Death penalty is form of self-defense for society

The debate over the death penalty has been renewed by the national coverage given to Jodi Arias' murder conviction. The issue of whether society has a right to kill anyone cannot be answered from a biblical, philosophical or emotional stand point.

It is, however, widely accepted that an individual can kill in defense of life. Is the death penalty a form of society defending itself? I do not believe there is a catchall answer to that question, but I assert that the death penalty is a form of self-defense.

The point of non-capital punishment is punitive reform of the offender, not revenge. Self-defense is not concerned with reform, only neutralizing an imminent danger. Society must decide if a murderer will always be an imminent danger to the public, must ensure condemnation is not imminent danger to the innocent, and must ensure incarceration is a tool of reform, not revenge.

But for some there is no reform. More than one paroled murderer has murdered again, a tragedy that could have been precluded with a death sentence.

David Sheets

Toddville