Death Penalty

The death penalty is currently endorsed by the leadership of both major parties in the United States, though there is significant opposition to the death penalty in the Democratic Party.

Libertarians have not always been unanimous over the use of the death penalty. The more conservative libertarians believe that the death penalty is an important tool for the protection of life, preventing a murderer from committing other crimes and serving as a deterrent.

Other libertarians criticize the death penalty as not serving the principle of restitution and being a dangerous tool in the hands of the state. They are concerned that the death penalty may be applied unfairly or to enforce victimless crimes such as drug smuggling.

Additionally, many Libertarians argue that, as a government may only have that authority rightfully assigned by its citizens, and individuals may not assign to government authorities that they themselves do not have, that the assertion that the government has the rightful authority to impose the death penalty is a particularly excessive example of government overreach.

At the Libertarian National Convention in May 2016, plank 1.8 was added to the national platform: "We oppose the administration of the death penalty by the state."

See also: jury

This article is an issue stub.
You can help LPedia by expanding it.