SHOULD WE ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY?
General · Real arguments from SuperDebate members below
Both sides of the argument
The case for
Over 190 people have been exonerated from US death rows since 1973, proving that we have executed innocent people. Irreversibility means the wrongful-conviction argument is not a procedural objection but a categorical one: a justice system that cannot guarantee it never convicts the innocent should...
Posted by jconnor
The death penalty tracks race, county of prosecution, and quality of legal representation more reliably than severity of crime. Two defendants who committed equivalent acts receive different sentences based on zip code and public defender caseload, not justice. A punishment allocated this...
Posted by jconnor
Every peer democracy has abolished capital punishment. The US now keeps company with China, Iran, North Korea, and Saudi Arabia as the world's leading executioners. That fact should prompt serious reflection rather than reflexive nationalism about sovereign choices.
Posted by jconnor
The case against
For crimes of extreme magnitude — mass murder, terrorist attacks that kill dozens — life imprisonment is a disproportionately light response that fails victims, distorts collective moral seriousness, and cannot serve as the final word. Some crimes are categorically different, and the punishment...
Posted by jconnor
The wrongful-conviction argument proves too much. Wrongful imprisonment also occurs, and no one argues we must therefore eliminate incarceration. The answer is better process, higher evidentiary standards, and restricted eligibility — not abolition of the ultimate sanction for the most serious...
Posted by jconnor
Many murder victims' families support capital punishment as the only response proportionate to what was taken from them. Their moral standing is real, and a system that ignores it in favor of abstract principle is not justice — it is philosophy. Victim experience deserves weight in a democratic...
Posted by jconnor
Argue it yourself
Rehearse it
Debate this exact resolution against the AI coach and get scored feedback.
Practice with the coachFrequently asked questions
What is a strong argument for "Should We Abolish the Death Penalty?"?
Over 190 people have been exonerated from US death rows since 1973, proving that we have executed innocent people. Irreversibility means the wrongful-conviction argument is not a procedural objection but a categorical one: a justice system that cannot guarantee it never convicts the innocent should... (Argued by jconnor on SuperDebate.)
What is a strong argument against "Should We Abolish the Death Penalty?"?
For crimes of extreme magnitude — mass murder, terrorist attacks that kill dozens — life imprisonment is a disproportionately light response that fails victims, distorts collective moral seriousness, and cannot serve as the final word. Some crimes are categorically different, and the punishment... (Argued by jconnor on SuperDebate.)
Has "Should We Abolish the Death Penalty?" been debated live?
Not yet. Anyone can take a side on the topic page and challenge an opponent to argue it live on SuperDebate.
Where can I debate "Should We Abolish the Death Penalty?"?
On SuperDebate. Post a written argument on the topic page, rehearse the resolution against the AI debate coach, or take it to a live debate night at a club near you. Joining is free.