

Writing Universe - logo

  • Environment
  • Information Science
  • Social Issues
  • Argumentative
  • Cause and Effect
  • Classification
  • Compare and Contrast
  • Descriptive
  • Exemplification
  • Informative
  • Controversial
  • Exploratory
  • What Is an Essay
  • Length of an Essay
  • Generate Ideas
  • Types of Essays
  • Structuring an Essay
  • Outline For Essay
  • Essay Introduction
  • Thesis Statement
  • Body of an Essay
  • Writing a Conclusion
  • Essay Writing Tips
  • Drafting an Essay
  • Revision Process
  • Fix a Broken Essay
  • Format of an Essay
  • Essay Examples
  • Essay Checklist
  • Essay Writing Service
  • Pay for Research Paper
  • Write My Research Paper
  • Write My Essay
  • Custom Essay Writing Service
  • Admission Essay Writing Service
  • Pay for Essay
  • Academic Ghostwriting
  • Write My Book Report
  • Case Study Writing Service
  • Dissertation Writing Service
  • Coursework Writing Service
  • Lab Report Writing Service
  • Do My Assignment
  • Buy College Papers
  • Capstone Project Writing Service
  • Buy Research Paper
  • Custom Essays for Sale

Can’t find a perfect paper?

  • Free Essay Samples
  • Death Penalty

Essays on Death Penalty

Your death penalty essay should provide a definition of the death penalty – it is an exceptional measure of punishment that can only be established for especially grave crimes. Death penalty essays usually state that in 1972 the Supreme Court abolished the death penalty in the United States, but reinstated it at the state level in 1976 and at the federal level in 1988. In 2019, 22 people were executed in the United States due to state court decisions. Seventeen of the 50 states and the District of Columbia do not have the death penalty. More than half of the death sentences occur in seven southern states: Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Missouri, Alabama, Florida, and Virginia. Current essays on death penalty should note that in 2020 the first federal death row prisoner in 17 years was executed in Indiana. View the death penalty essay samples below. Informative samples will help you compose a great essay!

The movie “Return to Paradise,” raises profound ethical questions regarding personal mortality as well as lawyers’ ethical responsibility. The movie revolves around three young Americans who enjoy a cheap and sensual summer in Malaysia, usually while stone on cheap hashish. Two of them, Sheriff and Tony, return to the United...

Capital Punishment: A Controversial Concept Capital punishment refers to a legal death penalty for defendants found guilty of their charges; a concept that is continually finding its way into all circles in life due to its controversial nature. In Western Europe, the United States is the only country currently where the...

In the present times, most nations are determining in ensuring that the individuals live in peace and harmony. In order to achieve this, there are numerous laws that have been established relating on how to deal with individuals who commit crimes such as murder, robbery with violence, rape, physical assault...

Words: 1178

Head, Tom. “5 Arguments for the Death Penalty.” ThoughtCo, 19 Feb. 2017, https://www.thoughtco.com/arguments-for-the-death-penalty-721136. Accessed 30 Jul. 2018. In this paper, Tom Head puts forward his arguments in support of the death penalty. He observes the waning support of the capital punishment in the United States by referring to a recent Gallup...

Words: 2032

Texas Death Penalty: Controversies and Considerations Texas has been using the legal death penalty for capital offenses for a very long time, executing a lot of people compared to the other states in the United States of America. Texas should cease using the death penalty in cases that are contradicting or...

The debate on the constitutionality and the need for the death penalty in the united states and globally has polarized the country as different schools of thought have come up to support the capital punishment while others have sharply criticized this action (Reynolds, 2015). Another group of individuals has been...

Words: 1163

Found a perfect essay sample but want a unique one?

Request writing help from expert writer in you feed!

Death Penalty Death penalty is also recognized as capital punishment, which is a suction practice by the government where a law offender is put to death as a penalty due to the crime. The crimes which are punished through execution are known as capital offenses, and they are such as war...

Words: 1997

The death penalty is a situation whereby death is given to someone having committed crime. It is also termed as capital punishment. In the past centuries capital punishment was familiar, but recently it has reduced. Due to its argumentation, it has brought many controversies thus the need to shut down....

