The death penalty in the United States has been debated on over many years. Both sides have their strong opinions. Should killers be put to death? Killers should pay for what they’ve done. Every inmate put to death will save lives. The 8th amendment supports this cause, so the act is not unconstitutional. In fact, some prisoners on death row are also, in a way, for the death penalty.

Killing killers would act as a deterrent of murder. “For each inmate put to death, the studies say, 3 to 18 murders are prevented” (Blumenthal 17). If this is true, it would not only prevent death of the innocent but in fact would also intimidate people to NOT kill. This would result in fewer killers to kill, maybe even putting a halt to the death penalty issue itself.

The 8th amendment bans cruel and unusual punishment. The most common death punishment, lethal injection, was ruled by the Supreme Court in the case Baze vs. Rees as constitutional, not violating the peoples’ 8th amendment rights. If the death penalty does not violate the Constitution, then killers should be allowed to be put to death, especially when it helps deter violent crime.
“A life sentence is a whole lot worse – its torture,” states Jack Harry Smith (Blumenthal 17). He was one of the oldest inmates on Texas’ death row. Even if you committed murder, a life sentence would be spending your life in a prison, with not much to do and making nothing out of your life. On the other hand, the death penalty would let you be in peace, vanquishing any shame aroused from the thought of when the murderer killed.
People against the death penalty give us the question, “What if the accused is innocent?” or other questions regarding our proof of the killer. However, technology today will bring out the true murderer. DNA is one of the many ways for the government to determine the killer. With technology aside, mistakes are always made. There has been “…no credible evidence to show that any innocent persons have been executed since the death penalty was reactivated in 1976…” says prosecuting attorney Steven D. Stewart JD from Clark County in Indiana (ProCon 1). Even if there have been innocent ones found, they have always been removed from death row.

Other opponents argue that the death penalty can be very time consuming and costly. Nevertheless, justice should always be given. We should go to any cost to keep our communities safe. Think about the victim, their family, and their loved ones! When time and money are compared to life, life is most definitely the concept that has more value than the other two.

When it comes to killers, they should realize what they have done. How? We do the same thing they’ve done to them. This saves lives by scaring other killers. It is not unconstitutional, and it’s a lot better than a life sentence. We should avenge our loved ones, and protect the community at the same time.