An issue that continues to divide America is the death penalty. In the United States today, 32 states allow the death penalty as the maximum sentence and 18 states have since abolished it and replaced it with life without parole. As of July 1, 2013, a total of 3,095 inmates are currently incarcerated on death row. Since 1976, 1,370 death row inmates have been executed (“Facts on the Death Penalty”). Overall, this is a very controversial topic with many different viewpoints. Many supporters of the death penalty believe that it is more ethical to carry out capital punishment since those receiving it have committed the most heinous and unforgivable crimes. Evidence and research shows that capital punishment is not morally permissible. Many studies show that the death penalty is much more expensive than life without parole for the maximum sentence (Dieter 6). There is also a lack of evidence on the deterrent effect that retaliation and the death penalty have on would-be murderers. The criminal justice system is not perfect and is bound to make mistakes. Innocent people have been placed on death row and later exonerated, some even after execution. States should abolish the death penalty and replace it with a sentence of life without parole and include restitution. ExpensesStates should look to alternative forms of maximum punishment due to the high cost of carrying out the death penalty. There are less costly forms of punishment. available in states such as Life Without Parole. Death row inmates require higher security and special types of housing (Evans 76). According to a report done by the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice in 2008, it costs an average of $90,000...... middle of paper ......ber?, 46 LOY. LAL REV. S1 (2012).Mitchell, Hayley R., ed. The death penalty. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven, 2001. Print. Radelet, Michael L. and Traci L. Lacock. "Do executions reduce homicide rates? Views from leading criminologists." The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology99.2 (2009): 489-508. Death Penalty Information Center. Northwestern University School of Law, 2009. Web. March 20, 2014.Reitan, Eric. “Why the deterrence argument for capital punishment fails.” Criminal Justice Ethics 12.1 (1993): 26-33. Premier Academic Research. Internet. March 20, 2014. Spence, Sean. “Bad or crazy?” New Scientist 181.2439 (2004): 38-41. Premier Academic Research. Internet. March 21, 2014. United States. Ministry of Justice. The United States Department of Justice. By Eric Holder. Np, August 3, 2009. Web. March 20. 2014. .