Words: 1791

Death Penalty: History and Introduction Death penalty is also recognized as capital punishment, which is a suction practice by the government where a law offender is put to death as a penalty due to the crime. The crimes which are punished through execution are known as capital offenses, and they are...

Words: 1989

The Decline of Death Sentences in the United States The leveling of death sentences by American courts is not a secret. However, there has been a decline in the number of jurisdictions imposing death penalties in the recent past. Despite the decline, Texas still leads the country's executions. Texas is estimated...

The first four episodes of The Last Defense examine the criminal case established against Darlie Routier. The first episode depicts how a housewife in Dallas was sentenced to death for the malicious homicide of her two sons. Routier’s husband narrates the events as they unfolded from his perspective. The second...

Words: 1418

The death penalty also known as capital punishment refers to the termination of a criminal’s life by the state as a way to ensure social justice.  Capital offenses include murder, rape, kidnapping, treason and other higher-level criminal activities that are brutal in nature. Capital punishment is a controversial topic in...

Words: 2884

Related topic to Death Penalty

You might also like.

We use cookies to enhance our website for you. Proceed if you agree to this policy or learn more about it.

  • Essay Database >
  • Essay Examples >
  • Essays Topics >
  • Essay on Study

Research Proposal On Death Penalty

Type of paper: Research Proposal

Topic: Study , Social Issues , Education , Punishment , Criminal Justice , Death , Death Penalty , Crime

Words: 1100

Published: 03/12/2020

ORDER PAPER LIKE THIS

Introduction

The topic that was chosen for this research study is the death penalty. The occurrence of heinous crimes and rise in the criminality rate supports the restoration of death penalty. Many of the death penalty advocates believe that is a legitimate sanction against murderers for retributive purposes. The more compelling reason to restore the death penalty is the positive claims on its deterrent effect to future crimes. Thus, the punishment can be regarded as a lawful discipline to discourage hardened criminals from their wrongdoings. This topic was chosen because there are several countries around the globe which questioned the legitimacy of the death penalty on the basis of social, religious and political beliefs. In countries like Europe and the U.S., the death penalty has been disallowed due to claims of violation of human rights a flagrant violation of the one’s right to life and dignity (Bedau & Cassell, 2005). Thesis Statement: The death penalty should be restored based on its deterrent effects by instilling fear among criminals on the legal consequences of crimes.

Background of the Study

There had been deterrence researches showing that the imposition of the death penalty lowers the homicide rates. In 1970, Isaac Ehrlich first discovered deterrent effects of the death penalty when he studied its effects after the execution of convicted criminals for the years 1933 and 1969. Ehrlich’s study showed that the death penalty was able to prevent eight homicides (Radelet & Akers, 1996). However, there was a need to conduct succeeding empirical research studies by criminologists headed by Thorsten Sellin. Sellin formulated the hypothesis that there is a strong and solid probability that the death penalty carries long-term deterrent effects on homicide rates in comparison to life imprisonment (Radelet & Arkers, 1996). There were other criminologists who affirmed these findings in the person of Lawrence R, Klein, who affirmed the results of the study by Isaac Ehrlich on the deterrent effect of the death penalty on future crimes in 1970 (Radelet & Arkers, 1996). At present, the death penalty is presumed to have deterrent effects the remains to be a debatable issue that is highly criticized. Therefore, there is a need to perform a new study on the whether the death penalty can deter crimes by showing concrete evidence to change the position of the policy makers for the restoration of the punishment.

Goals and Objectives

The main objective of this research study is to conduct an investigation of the potential preventive effect of death penalty on crimes that may be committed in the future. The research study will be able to accomplish this objective by: - Examining and probing the criminality rate in the U.S. for the last five (5) years and comparing it for the past five years - Investigating the different factors that influence criminals to commit crimes - Establishing the imposition of death penalty to prevent criminals to commit crimes or offenses in the future

Research Questions

- What are the factors that may influence the criminals to commit crimes? - What are the possible effects of the death penalty on criminals? - What role does the government play in ensuring the criminality rate will not increase? - What is the potential effect of capital punishment or death penalty on homicide rates?

