Tuesday Essay Question

Should capital punishment be allowed? Or is it cruel and unusual? If the purpose of capital punishment is to keep crime down, does the fact that the crime rate/violent crime rate is lower in states that have abolished capital punishment help or hurt that notion? I know most of us have answered this question at some point, but it's something to think about and give a reasoned answer to. Enjoy, and, as always, grades will be arbitrary and capricious.