The Death Penalty Should Be Abolished

==Arguments== C1: DeterrenceThe Death Penalty serves as a determent to criminals. There is a relationship between the death penalty and murder. The deterrent effect of the death penalty helps to save lives, ultimately resulting in the overall prevention of the loss of human life [1]. Multiple studies that have occured over time have demonstrated that the death penalty saves lives [1]. Several professors of Emory University found in a 2003 nationwide study that each execution, on average, results in 18 fewer murders [6]. A 2006 study found that each execution results in five fewer homicides [7]. Shorter waits on death row is connectted with increased deterrence. For every 2.75-year reduction of the time a death row inmate has to wait, at least one murder is deterred. The Emory group used nationwide data from 1960 to 2000,and discovered that 91% of the states had higher homicide rates after they suspended the death penalty [11]. On the other hand, 70% of the states had homicides decrease after the Death Penalty was put back in place [11]. Furthermore, a study, from the Wall Street Journal found that the death penalty saves 74 lives by stopping possible murderers in the next year [12]. C2: Bargaining ChipThe Death Penalty provides leverage and allows prosecutors to use it as a "bargaining chip" to obtain guilty pleas and plea bargains [2] [3]. The criminal justice system is sped up by the DP, which helps to prevent backlogging. Research has shown that 90% of cases in the US are resolved by plea bargains, with the guilty party admitting to all or part of the offenses charged in exchange for reduced/lenient charges [4]. This showsOne example is the case of 12-year-old Zina Linnick's disappearance. Even a remote threat of using the death penalty could give enough of an incentive for a person to confess [3]. Another example would be serial killers Robert Yates and Gary Ridgway. The confessed due to the threat of the death penalty [3]. Without a doubt, the death penalty allows prosecutors to get information quicker. This can even possibly save lives - such as revealing the location of an abducted person about to die. C3: AccuracyDNA testing and other modern forms of forensic science have allowed us to eleminate all doubt or suspicsion towards a person's guilt or innoncence. DNA testing helps to effectively prosecuting the guilty and protects the innocent [8]. Furthermore, a jury of twelve have to unanimously decide that they have no doubt that the defendent is guilty in order to sentence a person to death. [9]Furthermore, the death penalty has nearly a 99.6% rate of accuracy. C4: PopularityGallup polls have shown that the majority of Americans support the Death Penalty. Our goverment is based on a republic, and a republic at its heart, is ruled by the majority. Gallup polls reveal that:1) There is a consistant trend of the majority supporting the death penalty being used in cases where the guilty party is convicted of murder. In 2011, 61% supported the DP while only 35% was agaisnt it.2) Even over time, the majority of Americans believe that the Death Penalty is used not enough.3) The majority of people believe that the death penalty is currently being applied fairly.4) Furthermore, there is a tendency that most people believe that the Death Penalty is morally acceptable. 65% of people believe it is right, while only 28% believe it is wrong.5) OVer time, people have constantly shown that they believe when choosing between the death penalty and imprisonment for life (without parole), the death penalty should be used. The Gallup Poll(s) can be found at my 10th source. ==Rebuttals==C1: Life in PrisonMy opponent tries to suggest the idea that criminals do not suffer when they die. However, you must consider that usually, we are talking about murderers. They took the life of another person, why do they get to live? it is commonly preached that iving life, no matter how bad, is far more preferable than death. And furthermore, my opponent concedes the fact that you cannot confirm that the inmate will stay in jail for life. Goverment officials or judges can offer clemency, parole, or find a reason for a new trial [13]. Unlike what PRO claims, by putting murderers in prison for life without parole, does not mean that they will not get out. Furthermore, we put the lives of of other people who commited less severe crimes at risk, due to the fact that there are far more dangerous murderers in jail. Say in 2012, there are X number of murderers scheduled to be executed. However, they are sent to prison. This means there will be X more murderers in prisons. Then in 2013, there are Y number of murderers who should be executed, but they are sent to prison. X + Y in prison. And so on. Furthermore, the numbers will continue to grow until the first generation (X) start to die. We see that there is going to be an accumulation of murderers - which make prisons far more dangerous then they are now. C2: Killing is Immoral? As for my opponents argument on how "We might kill innocents", please see my accuracy contention. Furthermore, if Killing is "immoral", then war obviously cannot be tolerated. However, war can be justified, when you are going to war in order to preserve and defend your country. My deterrence argument shows that when we kill people who have commited horribly immoral acts, we actually save the lives of others, who are completely innocent. In my eyes, these executions are perfectly justified. All of my opponents other arguments I have answerered within my own contentions. I await your response. Sources:[1]. http://www.heritage.org......[2]http://sentencing.typepad.com......[3]http://www.thenewstribune.com......[4]http://www.thecrimereport.org......[5] Joanna M. Shepherd, "Murders of Passion, Execution Delays, and the Deterrence of Capital Punishment," Journal of Legal Studies, Vol. 33 (June 2004), pp. 283-321. [6] Hashem Dezhbakhsh, Paul H. Rubin, and Joanna M. Shepherd, "Does Capital Punishment Have a Deterrent Effect? New Evidence from Postmoratorium Panel Data," American Law and Economics Review, Vol. 5, No. 2 (2003), pp. 344-376. [7]. http://www.washingtonpost.com......[8]http://www.forensicmag.com......[9]http://crime.about.com......[10]http://www.gallup.com......[11]http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org...[12]http://bpp.wharton.upenn.edu...(ChronicleofHigherEd).pdf[13] David Schaefer, PhD, Professor of Political Science at Holy Cross College, in his Dec. 2001 article for The American Enterprise titled "The Death Penalty and Its Alternatives"[14]. http://www.prodeathpenalty.com...