Learning Objectives for the Study

Towards the completion of the research, the researcher is expected to: - Identify the factors that influence criminals to commit crimes. - Understand impact of the death penalty on criminals. 3. Analyze data from various sources that will sufficiently answer the research questions and explore other alternative explanations. The researcher will use of different data taken from scholarly journals, books, websites and newspapers on the potential preventive or restrictive effect of the death penalty based on the state-level panel data was gathered the fifty states in America and Columbia for the past ten years from 1995 to 2006. The dependent variable to be used shall be the number of homicide that occurred in 100,000 persons in each state. Other data and information shall be based on findings taken from reported deterrence investigations that were published in order to analyze the deterrent effects of the death penalty (Bailey, 1978).

The main concern of the researcher is that there may not be enough sources to make generalizations that may affect the conclusions of the research.

Resources Needed

The resources needed for this research study will include: - Electronic libraries that stores a collection of past research and academic journals that are relevant to the study. - Computer and Internet: The researcher will be using laptop and needs a good internet service to conduct the study. Literature Review The thesis statement claims that the death penalty carries a long-term deterrent effect against criminals and prevents them to commit future crimes. However, the deterrent effect of the death penalty continues to be controversial and a debatable issue. Hence, this research study will show that the death penalty has deterrent effect and is more effective to prevent future crimes as opposed to life imprisonment. The researcher will use various sources to prove or disprove the thesis statement. References: Bailey, W. C. (1978). Some further evidence on imprisonment vs. the death penalty as a deterrent to murder. Law and Human Behavior, 2(3), 245-260. Bedau, H.and Cassell P.G. (2005). Debating the Death Penalty: Should America Have Capital Punishment? New York, USA: Oxford University Press. Chalfin, A., Haviland, A., & Raphael, S. (2013). What Do Panel Studies Tell Us About a Deterrent Effect of Capital Punishment? A Critique of the Literature. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 29(1), 5-43. Choe, J. (2010). Another Look at the Deterrent Effect of Death Penalty. Journal of Advanced Research in Law & Economics, 1(1), 12-15. Ehrlich, I. (1975). The Deterrent Effect of Capital Punishment: A Question of Life and Death. American Economic Review, 65(3), 397. Fagan, J., Zimring, F. E., & Geller, A. (2006). Capital Punishment and Capital Murder: Market Share and the Deterrent Effects of the Death Penalty. Texas Law Review, 84(7), 1803-1847. Johnson, D. T & Zimring, F. E. (2009). The Next Frontier: National Development, Political Change, and the Death Penalty in Asia. London: Oxford University Press. Radelet, M. L., & Akers, R. L. (1996). Deterrence and the Death Penalty: The Views of the Experts. Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology, 87(1), 1.

double-banner

Cite this page

Share with friends using:

Removal Request

Removal Request

Finished papers: 646

This paper is created by writer with

ID 281485203

If you want your paper to be:

Well-researched, fact-checked, and accurate

Original, fresh, based on current data

Eloquently written and immaculately formatted

275 words = 1 page double-spaced

submit your paper

Get your papers done by pros!

Other Pages

Planet literature reviews, barrett book reviews, manifest destiny book reviews, gettysburg book reviews, garden book reviews, feudalism book reviews, stamp act book reviews, pilgrimage book reviews, twins book reviews, trojan war book reviews, anglo saxon book reviews, cooper essays, scored essays, poor man essays, yum brands essays, durezol essays, classics of public administration essays, basalis essays, diphyllobothrium essays, autogenic essays, consumer science essays, windsor 75 diner restuarant essay examples, my experience with tuberculosis research paper example, essay on colorectal cancer prevention strategies for the asian american population, example of essay on sustainability the impact of recyclable, example of article review on procrastination, childhood obesity essay, good example of essay on appropriation and commodification, essay on dates, greek philosophy and art course work examples, example of supplier relationship management essay, ethics in leaving nursing profession essays examples, a sketch of david beckham essay sample, example of research paper on measuring customer satisfaction, situational analysis for starbucks course work examples, free essay about the drawing technique of leonardo da vinci, cafes monte bianco case studies example, good essay on the leadership challenge, hugo and lago essays examples, engineering systems meeting human needs in a complex technological world book review example, example of essay on bddc 2014conference location, good article review about bitcoin a peer to peer electronic cash system by satoshi nakamoto, good example of the economic effects of legalization of marijuana research paper.

