Prison reform seems to be a (relatively) universally accepted idea among United States citizens. However, the topic of whether capital punishment should remain or be abolished is quite controversial. Arguments about it range to everything from moral, ethical dilemmas to statistical facts and figures. If the U.S. wants to reform prisons, though, the death penalty is one of the many aspects of the system that must be addressed. I want to try and not be biased in this, so I will give you the main arguments for both sides before landing on a conclusion that I believe would best benefit our country.

First, the side for capital punishment. One of the main arguments for this side is retribution. This is best explained as those guilty of heinous crimes are subject to punishment equivalent to the crimes they committed. So, for example, if someone were to murder a person, it would only make sense (for this argument) that they receive the death penalty which is just as awful as the acts they committed. Another similar reason is that once these more serious crimes are done, the criminals have broken the rights of humanity and therefore “forfeited their own right to life.” Safety is another big factor for many people. Some dislike the idea of keeping murderers and rapists around because it could endanger society (even if they are kept in prison for life). All of these previous arguments are based on moral beliefs and opinions. The final, most popular argument for the death penalty is that it acts as a deterrent for other offenders. However, there is no solid evidence for this, and more information points to the opposite. The above chart shows a study conducted in 2019 that actually displayed a decrease in murder in countries where capital punishment was removed. Overall, there are a lot of sensible arguments for the death penalty.

Next, the side against capital punishment. Some of the bigger arguments for this center around ethical beliefs, such as valuing human life and believing in an “inalienable right to life,” (contrasting the previous forfeiting of this right from the other side). Another important argument is the possibility of wrongfully convicting, and thus wrongfully executing, a person who is innocent. According to data ranging from the 70s to our modern day, for every 8.3 people that receive the death penalty, 1 of them on death row is proven innocent and released. This is a pretty crazy number to imagine. The previous argument also ties back into the initial ethical dilemma of the value that should be placed on human life. Finally, the last reason against capital punishment is the expensiveness. There is an abundance of evidence to back this claim up, as multiple studies have shown that it costs billions more to keep an inmate on death row rather than life in prison. In 2008, a report showed that the total costs of death row inmates per year was $137 million versus only $11.5 million per year for life in prison. This cost difference alone should be taken into account when determining whether the death penalty should be abolished or not. Ultimately, this side is another logical argument for capital punishment.

After examining the pros and cons of each argument, it’s clear both sides rely heavily on morals and ethics with some additional facts. This makes it difficult to come to a set conclusion, as not everyone has the same morals. I would personally say it would be best to abolish the death penalty completely, as the whole concept doesn’t sit right with me and seems outdated. However, in order to reform our prison systems to the best possible outcome it may be more beneficial to do a combination of both. By altering the severity of crimes that warrant capital punishment and by continuing to release innocent death row inmates, the number of those receiving the death penalty could decrease over time. This would allow for a much cheaper prison system, while also taking the morals of both sides into account. Despite the possibility of compromise, there isn’t always a clear cut answer for these kinds of issues (this is just my perspective, let me know you opinions, too). However, the amount of those receiving the death penalty has steadily declined in the U.S. recently, especially with the help of COVID-19. If this trend continues, I can see our country having a future with no capital punishment.