Is capital punishment justifiable under US law?

Capital punishment is justifiable under the US law. In the US constitution it states " No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation." This an excerpt from the fifth amendment. The leaders of the US realize that in order to keep American citizens safe the death penalty must be in act for serious criminals. Not all murderers will stop killing just because they have been caught and are released on parrol. I think that in order to really stop murderers and serious criminals the death penalty must be in act.

http://wiki.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:Capital_Punishment#Cruel_and_unusual.3F_Is_it_wrong_to_consider_the_death_penalty_cruel_and_unusual.3F

Does capital punishment help protect the public and deter crime?

Yes capital punishment does protect the public and deter crime. It makes it so that murders will never be able to kill again. Many murders or people who do other serious crimes might commit them again once they are released. Capital punishment would stop this reoccurring crime. Also, criminals might fear capital punishment and would be scared out of committing their crime. The death penalty makes it so criminals will not want to commit serious crime because they know the consequences. It also saves the public from letting another murder out on parrol. Capital punishment send the message that crime is not allowed and there are consequences.

Is is wrong to be concerned about executing innocent people?

I think that we do have to be concerned about killing innocent people with the death penalty. The jury does not always convict the right person. People can be convicted on faulty information or they can be framed. The Death Penalty Information Center says that since 1973 over 130 people who were sentenced to death were found innocent before they're death date. These people were then released. If 139 people have been found innocent it makes you wonder how many other people are innocent. Although it might seem really convincing at the time, the person being convicted of a crime might not be guilty.
As shown in the chart many other people also think that people who are innocent have been charged with the death penalty. Killing an innocent person is a crime and without extremely incriminating evidence we should not be able to. The consequences of killing the wrong person is that the person who did do the crime could still be out there.

Is captial punishment economically justifiable and cost-effective?

It costs a lot of money to keep people alive in prison. Between the cost of food, electricity, and the workers wages it can become extremely expensive. So, it might be more cost-effective to just give people who have committed serious crimes to get the death penalty. If they were given the death penalty then the tax payers wouldn't have to pay to keep them alive. Most people if asked would not vote in favor to pay to keep a criminal alive. The criminals who have committed serious crimes such as murder don't deserve to keep living on the tax payers money. However, it might be more of a punishment for them to continue living and have to face the punishment of the crimes that they have committed.