A number of people believe that the Death Penalty isnt necessary to deliver justice to the victims and their families, but on the other hand there are some who believe capitol punishment is primary to our justice system. In the United States capitol punishment is a controversy in of itself. On both sides there are people who pursue to validify there points like boxers proving their strength over their opponent; They all have a point to be heard. The issues at hand are the cost of the Death Penalty process, moral qualms, and the true deterrent factor of the Death Penalty. The Death Penalty is a subject that has been confronted intensely for the past twenty years, and the fact is that both sides must be considered. Compared to other aspects of the Death Penalty victims rights have taken a backseat to the bickering of the The Death Penalty is a deterrent against future crimes occurring, a lot of people believe that a murderer does not take into consideration the Death Penalty, but in the back of their mind the thought of getting caught does exist or all murders would turn themselves in after their first offense. It doesnt happen that way, a murder knows how to prevent or hasten their capture by law enforcement. Escape is the first consideration of most murders, they look for a victim, and weigh the chance of getting caught, and they are always presumably inconspicuous to their victims and the surroundings.
There are different approaches to different degrees of murder, for instance a person who has a planned out premeditated intention to kill are dealt a harsher penalty than those who cause accidental death. For example, the person who hunts down a little girl and rapes and murders her or seeks to murder a specific group such as prostitutes for the pure pleasure of the kill will be sentenced more harshly than the person who accidentally hits another car on a snowy road killing the driver. There was a recent murder case in Washington state where Robert L. Yates, a convicted serial killer had been hunting down unsuspecting prostitutes and murdering them. He was convicted in 13 murders but is suspected of 19. In this case, the Court withheld the Death Penalty because he pleaded guilty. This is just one of many instances in which a convicted murder got 408 years in prison rather than Death.
There are rarely Death Penalty trials for a people who are responsible for an accidental death. A person ignorant to the facts cannot assume that two people who commit murder would be punished the same. There is a clear and definite difference due to the degree level of the crime. Through all the bickering that occurs between the two sides the public pays a lot of attention to the cost between the Death Penalty and life in prison. Sometimes the public does not take into consideration the victims family; Any human being with any ounce of humanity should weigh the victims rights over the money amount of justice, its as if they are a bunch of jackals who lose one of their pack, but are too self-interested in themselves to care about the interest of the entire group. Opposition claims that Death Penalty cases are much more expensive than other criminal cases and cost more than imprisonment for life .
They also suggest in California, capitol trials are six times more costly than other murder trials. Complex pre-trial motions, lengthy jury selections, and expenses for expert witnesses are all likely to add to the costs in Death penalty cases. The irreversibility of the death sentence requires courts to follow heightened due process in the preparation and course of the trial. The separate sentencing phase of the trial can take even longer than the guilt or innocence phase of the trial. After conviction, there are constitutionally mandated appeals which involve both prosecution and defense costs. What the opposition claims may be true, but the supporters of the Death Penalty claim that most of the legal rangling that goes on is due to the opposition using practices that raise cost of trial such as using more than one lawyer and continuing pressure to retry cases and to avert bias courts by moving to one judge to another even to different counties.
Non-Death penalty cases are one-third the cost of Death Penalty cases, but if all the legal rangling was restricted the cost disparities would definitely lessen. In Comparison they can both be looked at as the same thing. For one, a person who is sentenced to life respectively has most of their rights and privileges taken away over time. Through the Death Penalty the convicts rights, privileges and life are quickly taken away. At the same time there are discerning factors that contribute to the difference, first and foremost the person isnt given the opportunity to kill again while in prison. We believe that the death penalty is appropriate because it is a deterrent.
We also believe it is the ultimate punishment for the ultimate crime…. Diane Clements, President Justice for All An example of waiting too late occurred when, Thomas Eugene Creech, who had been convicted of three murders and had claimed a role in more than 40 killings in thirteen states as a paid killer for a motorcycle gang, killed a fellow prison inmate in 1981 he was sentenced to death. In 1986 his execution was stayed by a federal judge and has yet to be carried out. The result of Creech not being sentenced to death earlier was the murder of another inmate by the hands of Creech. The fact is that a murderer given the opportunity will kill again, or attempt to kill again. The rights of a victim should be considered before the cost, and deterrency factor are approached. Especially when such subjects are approached with ignorance.
…It simply cannot be contested that a killer, once executed, is forever Robert W. Lee, Deserving to Die,6.17(1990) In Conclusion the victims rights have taken a backseat to the bickering of two uncomprimisable viewpoints. It is ultimately the choice of the victim and God to forgive and in this world it cant be extended by the victim. It might be important to weigh the deterrency factor but it is more important that the Judicial system respects the rights of victim. Also the amount of money that it costs to carry out justice should never be in the same boat as the overbearing rights of a victim, justice must be served. 3.
Robert W. Lee, Deserving to Die, 6.17(1990) 4. Congressional Quarterly, 9.1(1999)