The death penalty is a highly controversial topic in the United States. The death penalty is the taking of a life by the government for crimes. It has been around for thousands of years, since the ancient Babylonians, and has been used numerous times in history as a deterrent for crimes usually involving murder (Caldwell 597). Capital punishment is beneficial to society not only because it deters crime, but also helps the economy, prevents the public from taking matters into their own hands, protects people from murderers, and gives the victim's family and friends closure. …
