By Fernando Garcia-Ruiz
In our justice system, capital punishment is the “worst” punishment for a crime, which means the execution of a criminal after being convicted. Criminals sentenced to death are usually criminals who have committed murder, genocide, or killing or kidnapping a person of power. Many believe a death sentence is the best to deal with these types of criminals but in reality, it isn't.
One argument is that giving criminals a death sentence is essentially an “easy way out.” This is because if a criminal is sentenced to death, they will not get to experience jail or isolation. When people want justice they want the punishment that will give criminals the worst experience.
Jail is not a pretty place and it is a place for criminals for a reason. But criminals who commit severe crimes are usually hidden away from other inmates and do not get to see the outside world. This is the worst punishment one could have. Not death, but the feeling of loneliness in a place where you are treated like an animal.
If people want justice do not just kill them off. Instead, send them to a place where they will be forced to relive and rethink the crime they have done and live the rest of their lives in regret and sorrow. In fact, sites.psu.edu states “Some criminals that commit crime so severe ultimately prefer that instead of living the rest of their life in a prison.” Criminals prefer to be executed since the execution is quick and ultimately painless.
Another argument is if the criminal was wrongly convicted. Take for example Derrick Jamison, he was sentenced to death after being convicted of murder. Then new evidence was found that a district attorney illegally withheld evidence from the defense.
He explained the feeling of the day he was going to be executed before being released after new evidence was found. He explains how the guards even felt bad for him and some even cried. This shows how unfair the situation was.
Imagine how many people are wrongly convicted and sentenced to death. Imagine all those people who didn't get saved like Derrick Jamison did.
Sentencing inmates to death is cruel and inhumane. Yes, some of these criminals have done some horrible things but people do not get to decide who dies and who lives. We do not get to take a human life just because we think one deserves it.
Criminals who have committed severe crimes should be sent to isolation where they will never see the sun again. Here they will reflect on their mistakes and get the treatment they need. This treatment is not so that they can be set free but so that they can better their mentality and hopefully come to a realization and see the horrible act that they have committed.