Password recovery email has been sent to [email protected]

Use your new password to log in

You are not register!

By clicking Register, you agree to our Terms of Service and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Now you can download documents directly to your device!

Check your email! An email with your password has already been sent to you! Now you can download documents directly to your device.

or Use the QR code to Save this Paper to Your Phone

The sample is NOT original!

Short on a deadline?

Don't waste time. Get help with 11% off using code - GETWOWED

No, thanks! I'm fine with missing my deadline

Argumentative essay on death penalty

3
799
, , , ,

death penalty proposal essay

In 1994, Seth Penalver was sentenced to death for a brutal murder that involved three individuals. There was no actual physical evidence relating him to the crime. The only evidence they had was a video with poor quality in which the murderer’s face could not be seen as well. Penalver remained in custody until 2012, when he was finally acquitted of all charges. (Florida: Seth Penalver, acquitted in 2012) Death Penalty is a crime. The death penalty is unjustifiable, hypocritical and leads to false imprisonment that results in executions that are later discovered to be found.

Seth Penalver case is just among the countless cases that have been recorded by individuals who have been on the verge of death due to poor apprehension tactics in their case. Investigations that have been carried out in numerous states following the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1976 reveals that there are numerous people who were executed yet innocent. It is inevitable to state that the execution of any innocent individual is morally reprehensible. Despite the effort that has been put into guaranteeing proper investigation and conviction of individuals brought in front of a court, no case is fool proof (Ogletree 18). Thus, there might be the conviction of people into death row yet innocent. Based on this, it is recommendable that all individuals, if found guilty beyond reasonable doubt, are given a sentence of life without parole which is reasonably effective. The sentencing of death to some criminals might put them out of the misery they might have endured in prison.

The manipulation of the judicial system has been evident where in history it is recorded that factors such as race influenced the death sentence in certain states. This is evident in cases whereby if an African American murdered a white man, he or she was likely to be sentenced to death which is unlike if the situation was reversed. In states such as Oregon, there have been numerous accounts of biases whereby the blacks were victimized by being given the death sentence, which would not have been the case if a white man killed an African American. The death row system has also been a significant waste of the taxpayers money whereby in cases such as the 1995 Washington County murder cases an estimated $1.5 million shillings was spent yet only one of the three suspects was sentenced to death (Ellsworth and Samuel 28). An investigation conducted by the Oregon Department of Administrative Service has made statements that the abolishment of the death row system would save the federal government a substantial amount of resources that could be utilized in significant development projects.

Despite the overwhelming evidence that may be rendered against a suspect, it is important to note that this does not necessarily make them guilty. However, the lack of a proper defense, particularly among suspects who do not have the financial resources to hire a good lawyer, are likely to be found guilty and sentenced to death. An analysis of the numerous cases that the death penalty has been reversed there has been overwhelming evidence pointing out poor counsel. A study conducted by the Columbia University argues that an estimated 68% of appeals made by individuals sentenced to death have been reversed due to ineffective assistance of counsel. Based on this understanding, it would be inappropriate to continuously sentence people to death row as there are numerous factors that could contribute to misjudgment.

Despite the numerous arguments that have been presented in support of the abolishment of the death penalty, there continues to exist counter arguments who believe that the death penalty should be upheld. Among the substantial arguments that have been presented is that, the public execution of the said offenders serves a public reminder to criminals that crime is not rewarding. Speculations reveal that an evaluation of the rate of homicide in numerous states significantly dropped after the incorporation of the death sentence (Hood and Carolyn 7). The further argument presented in support of the death penalty states that the execution of a convicted felon guarantees that the killer will never be engaged in the act again. This argument has been supported by the fact that a significant number of people have been killed by convicted felons who managed to get parole or escaped from jail.

death penalty proposal essay

Irrespective of the varied arguments that have been presented in support of the death penalty, I believe that everyone has the capacity to change. It would, therefore, be inappropriate to sentence convicted felons to death without giving them an opportunity to express their remorse towards their actions. It is important that other means of dealing with criminals who are engaged in great crimes is developed because the death sentence has seemingly had no positive impact on lowering the crime rate.

