In today's society it has become impossible to turn on the television or the radio without becoming overwhelmed by the tragedies of the world. In a world where violence and death is everywhere we turn, what is it that we are teaching the younger generations? When we use murder as a punishment for crimes, it teaches that murder is justifiable. The Death Penalty rejects the teachings of the bible, is a great expense to the common taxpayer, leaves a large margin for human error, and can be viewed as cruel and unusual punishment. For these reasons all forms of the Death Penalty should be abolished.
             The Death Penalty violates religious beliefs. Christianity follows the rules given to us by God in the form of the Ten Commandments. One of those commandments states, "Thou shalt not kill." Execution of an individual is clearly in contradiction to this commandment. Execution is nothing more than 'regulated murder.' Killing a person, for any reason is a sin against God. The Ten Commandments are the foundation of our judicial system and the basis of our laws. It is impossible for the system to run efficiently if we choose to ignore one portion and hold the rest as supreme.
             The Death Penalty costs a great deal of taxpayer's money. The average death penalty case is appealed three times, meaning that tax dollars must pay for the same case to heard four times. On average a criminal is on death row for at least twelve years before execution. It costs taxpayers an average of $450 per week for each person on death row.
             The death penalty is not fool proof. There is no way of being absolutely sure that someone is guilty. The margin of human error is 14%, that is a great deal when it is someone's life on the line. There is always the chance that someone was just "in the wrong place at the wrong time." A few bits of evidence and a strong lawyer could result in an innocent person ...