Ohio is amidst a possible change in its policy regarding the death penalty. The last person executed in Ohio was in 2018, and Gov. Mike DeWine has halted executions until new execution protocols are created. Since then, the Ohio governor has rescheduled several prisoners on death row to later execution dates. 

Some prisoners received reprieves and were commuted to life sentences without chance of parole. The death penalty issue is not a black-and-white problem to solve as it involves not only the convicted and their family, the family of the aggrieved, and the ability of the state to uphold law and order. 

There are two opposing viewpoints on whether or not to get rid of the death penalty. One view is that the death penalty is never a deterrent to crime and violates a person's human rights. Some say that people are prone to mistakes, yet they can reform. Killing a convicted criminal prevents any form of reconciliation from happening, thus depriving a criminal of the opportunity. Religious and pro-human rights groups affirm the importance of repentance and a person's ability to change and become a better part of society. 

However, those who seek justice and retribution are on the opposite side of the discussion. When a person commits a crime, he or she forfeits their rights under the law. Human rights are inherent, and it is the government's responsibility to protect those rights for all people and protect the public from future crimes committed by the offender. Therefore, some say executing a person threatening society's inherent rights is justified.

However, both sides agree on the importance of the judicial system's effectiveness in ensuring no unjust convictions. The saying, "That it is better 100 guilty Persons should escape than that one innocent Person should suffer, " echoes loudly in every courthouse in America. 

A fair and just judiciary is required for the death penalty to become effective. If we achieve such a level of justice, we will finally ensure all punishments are based not on who has the best lawyer and defense but on fairness and truth. 

The question for discussion is, should Ohio get rid of the death penalty?