The death penalty is a horrible way for the justice system to convince itself that it is helping its people. This has been going on for many years and no one has done anything about it. I think we should eliminate the death penalty. Many opponents of the death penalty base their opinions on research indicating that the death penalty is ineffective as a deterrent against crime or is racially biased against minorities. First, the government chooses victims based on race and social status. There are several reasons why the death penalty in America is applied unfairly, and chief among them is race. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayIn fact, Texas is preparing for the probable execution of a man named Duane Buck, who was literally sentenced to death for being black. During his sentencing hearing, prosecutors argued that he would pose an additional threat to society because he was black. Furthermore, we know that poverty is the main factor that ultimately determines the death sentence, as the quality of the defense plays a significant role in the outcome of a trial. This means that the death penalty is something that specifically targets the poor and minorities. Second, the defendant killed someone who has a family that obviously suffers from his loss. Therefore it is right that the accused also suffers, inflicting the death penalty on him only means taking him out of his misery which he does not deserve. The death penalty negatively affects both the families of murder victims and those of defendants, according to two recent newspaper articles. In his Psychology Today blog, Talking About Trauma, psychologist Dr. Robert T. Muller (pictured) reports that psychological studies have found that the death penalty produces negative effects on the families and friends of murder victims. Furthermore, money plays an important role in all this. A new study by Lewis & Clark Law School and Seattle University that examined the costs of hundreds of aggravated murder and homicide cases in Oregon concluded that “maintaining the death penalty places a significant financial burden on taxpayers of Oregon." it is an enormously expensive and wasteful program with no obvious benefits. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay All studies on the cost of capital punishment conclude that it is much more expensive than a system that has life imprisonment as the maximum sentence. In a time of painful budget cuts, states are pouring money into a system that results in a decline in the number of death sentences and executions that are carried out almost exclusively in just one area of ​​the country. As many states face additional deficits, it is time to evaluate whether maintaining the expensive death penalty system is a smart move on crime. Mentally ill people are incapable of showing feelings or remorse, this significantly influences the decision. Many times they take medications that cause them to act in ways they can't help. The death penalty is not the best way to deal with situations like this. So if you really want to help the family, let the defendant sit in prison until he rots.