The issue of the use of death penalty as capital punishment is a complex issue because the stance one may take is greatly influenced by subjective reasons.
It is imperative to note first that the use of the capital punishment cannot be a sole variable to deterring crime. While committing a crime, there is almost a null chance that a criminal might pose to think about the possible punishment for their crimes especially if they are they are not in their right minds. Even with this knowledge at hand, the contribution of the death penalty to reducing crimes cannot be assumed. This essay will take the stance of support for death penalty through a proper model that most backs the rationale and research that has been carried supporting the position. The deterrence theory provides an appropriate model for supporting the position on death penalty taken.
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The concept it presents provides an optimal foundation for predicting how criminals will behave given different sanctions, in this case, the death penalty. The theory propagates that, the wrongdoers just like any other law abiding person, will make choices depending on the costs they will incur and the expected benefits from the choice (Paternoster, 2010). Therefore, a wrongdoer will not engage in an act with explicit knowledge of the repercussions. According to Mahlhausen, research carried out using up to date panel data techniques show that death penalty reduces incidences of murder and consequently, more saved lives. Research by Professors Dezhbakhsh and Shepherd assessed the link between the death penalty and murder acts during, before and after the death sanction moratorium by the US Supreme Court, ranging 1960-2000. The findings indicated that th
sanction had a significant effect on reducing murder incidences (Mahlhausen, 2007).
As a criminal justice professional, the position taken will enable me to be more pro-active in matters of capital punishment and in essence ensuring justice is afforded to victims. The stance also shapes my perspectives towards saving lives through deterring crime and hence my professional efforts will be consolidated with the goal of saving lives through advocating for the death penalty.
Reference
- Muhlhausen, D. (2007). The Death Penalty Deters Crime and Saves Lives. The Heritage Foundation. Retrieved 5 May 2016, from http://www.heritage.org/research/testimony/the-death-penalty-deters-crime-and-saves- lives
- Paternoster, R. (2010). How Much Do We Really Know about Criminal Deterrence? Journal Of Criminal Law And Criminology, 100(3).
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