Dear Future President:

The death penalty in many states, in America is given to more than just murderers. Innocent people have been executed because a mistake was made. Taking the life of another shouldn’t be society’s choice. The people could easily make a mistake and send someone to their death. Many people have different opinions on the subject. Our government needs to re-evaluate the death penalty.

In America several states will give the death penalty to more than just murderers. In Arkansas there are eight felonies that the death penalty can be given to. (“Arkansas - Capital Murder with 10 Aggravating Circumstances, and Treason”) In the U.S there have been over 1,359 people executed since 1973.("Death Row Inmates, 1953-2013 - Death Penalty - ProCon.org.")In 1953 we killed 131 men and women, this number has increased. The death penalty has taken too many lives. Both our republican and democratic candidates are for the death penalty. This means that neither one will speak up and address the fact that it should be taken into consideration for it to be changed. (" Realclearpolitics.com, Sep. 27, 2015. "Should the Death Penalty Be Allowed? - 2016 Presidential Election - ProCon.org.")Thirty one states have the penalty and nineteen plus D.C have banned it. Many states got rid of their laws to comply with the Furman decision, a criminal case in which the United States Supreme Court struck down all death penalty schemes in the United States, and reinstate capital punishment. ("31 States with the Death Penalty and 19 States with Death Penalty Bans - Death Penalty - ProCon.org.") Many people do not want to pay the taxes to support these people on death row. It costs about 30,000 dollars per inmate to house and feed. They feel as though it shouldn’t be necessary for their money to be spent that way. (Messerli) Slowly more states are starting to ban the harsh penalty.

More than just the prisoners suffers when the execution takes place.The person’s families many also suffer from the annihilation. Executions provide no true justice. The punishment needs to be gotten rid of. We as a country need to look more into the death penalty, to see if it really is justice.

Sincerely,

Sarah Stanfield