Robert Lee puts forward many arguments to justify capital punishment in his article “Deserving to Die”. Some of the most important concern the deterrent effect of using the death penalty, why the cost of execution is so high, and how the use of the death penalty increases overall public safety. In Lee's first argument, he argues that the use of capital punishment helps reduce overall crime by acting as a deterrent. In at least one respect, capital punishment undoubtedly has a deterrent effect, as Lee says: "It simply cannot be disputed that a murderer, once executed, is forever deterred from killing again" (142). Of course, a deceased murderer will never be able to kill again, but the important question is the effect that the death penalty has on other, potential future criminals. Lee says whether or not this measure is a deterrent depends on how quickly and safely the death penalty is carried out. The majority of people are afraid of dying and, if they could choose, they would prefer not to die anytime soon. This proves how the death penalty can deter other potential criminals from killing someone for fear of being put to death themselves. There have also been circumstances in which concrete statistical evidence proves the deterrent effect of capital punishment. Since the Utah Supreme Court ruled in 1976 that capital punishment should again be legalized in the state, three executions have been carried out. After each of the executions, particularly in the year following the executions, there was a significant decrease in the number and rate of murders within the state, compared to previous years (Lee 143). Lee himself acknowledges that there are of course other variables that could influence... middle of document......obvious propositions - for example, that a heavy ball will fall more quickly if dropped of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. that a slight [would] – are actually false” (150). Freedman also lists some empirical statistics that further prove his point that the death penalty is not necessarily a deterrent, including that "eighteen of the 20 states with the highest murder rates have and use the death penalty » and that “on the 20 largest states in the country”. In cities with the highest murder rates, 17 of them are in death penalty jurisdictions” (151). He also points out, among other statistics and assertions, that although this deterrent effect of capital punishment is "...perhaps the most studied question in the social sciences, the results are as unanimous as academic studies can be for conclude that the death penalty is not a problem.” be a deterrent” (emphasis added) (151). These statistics mostly speak for themselves and are very surprising.