Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is one of the most controversial forms of criminal punishment enforced in the United States and continues to be a developing issue among society today. The main arguments the proponents, or those in favor of the death penalty, give as reasons to retain the death penalty are deterrence, revenge, economics, and adequate punishment. Their goal is to try and eliminate dangerous criminals in order to protect society. However, despite these arguments, abolitionists, or those who oppose the death penalty, believe the death penalty not only fails to decrease crime rates, but is also morally and ethically wrong. The abolitionists also argue that the death penalty can be inflicted upon innocent victims, criminals can be released through parole, racism plays a role in the court's decisions, and execution is more expensive than imprisonment.

Abolitionists argue that innocent people could be sentenced to the...