Arguments Against the Death Penalty

Authors

  • Sumana Gadiraju

Keywords:

Capital punishment, Criminal justice reform, Racial bias, Public policy

Abstract

Sumana Gadiraju presents a comprehensive argument against the death penalty, critiquing it from historical, moral, legal, racial, and financial standpoints. The article explores the origins and evolution of capital punishment, revealing its deep entanglement with systemic discrimination and unequal application, particularly against communities of color. Gadiraju highlights inconsistencies in sentencing, the lack of reliable deterrence, and the exorbitant financial costs involved in administering the death penalty. Through a wide range of sources—from classical legal theorists like Cesare Beccaria to modern statistical analyses—the paper calls for the abolition of capital punishment and promotes life imprisonment without parole as a more equitable alternative.

Author Biography

Sumana Gadiraju

Sumana Gadiraju graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers
in 2022 with a B.S. in Biology and minors in Psychology and
Chemistry. While in school, Sumana served in a number of
student leadership positions and was actively involved in
community-based service and volunteerism. Through this
paper, which discusses capital punishment in both a historical
and modern context, Sumana aims to bring attention to
various ethical, practical, and financial implications of the
death penalty. This is her second published work at Rutgers.

Cover of The Undergraduate Review, Fall 2021 edition, from the Honors College at Rutgers University–Camden. The top features the red Rutgers logo and text: “Rutgers University–Camden Honors College.” The background is a bold, colorful painting of a wide, orange-and-yellow dirt path or road stretching into a vivid landscape of green bushes and rolling hills beneath a blue sky. The title “The Undergraduate Review” and subtitle “Fall 2021” appear in white text near the center. “Volume 2, Issue 2” is displayed in the lower-right corner.

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Published

2025-06-25

How to Cite

Gadiraju, S. (2025). Arguments Against the Death Penalty. The Rutgers-Camden Undergraduate Review, 2(2), 10. Retrieved from https://rcur.libraries.rutgers.edu/index.php/rcur/article/view/2226

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 2 (2021): The Undergraduate Review

Section

Articles