---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I favor capital punishment. It saves lives."
description: "\"I favor capital punishment. It saves lives.\" — Nancy Reagan"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ec/nancy-reagan-7070_capital-punishment_i-favor-capital-punishment-it-saves-live_245783.jpg"
---

#  I favor capital punishment. It saves lives.

![“I favor capital punishment. It saves lives.” quote by Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ec/nancy-reagan-7070_capital-punishment_i-favor-capital-punishment-it-saves-live_245783.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ec/nancy-reagan-7070_capital-punishment_i-favor-capital-punishment-it-saves-live_245783.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ec/nancy-reagan-7070_capital-punishment_i-favor-capital-punishment-it-saves-live_245783.jpg)

> “I favor capital punishment. It saves lives.”

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Capital punishment is justified as it prevents further loss of life by deterring crime.

**In simple terms:** Execution saves lives by deterring crime.

Key Takeaway

Consider the ethics of deterrence.

Themes

justice ethics public policy

Mood

serious political

Type

political ethical

When to use this quote

- legislative debates
- criminal justice reform
- public forums

Key Concepts

Deterrence theory retributive justice

Questions to Reflect On

- Is deterrence proven?
- What alternatives exist to protect lives?

A Different Perspective

Effectiveness of deterrence is contested.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Capital punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capital-punishment/) [Crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crime/) [Favor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favor/) [Favors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/favors/) [Penalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penalty/) [Punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punishment/) [Punishment Saves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punishment-saves-2455186/) [Save a life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/save-a-life/) [Saves Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saves-lives-884930/)

## Related quotes

> [“I believe that more people would be alive today if there were a death penalty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-believe-that-more-people-would-be-alive-today-if-there-were-a-death/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [I think more people would be alive today if there were a death penalty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-think-more-people-would-be-alive-today-if-there-were-a-death-penalty/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [It's long been accepted as fact that the availability of family planning services saves lives. Where women have access to these services, children and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-plimpton/it-s-long-been-accepted-as-fact-that-the-availability-of-family/)

[Martha Plimpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-plimpton/)

> [Failure saves lives. In the airline industry, every time a plane crashes the probability of the next crash is lowered by that. The Titanic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/failure-saves-lives-in-the-airline-industry-every-time-a-plane-2/)

[Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/)

> [Lets choose to do something really difficult, something that saves lives, and let's do that thing with people we love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/lets-choose-to-do-something-really-difficult-something-that-saves/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [Failure saves lives. In the airline industry, every time a plane crashes the probability of the next crash is lowered by that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/failure-saves-lives-in-the-airline-industry-every-time-a-plane/)

[Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/)

> [The truth is that contraception saves lives, prevents unplanned pregnancies, improves outcomes for children and reduces the number of abortions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-mclane-kuster/the-truth-is-that-contraception-saves-lives-prevents-unplanned/)

[Ann McLane Kuster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-mclane-kuster/)

> [Animal research saves lives, but wherever possible alternatives should be used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sainsbury-baron-sainsbury-of-turville/animal-research-saves-lives-but-wherever-possible-alternatives-should/)

[David Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury of Turville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sainsbury-baron-sainsbury-of-turville/)

> [Art is the more spiritual side of education that really does saves lives and makes amazing individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mya/art-is-the-more-spiritual-side-of-education-that-really-does-saves/)

[Mya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mya/)

> [Sweat saves blood, blood saves lives, but brains saves both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-rommel/sweat-saves-blood-blood-saves-lives-but-brains-saves-both/)

[Erwin Rommel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-rommel/)

> [Take some time to learn first aid and CPR. It saves lives, and it works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-sherman/take-some-time-to-learn-first-aid-and-cpr-it-saves-lives-and-it-works/)

[Bobby Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-sherman/)

> [I have come to think that capital punishment should be abolished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kemp/i-have-come-to-think-that-capital-punishment-should-be-abolished/)

[Jack Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kemp/)

> [Capital punishment turns the state into a murderer. But imprisonment turns the state into a gay dungeon-master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/capital-punishment-turns-the-state-into-a-murderer-but-imprisonment/)

[Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/)

> [Like cellulite creams or hair-loss tonics, capital punishment is one of those panaceas that isn't. Only it costs a whole lot more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/like-cellulite-creams-or-hair-loss-tonics-capital-punishment-is-one/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I don't know if the question is whether you believe in capital punishment anymore. I think the greater question is its effectiveness and given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tani-cantil-sakauye/i-don-t-know-if-the-question-is-whether-you-believe-in-capital/)

[Tani Cantil-Sakauye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tani-cantil-sakauye/)