  • Ellsworth, Phoebe C., and Samuel R. Gross. “Hardening of the attitudes: Americans’ views on the death penalty.” Journal of Social Issues 50.2 (1994): 19-52.
  • Hood, Roger, and Carolyn Hoyle. The death penalty: A worldwide perspective. OUP Oxford, 2015.
  • Ogletree Jr, Charles J. “Black man’s burden: Race and the death penalty in America.” Or. L. Rev. 81 (2002): 15.
  • Bill of Rights
  • Civil Disobedience
  • Drunk Driving
  • First Amendment
  • Forensic Science
  • Gang Violence
  • Human Rights
  • Identity Theft

death penalty proposal essay

Persuasive Essay Writing

Persuasive Essay About Death Penalty

Cathy A.

Craft an Effective Argument: Examples of Persuasive Essay About Death Penalty

Published on: Jan 27, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 29, 2024

Persuasive Essay About Death Penalty

People also read

How to Write a Persuasive Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide

Easy and Unique Persuasive Essay Topics with Tips

The Basics of Crafting an Outstanding Persuasive Essay Outline

Ace Your Next Essay With These Persuasive Essay Examples!

Persuasive Essay About Gun Control - Best Examples for Students

Top Examples of Persuasive Essay about Covid-19

Learn How To Write An Impressive Persuasive Essay About Business

Learn How to Craft a Compelling Persuasive Essay About Abortion With Examples!

Make Your Point: Tips and Examples for Writing a Persuasive Essay About Online Education

Learn How To Craft a Powerful Persuasive Essay About Bullying

Craft an Engaging Persuasive Essay About Smoking: Examples & Tips

Learn How to Write a Persuasive Essay About Social Media With Examples

Share this article

No matter what topic we're discussing, there is usually a range of opinions and viewpoints on the issues. 

But when it comes to more serious matters like the death penalty, creating an effective argument can become tricky. 

Although this topic may be difficult to tackle, you can still write an engaging persuasive essay to convey your point.

In this blog post, we'll explore how you can use examples of persuasive essays on death penalty topics.

So put your rhetorical skills to the test, and let’s dive right into sample essays and tips. 

On This Page On This Page -->

What Do We Mean by a Persuasive Essay?

A persuasive essay is a type of writing that attempts to persuade the reader or audience.

This essay usually presents an argument supported by evidence and examples. The main aim is to convince the reader or audience to take action or accept a certain viewpoint. 

Persuasive essays may be written from a neutral or biased perspective and contain personal opinions.

To do this, you must provide clear reasoning and evidence to support your argument. Persuasive essays can take many forms, including speeches, letters, articles, and opinion pieces. 

It is important to consider the audience when writing a persuasive essay. The language used should be tailored to their understanding of the topic. 

Read our comprehensive guide on persuasive essays to know all about crafting excellent essays.

Order Essay

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Let's move on to some examples so that you can better understand this topic.

Persuasive Essay About Death Penalty Examples

Are you feeling stuck with the task of writing a persuasive essay about the death penalty? 

Looking for some examples to get your ideas flowing? 

You’re in luck — we’ve got just the thing! Take a look at these free downloadable examples.

Example of a Persuasive essay about death penalty

Persuasive essay about death penalty in the Philippines

Short Persuasive essay about death penalty

Persuasive essay about death penalty should be abolished

The death penalty pros and cons essay

Looking for some more examples on persuasive essays? Check out our blog about persuasive essay examples !

Argumentative Essay About Death Penalty Examples 

We have compiled some of the best examples to help you start crafting your essay.

These examples will provide dynamic perspectives and insights from real-world legal cases to personal essays. 

Have a look at them to get inspired!!

Argumentative essay about death penalty in the Philippines

Argumentative essay about death penalty with introduction body conclusion

Argumentative essay about death penalty should be abolished

Argumentative essay about death penalty conclusion

6 Tips To Write an A+ Persuasive Essay

We know it can be daunting to compose a perfect essay that effectively conveys your point of view to your readers. Worry no more. 

Simply follow these 6 tips, and you will be on your way to a perfect persuasive essay.

