Capital punishment is a controversial topic, and there are people on both sides of the argument. Some believe that capital punishment is an effective deterrent for serious criminal activity, while others view it as cruel and unusual punishment. I agree with those who believe that capital punishment is cruel and unusual punishment, and should be abolished in all forms.

To start off with, capital punishment can often lead to innocent lives being taken due to mistakes in the system or wrongful convictions. In some cases where individuals have been wrongfully convicted of a crime they did not commit, they have later been cleared or acquitted of the charges due to advances in technologies like DNA testing. These advancements have led to mistakes being discovered years after an individual has already been put to death for a crime they did not commit – leading many people to question whether this form of justice really serves its purpose. Additionally, studies suggest that minorities are disproportionately impacted by the death penalty; research shows that African Americans make up only 13% of the US population but over 33% of all executions since 1976 were black men (Kupferschmidt). This further speaks to issues within our judicial system which must be addressed if we wish for justice for all citizens regardless of race or class status.