Strategy Exercise #2 Capital Punishment
In the following paragraph I will analyze the absolute pro side of capital punishment
debate. American citizens who are totally in favor of capital punishment want to keep it legal
throughout the United States. These individuals are also in favor of the court sentencing the
death penalty on any individual who has committed a capital crime; murder or treason. This
doesn’t mean that everyone who commits a capital crime should automatically be handed the
death penalty but the option of them receiving the death penalty should remain open. Even
though capital punishment is legal in the United States certain states have either abolished the
practice or placed it under a moratorium. Wisconsin, Iowa, and Massachusetts are just a few of
the states that have abolished capital punishment. Criminals who commit capital crimes in these
states would not receive the death penalty and are therefore exceptions. The fact is that there are
fifteen states total that have abolished the death penalty. One reason why people are totally in
favor of capital punishment is that it provides closure for the families of the victim. This
approach basically refers to the fact that the family of the victim want to see the person who
killed their loved one suffer for his actions. If the criminal doesn’t receive the death penalty then
the family would not feel like justice was served. Another reason as to why people are totally in
favor of capital punishment is that the punishment should fit the crime. If a person takes
someone else’s life then the only appropriate punishment is to take the criminal’s life. The
general principle for this perspective is “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” in other words
retributive justice. The strength of this perspective is that it tries to seek justice for the families of
the victim. The weakness of this perspective is that it can be considered a bit over the top, or
perhaps harsh.
