Salena Comeau

CCDE 110
Student choice
10/14/12
Capital punishment wrong or right?
The argument of whether the death penalty is effective is an age-old and
contentious issue. Many people believe that an eye for an eye mentality is
barbaric and goes against basic human morals. Others and I myself have the
opinion that it can be used to prevent further crimes. It creates the fear of not
wanting to commit those crimes, it gives closure to families and it shows that the
justice system has no sympathy for the criminals.
First the death penalty strikes fear in criminals. If they know what their
outcome for committing certain crimes will be the death penalty, maybe it will make
them think twice before committing it. Perhaps they might say to their selves is this
really worth dying over?
Second is that it gives familys closure. Many believe that an eye for an eye is
morally wrong but these people tend to have never been a victim to a loved one be
murdered. Now a days it is a luxury to be jail not having to work a day in your life.
You have a bed, food and a place to call home. Thats why most homeless people
commit crimes so they have somewhere to sleep at night. So most victims ask why
does the criminal get to decide if someone is worthy of dying but a jury cant? Why
should that criminal be allowed to live a life style that others would want?
For example the case of Pamela Ballin is one where the family of the victim
didnt get justice. Ballin was on trial accused of killing Rickey Ballin in their home in
2009.She claimed he died during a home invasion. A jury disagreed and found her
guilty of murder.(wsb-tv 2014) After debating DeKalb County Judge Mark
Scott decided to release Ballin on her previous and later issued a directed verdict. A

Salena Comeau
CCDE 110
Student choice
10/14/12
directed verdict is when the judge decides theres not enough evidence for a case to
go to a jury.
Lastly, there would be no sympathy. I myself believe in the saying an eye for
an eye. Society has gone soft, people believe that everyone deserves to be coddled.
We shouldnt feel sorry for criminals they knew the rules and they broke them.
Courts tend to give less hard of a punishment to women. In the article Chivalry Is
Not Dead: Murder, Gender, and the Death Penalty they provide a study that found
substantial gender-of-defendant and gender of victim disparities. Women guilty of
capital murder were far less likely than men to be sentenced to death, and
defendants who killed women were far more likely to be sentenced to death than
defendants who killed men( Steven Shatz and Naomi Shatz,2012,p.33).Why is this?
Does society have a soft spot when it comes to women?
This is not an easy yes or no question. Whether we need to get rid of it completely
or continue to use it. In 2013 the death penalty was carried out seven times in
Florida, six times in Oklahoma, three times in Ohio, twice in Arizona and Missouri
and once each in Alabama, Georgia and Virginia.
In the article39 Death Row Executions in 2013, a 10% Drop from Last Year
Subramanian states that the death penalty was carried out 39 times in 2013, almost
a 10 percent drop from the 43 government ruled executions last year, according to
an annual report from the Death Penalty Information Center. An annual Gallup poll
showed that just 60 percent of Americans approve of the death penalty, the lowest
level in 40 years (Courtney Subramanian, 2013). This makes me wonder what could
be causing people to change their views on the death penalty.

Salena Comeau
CCDE 110
Student choice
10/14/12
In conclusion the death penalty still to this day is a highly talked about subject. Yes
it had it faults but still has many benefits. I myself am in favor of the death penalty
and hope that we will continue to use it.

References:
Woman walks free after killing husband; Family outraged. (n.d.). Retrieved
November 7, 2014.
39 Death Row Executions in 2013, a 10% Drop from Last Year | TIME.com. (n.d.).
Retrieved November 7, 2014.