The death penalty needs to be abolished, but it can no longer be considered “cruel and unusual punishment” anylonger. Recently, the governor of California rules to abolish the death penalty under that same excuse. The need for prisoners to waste away in prison is a must. Execution is too quick of a death and will stop the criminals from suffering earlier than needed due to the fact that being put on death row is only completed by committing a crime to that severity level. The death penalty cannot be voted on about whether it is “cruel and unusual punishment.” If the inmates find themselves on death row during their lives, they have either committed or suspected of committing such a harsh crime that they deserve to be held there.

        By allowing death row prisoners to be killed quickly, the American government is shortening their deserved suffering while also making American citizens pay thousands of dollars to end one single person’s life. The victims and their families will feel cheated because their perpetrator will not suffer enough as they have. Keeping inmates locked up on death row will force them to live in much more mental as well as possible physical pain than a quick death can allow. 

        The government cannot show other criminals that they take “an eye for an eye.” If the nation continues to use the death penalty, the criminals will see this as trying to get even with them. Quietly executing criminals will not cause a large enough scene to prevent others from committing those death row qualifying crimes the same way as allowing them to stay in a small metal cell for life will. 

        The United States Government is throwing innocent people on death row and preparing them for execution. According to California’s statistics, fifty of the seven hundred and thirty-seven inmates in their death row cells end up innocent. Usually they have unfortunately already been put to death before that conclusion has been made. Abolishing execution will eliminate the chances of killing an innocent person, and could also save Americans tons of money in taxes. 

        Although the death penalty is deserving for some inmates, it is not for all. This style of dealing with prisoners needs to be put to an end. It is unfair to both the victims, their families, and their perpetrator because it ends suffering harshly and most importantly, too quickly. It is easier and cheaper to throw the inmates in prison for the remaining years of their lives to induce great guilt and regret in their minds. Americans owe it to the victims and families of death row crimes to be able to see their violators behind bars to suffer.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/20/learning/should-we-abolish-the-death-penalty.html?searchResultPosition=2

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/13/opinion/california-death-penalty-gavin-newsom.html?searchResultPosition=6