1. Understand the assignment and audience

 Before you start writing your essay, you must understand what type of essay you are being asked to write. Who your target audience should be?

Make sure you know exactly what you’re arguing for and against, as this will help shape your essay's content.

2. Brainstorm and research

Once you understand the topic better, brainstorm ideas that support your argument.

During this process, be sure to do additional research on any unfamiliar points or topics.

3. Create an outline

After doing your initial research, create an outline for your essay that includes all the main points you want to make. 

This will help keep your thoughts organized and ensure you cover all the necessary points cohesively.

Check out our extensive guide on persuasive essay outlines to master the art of creating essays.

4. Make an argument

Use persuasive language and techniques to construct your essay. Strong evidence, such as facts and statistics, can also help to strengthen your argument.

5. Edit and revise 

Before you submit your essay, take the time to edit and revise it carefully. 

This will ensure that your argument is clear and concise and that there are no grammar or spelling errors.

6. Get feedback

Lastly, consider asking someone else to read over your essay before you submit it.

Feedback from another person can help you see any weaknesses in your argument or areas that need improvement. 

Summing up, 

Writing a persuasive essay about the death penalty doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With these examples and tips, you can be sure to write an essay that will impress your teacher.

Whether it’s an essay about the death penalty or any other controversial topic, you can ace it with these steps! 

Remember, the key is to be creative and organized in your writing!

Don't have time to write your essay? 

Don't stress! Leave it to us! Our persuasive essay writing service is here to help! 

Contact the team of experts at our essay writing service. We can help you write a creative, well-organized, and engaging essay for the reader. 

Our persuasive essay writer will write the best essay for you at affordable rates! Moreover, we provide free revisions and other exclusive perks!

So don't delay! Ask us to write an essay for me today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most persuasive argument for the death penalty.

The most persuasive argument for the death penalty is that it is a deterrent to violent crime. 

The idea is that by punishing criminals, other potential criminals will be less likely to act out of fear of similar punishment.

How do you start a persuasive speech on the death penalty?

When starting a persuasive speech on the death penalty, begin by introducing and defining the topic. Provide an overview of the controversial issue. 

Outline your points and arguments clearly, including evidence to support your position. 

What are good topics for persuasive essays?

Good topics for persuasive essays include 

  • Whether or not the death penalty is a fair punishment for violent crime
  • Whether harsher punishments will reduce crime rates
  • Will capital punishment is worth the costs associated with it
  • How rehabilitation should be taken into consideration when dealing with criminals.

Cathy A. (Marketing, Literature)

For more than five years now, Cathy has been one of our most hardworking authors on the platform. With a Masters degree in mass communication, she knows the ins and outs of professional writing. Clients often leave her glowing reviews for being an amazing writer who takes her work very seriously.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Get Help

Keep reading

Persuasive Essay About Death Penalty

Legal & Policies

  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Refunds & Cancellations
  • Our Writers
  • Success Stories
  • Our Guarantees
  • Affiliate Program
  • Referral Program
  • AI Essay Writer

Disclaimer: All client orders are completed by our team of highly qualified human writers. The essays and papers provided by us are not to be used for submission but rather as learning models only.

death penalty proposal essay

Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Death Penalty — Persuasive Paper on the Death Penalty

test_template

Persuasive Paper on The Death Penalty

  • Categories: Death Penalty

About this sample

close

Words: 501 |

Published: Jun 14, 2024

Words: 501 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Image of Dr. Oliver Johnson

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:

Let us write you an essay from scratch

  • 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
  • Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

author

Prof. Kifaru

Verified writer

  • Expert in: Social Issues

writer

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

5 pages / 2452 words

4 pages / 1775 words

5 pages / 1731 words

2 pages / 743 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Death Penalty

Should the death penalty be abolished? Essay on this question can be quite controversial, no matter what side of the argument is chosen. But it is important to understand the reasons why the death penalty should be abolished. [...]

The death penalty has been a contentious issue in the United States for decades. Advocates argue that it serves as a deterrent for heinous crimes, while opponents highlight the moral and ethical implications of state-sanctioned [...]

Imagine a society without laws, where chaos and anarchy reign supreme. Criminals would roam freely, causing harm and instilling fear in the hearts of innocent individuals. It is in this context that criminal law plays a crucial [...]

