The death penalty as a form of justice in the world Introduction: The death penalty is an issue that has gained great importance in the 21st century. Many centuries ago the death penalty was a widely practiced practice in almost all cultures. This type of vengeful action was the only way some ancient civilizations believed could truly prevent criminals from breaking the law. The United States today is almost left alone among nations when it comes to the death penalty and the American government has no problem with this. Arguments in favor of the death penalty: Capital punishment permanently removes the worst criminals from society and should prove much cheaper and safer for the rest of us than in the long run. It is clear that dead criminals cannot commit further crimes, either inside the prison or after they escape or are released from prison. Another argument in favor of the death penalty is the cost factor. It is far better for the state to spend its resources on the elderly, young and sick than on the long-term incarceration of murderers. Execution is an actual punishment rather than some form of treatment. The criminal is made to suffer in proportion to the crime committed. However, whether there is a place for it in modern society is a matter of personal opinion. There are many arguments why the death penalty should be abolished. Some say the costs are too high, others think it is simply inhumane. Personally I could not underestimate the value of human life because it costs less to kill someone than to keep them in prison. I agree that all human life should be valued equally, but that has never happened and I don't think it will start now. Even in a communist society people are not equal. It's just nature...half of paper..."normal" in a way. In conclusion I would like to say that I don't know exactly how the US Catholic bishops felt about this issue a hundred years ago, but in modern times death is not always the best way to solve society's problems. I'm happy to see a major influence speaking out in favor of abolishing the death penalty and I think it's a huge step forward in the movement. Nothing will ever change unless an influential body urges and persists with teachings of peace and non-violent alternatives. If the death penalty were abolished, I think that over time we would actually see the murder rate decline as generations of children grow up sensitive to death and violence. Bibliography: www.wikipedia.org [for examples around the world] Resource website Ideas after watching Dead Walking ManEmotions after reading Opinion articles in newspapersRE Pink Resource Book Section F