In the United States we take great pride in being an open and free country that welcomes anyone from around the world seeking a better life. Therefore, it is surprising that we surpass other countries in the number of people incarcerated in our jails and prisons. Even more astonishing is the fact that of all the nations in the world the United States is consistently among the top five nations that execute the most prisoners. The main reason most prisoners in the United States are on death row is for capital crimes, such as murder. Murder as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is “the act of killing another person” (Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 2014). The death penalty is an archaic form of punishment that has been plagued by an alarming number of controversies and setbacks that have prompted leaders around the world to call for an end to this cruel and unusual form of punishment. The leaders of the civilized world are calling for an end to horribly botched death penalty cases and the number of innocents on death row. Another controversial topic is the incredible amount of money needed for a single death penalty case compared to life in prison without the possibility of parole. All over the world, people are starting to wake up and realize that taking another person's life as a form of punishment is not only archaic, but also cruel and unusual punishment. The United Nations has made some of the greatest progress towards a world without the death penalty and greater human rights. In 1948 the United Nations adopted the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”, which states that every individual has the right to live and not be subject to “cruel and degrading punishment”…… middle of paper.. ... .society for all people. The United States definitely belongs in the top five contributing countries that commit government-sanctioned murders. Final Thought: Studies show that states without the death penalty actually have fewer murders than states that have the death penalty as a form of punishment. (2013, May 31). Retrieved May 2, 2014, from Erb, K.P. (September 22, 2011). Death and Taxes: The Real Cost of the Death Penalty. Retrieved May 2, 2014, from www.forbes.comMerriam-Webster, Incorporated. (April 25, 2014). Radelet, M.L. (May 2, 2014). Examples of botched post-Furman executions. Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved May 3, 2014The death penalty and international human rights standards. (2012). Washington, DC, United States. Retrieved April 25, 2014, from www.amenstyusa.org/oblish