In his essay "The Penalty of Death," H.L. Mencken presents a thought-provoking argument against capital punishment. Mencken addresses the issue from various angles, providing historical context, analyzing the moral implications, [...]

The "death penalty" should never exist in the first place. The "death penalty" is wrong.. It should not be given to anybody, whether they are under the age of 18 or not. It is morally wrong and will be the doom of America, The [...]

The Death Penalty has frequently been on the rise lately. In Micheal Cohen’s “Death Penalty should be Abolished now”, he gives some very good valid point on why the Death Penalty should be Abolished. Starting off with one being [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

  • Instructions Followed To The Letter
  • Deadlines Met At Every Stage
  • Unique And Plagiarism Free

death penalty proposal essay

IMAGES

  1. The death penalty is wrong thesis proposal

    death penalty proposal essay

  2. Death Penalty Essay Introduction Free Essay Example

    death penalty proposal essay

  3. Death Penalty Essay Outline

    death penalty proposal essay

  4. Free Death Penalty: Research Proposal Research Proposal Sample

    death penalty proposal essay

  5. SOLUTION: Death penalty argumentative essay

    death penalty proposal essay

  6. Death Penalty Essay

    death penalty proposal essay

COMMENTS

  1. Should the Death Penalty Be Legal?: [Essay Example], 649 words

    Introduction. The legality of the death penalty remains one of the most contentious issues in modern society. As a form of capital punishment, it is intended to serve as the ultimate deterrent against heinous crimes such as murder and terrorism. Proponents argue that the death penalty delivers justice, provides closure to victims' families, and ...

  2. ≡Essays on Death Penalty: Top 10 Examples by GradesFixer

    5 pages / 2464 words. The purpose of this essay is to assess the viability of the death penalty as an operative castigation. The death penalty is defined as the legal killing an individual as a sentence. As of 2018, there were 53 countries that still have the death penalty... Death Penalty Society.

  3. Top 10 Pro & Con Arguments

    Top 10 Pro & Con Arguments. 1. Legality. The United States is one of 55 countries globally with a legal death penalty, according to Amnesty International. As of Mar. 24, 2021, within the US, 27 states had a legal death penalty (though 3 of those states had a moratorium on the punishment's use).

  4. 142 Death Penalty Research Questions & Essay Titles for Students

    This paper discusses the death penalty abolition in Illinois, Innocence Project, sentencing of the mentally retarded individuals, and the case of Stanley Williams. Death Penalty and Its Issues. Serious criminals have usually imposed a death sentence. This type of punishment continues to exist, even nowadays.

  5. Death Penalty

    83 essay samples found. The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, remains a contentious issue in many societies. Essays on this topic could explore the moral, legal, and social arguments surrounding the practice, including discussions on retribution, deterrence, and justice. They might delve into historical trends in the application ...

  6. The Death Penalty: Arguments and Alternative Solutions

    Arguments against the Death Penalty. A. Human rights. One of the strongest arguments against the death penalty is that it violates the right to life as stated in various international human rights conventions. Critics argue that the death penalty is a form of cruel and inhumane punishment, as it involves intentionally taking a person's life.

  7. 5 Death Penalty Essays Everyone Should Know

    5 Death Penalty Essays Everyone Should Know. Capital punishment is an ancient practice. It's one that human rights defenders strongly oppose and consider as inhumane and cruel. In 2019, Amnesty International reported the lowest number of executions in about a decade. Most executions occurred in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Egypt.

  8. Capital punishment

    Capital punishment - Arguments, Pros/Cons: Capital punishment has long engendered considerable debate about both its morality and its effect on criminal behaviour. Contemporary arguments for and against capital punishment fall under three general headings: moral, utilitarian, and practical. Supporters of the death penalty believe that those who commit murder, because they have taken the life ...

  9. Arguments against the Death Penalty

    This essay about the arguments against the death penalty explores its ethical, practical, and moral shortcomings. It presents a vivid narrative that critiques the justice system's fallibility, highlights discrimination based on race and class, and questions the human rights implications of state-sanctioned executions.

