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Legalized Death Penalty

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Death as a punishment. Is it cruel and unusual? Or is it justified? According to Opposing Viewpoints, 32 of the states in the US have the death penalty legalized. With the majority of the states having the death penalty legalized, it is not hard to see why. By using the death penalty as a form of punishment, it helps to deter further murders, it helps to give closure to the victim's family, and costs much less to the government than keeping prisoners in prison without parole.
"Let a parking meter expire, and you risk a $20 ticket; park in a handicapped spot, and risk a $200 ticket. Which violation are you less likely to commit?" (Jacoby). The use the death penalty helps to discourage further murder. In a study done by Professors Hashem Dezhbakhsh, Paul R. Rubin, and Joanna M. Shepherd at Emory University they found that "each execution, on average, results in 18 fewer murders." (Muhlhausen, Dezhbakhsh) The data was taken from 3,054 United States counties from 1977-1996. This data proves that someone is less likely to murder when they know that the consequence for their actions is death. …show more content…
When the death penalty is in place, it puts the family to ease knowing that the criminal cannot affect anyone else. Whenever the death penalty is a possible punishment, it is discussed with the victim's family to see their opinion. The final decision is made by the local government, but the family's position is always considered. "Victims... have a constitutional right to make a statement to the court ... and the Commission strongly believes that victim impact statements are and should be a critical part of the criminal justice process."

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