"I believe that more people would be alive today if there was a Death Penalty." -Nancy Reagan
The death penalty is a very good way to punish criminals and to deter future murderers from killing. Several important political leaders, such as Stephen Harper, support the death penalty.
There are several reasons why the death penalty is a good thing. Some of these reasons include:
There are several reasons why the death penalty is a good thing. Some of these reasons include:
Deterrence:
Having the death penalty as a punishment is a good way to discourage future criminals from committing severe crimes. With a life sentence of 25 years as a maximum penalty, criminals know that no matter what they do, they will still have safety, food and shelter in prison.
Cost:
If a criminal doesn’t receive the death penalty then that means they will spend life in prison. Keeping an inmate in prison has a price. Their basic needs such as food and water need to be paid for by taxpayers. Those taxpayers are providing for someone who wronged them and the rest of society.
Prison Space:
A convict that should have received the death penalty but instead received a life sentence is taking up a space in prison. Eventually, with extra inmates who should have gotten the death penalty, they will run out of space and they will have to build more prisons, which will definitely cost more money that could have been put to better use.
Peace of Mind:
Ending the life of a convicted murderer provides closure to the victims families. Even though it is very painful for the victim’s family to know that their loved one is dead, they will be more at peace when they know that the murderer sits in prison and is paying for his/her crime.
Is it fair that an innocent victim doesn’t get to live his/her life but the murderer gets to live the rest of his life?
In 1962, Arthur Lucas was hung alongside Ronald Turpin. Lucas killed a police informant in Toronto. They were the last people in Canada to be killed as a punishment for their crime. Since they was executed, they didn’t take up space in prison. His death also gave peace of mind to the victim’s friends and family.