The death penalty is one method of punishment that sentences the criminal to death for certain extreme offenses. Some countries see the death penalty as wrong, and have abolished it in their country. In the United States, the death penalty is not abolished, but there are many arguments as to if it should still be used. In 2008, only 37 states in the U.S. still used the death penalty. The 13 states in which abolished the death penalty are of the following: Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Nebraska and New York has claimed that one method of execution violated their states' constitution. A criminal can be sentenced to death row by one main crime, murder. In Georgia, "murder, kidnapping with a ransom when the victim dies, aircraft hijacking, and treason" are all crimes punishable by the death penalty. Other states include more and less crimes, but the basis is murder. Call me old fashioned, but if you are able to take the life of another and it was not forced, the death penalty is just. Americans who disbelieve in the death penalty claim that is should be abolished because "people make mistakes, and killing someone is wrong, and two wrongs do not make a right." On the other hand, in which I strongly agree, killing with the intentions of killing, is not a mistake. "They deserve to die, and not sentencing to death will only give that person another chance to commit the same crime." Sarah Palin, a U.S. Politician and former Alaskan Governor quotes "We have a right to know that someone who rapes and murders a child or kills an innocent person in a drive-by shooting will never be able to do that again." Along with agreeing with Palin, I also agree with George W. Bush, Former U.S. President, that "the death penalty is not about revenge, but about saving other people's lives." The death penalty should not abolished. The punishment of it will keep some criminals in line and delete criminals who choose to still offend this law.
