Alternative to the Death Penalty

Do you agree or disagree with the death penalty? If you agree, why? If you disagree, what do you propose we do instead?

In response to this question, I have composed the following essay below:

         The death penalty has always been a tricky subject. There has always been division over the subject even when it comes to the most upright and moral citizens.

         However, I for one would propose that it is a subject that is too heavy a punishment, no matter the crime. In essence, it would seem that the law becomes guilty of the crime it wishes to punish with the death penalty-murder. The only difference is public opinion largely rests heavily on the side of justice (although this is not always the case).

         So, if the death penalty isn’t the answer, then what is? Clearly, the answer lies all around us—in the vast, largely unused natural resources of the Earth around us: the seas and oceans. These pristine conditions are prime for building the largest, most secure, self-contained prison system in the world.

         Like the Jules Verne novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, inmates could grow and harvest their own vegetation and hunt sea life for food. Desalination systems could convert salt water to fresh water for drinking.

         As for location, the prisons could be scattered throughout the oceans in the most remote corners of the earth. Placed far from standard shipping lanes, these Underwater Prisons would serve not only to keep prisoners far from public eye, but also protect them from escaping. Furthermore, if they did manage to escape, where would they go? Without supplies or any kind of plan, they would easily die within a few days.

         Now, this raises a valid question: how many millions of tax dollars would be spent on such an astronomically expensive venture? Rather than giving inmates menial tasks such as manufacturing wallets or license plates, instead let them take part in ‘Deep Sea Mining’. While serving out their life sentences and not being put to death, they could pay their own expenses for first the construction of the underwater prisons and then their maintenance by mining the minerals of the deep.

         This may seem like cruel and unusual punishment for anybody; let us not forget however, who would be serving in these underwater prisons—murderers. These are the people that would’ve previously been sentenced to death row. However, with this alternative solution, it is a win-win situation for both parties involved. For the judicial system, justice is served, and for the prisoners they get to live another day. Furthermore, the system would be self-sustaining, which is something that the present day prison system cannot claim.

         This is my alternative theory, and I believe while it may not in many ways be the most realistic option, it is fresh, imaginative, and deserves consideration. Thank you.






 This blog post is an official entry for the Law Blogger's Scholarship, sponsored by The Law Office of Joshua Pond.