Wenzl 1

Tyler Wenzl
HELA II
Rager-3
22 February 2015
Capital Punishment
The death penalty, done by lethal injection, caused Dennis McGuire to gasp for breath for
26 minutes. It caused Michael Lee Wilson to say, I feel my whole body burning. Capital
punishment, or the death penalty, is exactly what it sounds like, putting someone to death
because of their crime. However, this current system is superfluous as a punishment in the
United States judicial system because it is cheaper to keep people in prison, mistakes can be
made with it, and it is inhumane. Yet, some argue that capital punishment is necessary based on
their belief in an eye for an eye.
Capital punishment is not needed in our judicial system because it is far too expensive. It
is actually quite cheaper to detain people in prison than it is to put them to death. Taxpayers have
paid over $4 billion on capital punishment since 1978, which translates to $308 million on each
execution (Banks A.2). These extreme costs are mainly caused by the dilatory appeals process of
this punishment. In contrast, it only costs $78.95 a day to keep a prisoner in jail, but these costs
are often avoided. Approximately 80% of inmates work while in prison, which in turn, offsets the
costs to house and feed them (Wesley). Quite opposite of popular opinion, it is far cheaper to
detain someone in jail then it is to execute them by lethal injection. It is fatuous to execute
someone when the process is simultaneously throwing away tax dollars that could be used in
more efficient ways.

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Next, the death penalty should be replaced by life in prison. The current capital
punishment system has been shown to be flawed. The Buffalo News states this when it wrote,
Texas executed an innocent man, Carlos DeLuna, for a murder he did not commit. There surely
have been others (Buffalo News A.6). How can society continue a system that has killed
innocent people? How can society support a system that is flawed? How can society support a
system that is so final, that there can be no hope for innocence? Capital punishment should
instead be replaced by life in prison because, while still very unfortunate, an innocent person can
be released from prison, while an executed human has already paid the ultimate price. Humans
make mistakes, and it is better to make the mistake of detaining an innocent person, rather than
living with the guilt of executing one.
Finally, capital punishment is a very inhumane way of punishing a convicted felon. This
is especially true when you consider the means by which the death penalty is performed, and
how these means do not meet our evolving standards of decency (Temkin A.13). Performing
the death penalty by lethal injection causes the person to be sedated at lethal levels, have their
diaphragm and lungs collapse in on themselves, and then finally have their heart stop beating
(Wesley). Is it right to treat human beings like animals being put down at a vet? Capital
punishment also involves putting another human being in a situation that could cause them
lifetime guilt. Someone has to administer the death penalty, so this punishment is also inhumane
to the person causing the criminal to die. The death penalty should be removed from the judicial
system because it is inhumane.
However, some people argue for capital punishment. They believe that in order for there
to be rectification, the criminal must pay with their life. Jonathan Kay discusses this when he
wrote, It is the sort of crime that leaves a black hole of fear and horror in everyone, and it

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demands a response that goes beyond a jumpsuit and a prison cell (Kay A.18). However, how is
it any different if we kill a murderer? It could be considered justice, but that makes us just as bad.
The only way for the human race to move on is for it to set aside its malice and treat criminals
like they are actually human beings. As Mahatma Gandhi said, An eye for an eye only ends up
making the whole world blind. Also, capital punishment gives a criminal an easy way out of
life. Life in prison forces them to think about their crime every single day, and the fact that that
crime has forced them to be stuck in a prison for the entirety of their lives.
Capital punishment is not needed in our society today. It is far more expensive than the
alternative, is so flawed that the wrong person could be executed, and is very inhumane. Some
argue for it, but an eye for an eye is not a good system for our society, and having this
punishment does nothing to deter crime. The next time you vote for or against the continuation of
capital punishment, consider one thing. Would you be willing to be the person holding that
syringe, filled with lethal fluid, and end someones life with it?

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Works Cited
Banks, Sandy. "Death Penalty? No, It Isn't." Los Angeles Times. 19 Jul. 2014: A.2. SIRS Issues
Researcher. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.
"End Capital Punishment." Buffalo News. 01 Feb. 2014: A.6. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 22
Feb. 2015.
Kay, Jonathan. "The Ashes of the Dead." National Post. 01 Feb. 2014: A.18. SIRS Issues
Researcher. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.
Temkin, Moshik. "How to Kill the Death Penalty." Los Angeles Times. 27 May 2014: A.13.
SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.
Wesley, Daniel. "How Much Does It Cost to Keep a Criminal?" CREDITLOAN. Web. 18 Feb.
2015.

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Grading

Criteria
Content
and Ideas

Organization

Description
Clear argument
Support uses ethos, logos, and
pathos
4 or more credible sources used
Antithesis addressed and refuted

Voice

Diction/
Syntax/
Convention
s

The writer connects with the audience

through the intriguing focus of the topic,
selection of relevant details, and the use of
natural, engaging language, including the use
of vocabulary.

Publication
/
Appearanc
e

Effective introduction and hook

Paragraphs are organized around
claim statements
Transitions are used between
paragraphs
Sequence is logical
Conclusion leaves reader with
powerful final statement

Five vocabulary words are used

naturally and effectively.
Writing is all in 3rd person .
Quotations are embedded and
cited.
0-3 Errors in grammatical structure
typed and double-spaced
Times New Roman; 12 pt.
proper MLA formatting; heading that
includes student name, instructors
name, class, and date
works cited page is included.

Points
0 1

x2 =

10/10 PEER 1 Daniel Birzer used all

forms of argument-highly persuasive
10/10 PEER 2 Andrew Thurman - You had
good ethos, logos, and pathos and you
addressed the antithesis well.
10/10 Self grade
/10 final grade from teacher
0 1 2
3 4 5 x2 =
10/10 PEER 1 Daniel Birzer the first
sentence was especially good and it caught
my attention
10/10 PEER 2 Andrew Thurman Organization is really good.
10/10 Self grade
/10 final grade from teacher
0 1 2
3 4 5 x2 =
10/10 PEER 1 Daniel Birzer I felt very
connected while reading.
9/10 PEER 2 Andrew Thurman - This was
good, but could do better.
9/10 Self grade
/10 final grade from teacher
0 1 2
3 4 5 x2 =
10/10 PEER 1 Daniel Birzer nice job
8/10 PEER 2 Andrew Thurman - add a
few more vocab words
10/10 Self grade
/10 final grade from teacher
0 1 2
3 4 5 x2 =
10/10 PEER 1 Daniel Birzer - good
10/10 PEER 2 Andrew Thurman - Your
formatting looks good.
10/10 Self grade
/10 final grade from teacher

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