  10. Free Death Penalty: Research Proposal Research Proposal Sample

    Proposal. In order to make the death penalty acceptable to all parties, this researcher proposes a complete overhaul of the judicial process as to who is eligible to be placed under the death penalty, what crimes should include a death penalty sentence, and protocols on possible amnesty and case review.

  11. Benefits of the Death Penalty

    Essay Example: In the intricate tapestry of discourse surrounding the death penalty, proponents wield a diverse arsenal of arguments in defense of its continued existence within the justice system. They fervently advocate for its retention, contending that it serves as a formidable deterrent

  12. A Proposal To Change The Death Penalty

    A Proposal To Change The Death Penalty. A Proposal To Change The Death Penalty. By Bruce A. Clark [email protected]. I oppose the death penalty. I am by no means an expert on the laws or the detailed history of the death penalty, but this is not an issue where such expertise is necessary. I feel the way I do for what are probably common ...

  13. Expository MLA-Style Essay on the Death Penalty

    Ultius. 20 Apr 2016. The death penalty is a highly controversial practice in modern times. While many governments have outlawed it, some practice capital punishment on the state level. This sample expository essay explores those governments and how the death penalty plays a part in society. The United States is more or less the only advanced ...

  14. Essay on Research Proposal: Capital Punishment

    The death penalty is an execution sentence that a person convicted of a capital crime must face. A person can only be sentenced to death in 33 states (deathpenatly.org). There have been as of April 1, 2012, 3,170 death row inmates in the Unites States history, with an exception of the two inmates in New Mexico and eleven in Connecticut that ...

  15. The Death Penalty: is It Ethical and Effective in Crime Prevention?

    The death penalty has been a topic of debate for decades and is currently implemented across the globe. Supporters of the death penalty believe it acts as a deterrence to heinous crimes, such as murder, while opponents argue that it is morally wrong and ineffective in preventing crime.

  16. Essays on Death Penalty

    Death penalty essays usually state that in 1972 the Supreme Court abolished the death penalty in the United States, but reinstated it at the state level in 1976 and at the federal level in 1988. In 2019, 22 people were executed in the United States due to state court decisions. Seventeen of the 50 states and the District of Columbia do not have ...

  17. Proposal Essay On Capital Punishment In The United States

    Capital punishment is also known as the death penalty, this is the most extreme of all the sentencing one can receive. In the US, capital punishment has been present since the establishment of the original colonies. It is especially for capital offenses; as in federal murder, treason, terrorism, espionage, and large scale drug trafficking.

  18. Research Proposal On Death Penalty

    The main objective of this research study is to conduct an investigation of the potential preventive effect of death penalty on crimes that may be committed in the future. The research study will be able to accomplish this objective by: - Examining and probing the criminality rate in the U.S. for the last five (5) years and comparing it for the ...

  19. Argumentative essay on death penalty

    In 1994, Seth Penalver was sentenced to death for a brutal murder that involved three individuals. There was no actual physical evidence relating him to the crime. The only evidence they had was a video with poor quality in which the murderer's face could not be seen as well. Penalver remained in custody until 2012, when he was finally ...

  20. 10+ Top Examples of Persuasive Essay About Death Penalty

    6. Get feedback. Lastly, consider asking someone else to read over your essay before you submit it. Feedback from another person can help you see any weaknesses in your argument or areas that need improvement. Summing up, Writing a persuasive essay about the death penalty doesnâ t have to be overwhelming. With these examples and tips, you can ...

  21. Persuasive Paper on The Death Penalty

    One of the most debated topics in the criminal justice system is the death penalty. While some argue that it serves as a deterrent and retribution for the most serious offenses, others believe it violates human rights and lacks effectiveness. This essay will explore the various aspects of the death penalty and argue that it should be abolished.

  22. Death penalty

    The use of the death penalty is not consistent with the right to life and the right to live free from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. There is growing consensus for universal abolition of the death penalty. Some 170 States have abolished or introduced a moratorium on the death penalty either in law or in practice.

  23. Philippines death penalty: A fight to stop the return of capital ...

    Ms Diokno, who leads her group's anti-death penalty task force, has been braced for a battle with Mr Duterte ever since he vowed to bring back the death penalty as part of his election campaign.