## More by Nancy Reagan

> [I must say acting was good training for the political life which lay ahead for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-must-say-acting-was-good-training-for-the-political-life-which-lay/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [Throughout Ronnie's presidency, there was an ongoing public discussion as to how much influence the first lady should have on the president. It's hardly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/throughout-ronnie-s-presidency-there-was-an-ongoing-public-discussion/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [A lot of business can be accomplished in the state dinners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/a-lot-of-business-can-be-accomplished-in-the-state-dinners/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [A woman is like a tea bag. She only knows her strength when put in hot water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/a-woman-is-like-a-tea-bag-she-only-knows-her-strength-when-put-in-hot/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [Dont ever lose hope. Even when life seems bleak and hopeless, know that you are not alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/don-t-ever-lose-hope-even-when-life-seems-bleak-and-hopeless-know/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [People don't understand that all presidents, the minute they become president, get a knock at the door. And there's a man there saying, 'Let's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/people-don-t-understand-that-all-presidents-the-minute-they-become/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [A friend of mine said to me a year ago, "You're so lucky, Nancy, because Ronnie left you the library," She said, "You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/a-friend-of-mine-said-to-me-a-year-ago-you-re-so-lucky-nancy-because/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [I do not believe in abortion at will. I do not believe that if a woman just wants to have an abortion she should...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-do-not-believe-in-abortion-at-will-i-do-not-believe-that-if-a-woman/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [I'm doing what I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-m-doing-what-i-want-to-do/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [“A woman is like a teabag - only in hot water do you realize how strong she is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/a-woman-is-like-a-teabag-only-in-hot-water-do-you-realize-how-strong/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [What can you say about a man, who on Mother's Day sends flowers to his mother-in-law, with a note thanking her for making him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/what-can-you-say-about-a-man-who-on-mother-s-day-sends-flowers-to-his/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [I've found a letter that was written to me from a girl who was getting married. And she wanted to know the secret of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-ve-found-a-letter-that-was-written-to-me-from-a-girl-who-was/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [What it boils down to is that each person has his own ways of coping with trauma and grief, with the pain of life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/what-it-boils-down-to-is-that-each-person-has-his-own-ways-of-coping/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [Countless people, suffering from many different diseases, stand to benefit from the answers stem cell research can provide. We owe it to ourselves and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/countless-people-suffering-from-many-different-diseases-stand-to/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

> [I urge researchers to make use of the opportunities that are available to them and to do all they can to fulfill the promise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-urge-researchers-to-make-use-of-the-opportunities-that-are/)

[Nancy Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

[Explore all 95 Nancy Reagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/)

## More Capital punishment quotes

> [“The next time believers tell you that 'separation of church and state' does not appear in our founding document, tell them to stop using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-barker/the-next-time-believers-tell-you-that-separation-of-church-and-state/)

[Dan Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-barker/)

> [“The very mention of crucifixion was taboo in polite Roman circles, since it was the lowest form of capital punishment, reserved for slaves and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/the-very-mention-of-crucifixion-was-taboo-in-polite-roman-circles/)

[N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/)

> [It is better and more satisfactory to acquit a thousand guilty persons than to put a single innocent one to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/it-is-better-and-more-satisfactory-to-acquit-a-thousand-guilty/)

[Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/)

> [Let us leave the EEC, abolish human rights laws, take TV sets, pool tables and phones out of prisons, bring back corporal and capital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-bates/let-us-leave-the-eec-abolish-human-rights-laws-take-tv-sets-pool/)

[Ken Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-bates/)

> [ The law which attempts a man's life \[capital punishment\] is impractical, unjust, inadmissible. It has never repressed crime--for a second crime is every day… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-sade/the-law-which-attempts-a-man-s-life-capital-punishment-is-impractical/)

[Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-sade/)

> [Capital punishment kills immediately, whereas lifetime imprisonment does so slowly. Which executioner is more humane? The one who kills you in a few minutes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/capital-punishment-kills-immediately-whereas-lifetime-imprisonment/)

[Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/)

> [To take a life when a life has been lost is revenge, not justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/to-take-a-life-when-a-life-has-been-lost-is-revenge-not-justice/)

[Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/)

> [Capital punishment...treats members of the human race...as objects to be toyed with and discarded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-brennan/capital-punishment-treats-members-of-the-human-race-as-objects-to-be/)

[William J. Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-brennan/)

> [But now inquiry is being made concerning these issues. First, can any believer enlist in the military? Second, can any soldier, even those of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/but-now-inquiry-is-being-made-concerning-these-issues-first-can-any/)

[Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/)

> [Capital punishment would be more effective as a preventive measure if it were administered prior to the crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/capital-punishment-would-be-more-effective-as-a-preventive-measure-if/)

[Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/)

> [ “\[T\]here are some human rights that are so deep that we can't negotiate them away. I mean people do heinous, terrible things. But there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sister-helen-prejean/t-here-are-some-human-rights-that-are-so-deep-that-we-can-t-negotiate/)

[Sister Helen Prejean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sister-helen-prejean/)

> [It is significant that, as innocent babies are killed, and capital punishment is withheld from their murderers, the same men who plead for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-rushdoony/it-is-significant-that-as-innocent-babies-are-killed-and-capital/)

[R.J. Rushdoony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-rushdoony/)

> [I don't know if the question is whether you believe in capital punishment anymore. I think the greater question is its effectiveness and given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tani-cantil-sakauye/i-don-t-know-if-the-question-is-whether-you-believe-in-capital/)

[Tani Cantil-Sakauye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tani-cantil-sakauye/)

> [“Zwingli's introduction of capital punishment for those who differed from him on points of doctrine..." p179”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-h-broadbent-the-pilgrim-church/zwingli-s-introduction-of-capital-punishment-for-those-who-differed/)

[E.H. Broadbent- The Pilgrim Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-h-broadbent-the-pilgrim-church/)

> [“Plea Against the Death Penalty Look, examine, reflect. You hold capital punishment up as an example. Why? Because of what it teaches. And just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/plea-against-the-death-penalty-look-examine-reflect-you-hold-capital/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

[Browse all 209 Capital punishment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capital-punishment/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I favor capital punishment. It saves lives.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Nancy Reagan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-favor-capital-punishment-it-saves-lives/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Capital punishment"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-favor-capital-punishment-it-saves-lives/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ec/nancy-reagan-7070_capital-punishment_i-favor-capital-punishment-it-saves-live_245783.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ec/nancy-reagan-7070_capital-punishment_i-favor-capital-punishment-it-saves-live_245783.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ec/nancy-reagan-7070_capital-punishment_i-favor-capital-punishment-it-saves-live_245783.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I favor capital punishment. It saves lives.” — Nancy Reagan",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Nancy Reagan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-reagan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I favor capital punishment. It saves...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-favor-capital-punishment-it-saves-lives/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-reagan/i-favor-capital-punishment-it-saves-lives/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```