Perhaps the most telling thing about the “How do Americans feel About the Death Penalty?” infographic is in the title itself; in the use of the word “feel”. If Americans actually thought about the death penalty then they would understand its necessity.
Most arguments against the death penalty revolve around the “fact” that it is not a deterrent. We do agree with that–in its present form. Today, people are not actually “killed” or “put to death” as much as they are “put to sleep”. We aver that this is actually the preferred method of death for virtually everyone. It is quite appropriate that you simply go to sleep (preferably in your extreme old age after having a joyful life) and never waking up. This is how the death penalty is now.
Moreover, many people sentenced to the death actually do die of old age, and the death penalty is applied very unevenly (witness the current news reports of Abu Ghraib, otherwise known as Chicago).
Regardless, the death penalty can be a deterrent. There are such things as deterrents. Look at your own life. Have you killed someone, raped someone, or are a police officer? Assuming that the answer is “no” then it is because of your own ethics, your own sense of right and wrong, and hopefully inculcated in you by your parents. If you transgressed in some things then you learned the consequences of them. You can also observe the consequences of other people’s actions. Witness what happens when others try to smuggle drugs into Singapore, Indonesia and other places.
Those are deterrents.
Likes: A thought-provoking infographic. The “Death penalty versus life imprisonment” section also provides a wealth of useful information.
Dislikes: More people believe that the death penalty is being applied fairly. Of course, this was before the recent revelations about Chicago.
The American public has grown slightly more uneasy about capital punishment over time, but more than 60% still support the death penalty. This infographic done in collaboration with GOOD, looks at how the perception of the death penalty has changed over the years.
