...retribution. The punishment as a whole is flawed and there will always be a substantial risk of executing an innocent person. This negative aspect cannot be overlooked. Furthermore, the cost of this farce is completely appalling and we should not continue to irresponsibly waste crucial funding of the criminal justice system in this way. Capital punishment is hurting our government more than it is helping. Unless the research proves that it is an effective form of deterrence, we should abolish this form of punishment outright. I do not see how the death penalty would deter anyone from committing a heinous act. This is because someone in the commission of a crime is not thinking about sitting in a court room and being sentenced to death. Many people use the term “eye for an eye” but is this the right way to uphold justice? For the reasons of lack of substantial evidence of capital punishment being an effective deterrent, the wasteful spending of valuable funds, and the potential death of innocent people, I do not support the use of the death penalty. For centuries, governments have tried to utilize the death sentence for deterrence and to keep the crime rate lowered. We must ask ourselves, does executing wrongdoers actually lower the rates of crime punishable by death? In my research, I have come to the conclusion that this is not a successful deterrent. It has been debated for many years as to what is a better deterrent, life in prison or capital punishment. In a journal...
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...Capital Punishment and Crime Deterred Should capital punishment be used in a justice system to deter the level of serious crimes in a society? There have been arguments that capital punishment is the best way to deter crime and arguments that say it is not all over the world. The justice system is in place to keep societies functioning proper, and punish those who hurt that goal, capital punishment is one of the ways that have been aiding in the success. If capital punishment does act as a deterrent for crime, shouldn’t a society use it as a tool for the justice system? However, if capital punishment does not act as a deterrent for crime, then should it be scrapped by the justice system and emphasis be placed on looking for a new way to deter crime? This is more than just a crime deterrent issue because it involves taking a life to save a life. This is an ethical issue of whether capital punishment is the best way to solve the problem, and this has been argued by millions of people all over the world for decades and it is still a highly debated topic to this day. Capital Punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the practice of sentencing a person to execution as punishment for a capital crime after a proper legal trail. It is typically only used as a form of punishment for people who commit serious types of murder. It may not be known, because many countries never actually use it, but there are 58 countries that currently have a form of the death penalty (Unknown, 2010)...
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...Life without Parole v. Capital Punishment in California Capital punishment is the focus of much controversy lately amongst Californians. In November, Proposition 43 gave California the option to eliminate capital punishment and convert current sentences to life without the possibility of parole. The vote against it won with only 53% of the vote. Over half the states in America favor the death penalty and apply it, while at least a dozen states have chosen not to implement it. As a resident of California, I believe that with our current fiscal crisis, it would be wise to convert current death penalty sentences to life without parole in an effort to save taxpayers millions of dollars. “Legal executions in California were authorized under the Criminal Practices Act of 1851” (History of capital punishment in California, 2010). Since that date, over 500 people have been executed by the state. California has gone through the transition from hangings, to the gas chamber, to lethal injection. In 2006, executions were put to a halt due to claims that the 3 combination lethal injection was cruel and unusual punishment. There are currently over 700 inmates, both men and women, who are waiting to be put to death. The death penalty system that we currently have in place is inactive. However, it is still costing taxpayers their money, and a large amount of it at that. California taxpayers, a considerable amount more per death row inmates than we do general population inmates. If...
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...Capital punishment is the legal process when a person is put to death by the state as a punishment for their crimes. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a social justice organization that’s actively working to abolish capital punishment in the United States. The ACLU does this by working within legislature to change laws to improve the lives of those in need of help. The ACLU stands against capital punishment and is justified in doing so because it interferes with the first amendment, being the right to life. Capital punishment cases also clog the court system with appeals and hearings, and aren’t any cheaper for the state than a life in prison without the chance for parole charge would be. The ACLU is founded on protecting our civil rights, which include our right to life. Capital punishment violates the right to life provided by Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) (ACLU Death Penalty par.1). While the right to life is more commonly referred to in the issue of abortion, it still applies in the issue of capital punishment. Article 3 of the UDHR does not specify that it is to only guard certain people and not others. The right to life protects all people, criminal or not, and we cannot take away their right to life just because they are brought into custody. What would make someone’s life less important or less worthy than how we see our own? What makes us, as a society, think we are above one another and have the right to execute...
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...One of the more controversial topics in today’s society is the use of capital punishment, informally known as the death penalty. There are two main sides to this topic; some people want to abolish the death penalty, while others want to continue or even increase its use. The people that want to abolish the death penalty view it as unconstitutional, as they see it as “cruel and unusual;” while others view the death penalty as an appropriate punishment that fits the horrendous crime of murder. The death penalty has been shown to have a deterrent effect on crime, which is why the U.S.A and other nations worldwide should continue the use of capital punishment (Muhlhausen). HISTORY The death penalty has been around since the start of time. It is...
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...Capital Punishment is Wrong “ For hundreds of years people have considered capital punishment a deterrence of crime. Seven hundred and five individuals have died since 1976, by means of capital punishment; twenty-two of these executions have already occurred this year at Death Penalty Information Center”, exclaims Tara Volpe in her article, Capital Punishment: Does Death Equal Justice? In another article written by Coretta King, the author states that, “In recent years, an increase of violence in America, both individual and political, has prompted a backlash of public opinion on capital punishment”. Capital punishment is a tremendous issue that faces the criminal justice system. Some people think that capital punishment is a good idea for those who commit capital or very serious crimes; on the other hand, some people believe that capital punishment is wrong. In reality, capital punishment is wrong for several reasons. According to the free online dictionary, “capital punishment” is defined as the penalty of death for the commission of a crime. There are several words, which are the same as capital punishments are execution, death sentence, judicial murder and death warrant. To begin with, capital punishment is wrong because it is immoral and unfair. Some people are subjected to capital punishment even when there is speculation as to whether they actually committed the specified crime. A known case of this kind was the one involving David Spense who was given the death...
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...Evan Davis May 14, 2015 American institution Prof. Pro Con Capital Punishment Capital Punishment is a highly controversial and emotional issue which most people seem to have strong arguments for and against. The use of Capital Punishment in America has become a controversy among Americans. Controversy whether to ban Capital Punishment or not has become a top priority for most politicians. On one hand it brings justice, yet on the other its taking a life. These two mind set lead to numerous debates and disputes on the topic and even be linked to other controversial topics like abortion or gun laws. If someone was to believe that capital punishment was just and deserved to the law breaker, they are viewed as mad or blood thirsty. While if one was against it they are called weak or not American in some minds. With both views come valid points but also hard issues. The economic argument that is always seems to come up is the cost of the death penalty opposed to just life in prison. According to California state records, the operating expense to finance the penalty costs tax payers more than $114 million annually (Tempest). A 2005 report from Newsday concluded that New Jersey tax payers have spent a total of $253 million since 1983, which is an incomparably greater cost than if capital punishment was idle (Newsday). "A 1991 study of the Texas criminal justice system estimated the cost of appealing capital murder is around $2.3 million. In contrast, the cost of housing a...
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...as the most progressive and advanced society in the world. Unfortunately, when it comes to the existent of capital punishment, America is far behind. The death penalty’s use in America was influenced by Great Britain. When European settlers came to America, they brought with them the practice of capital punishment. In 1846 Michigan became the first state to abolish the death penalty, but opposition to the death penalty waned during the Civil War. During the early 20th century death penalty abolishment was scattered. Due to Prohibition and the Great Depression, the death penalty saw a resurgence. In 1972 the death penalty was suspended in the United States due to Furman v. Georgia, where it was ruled that the death penalty statutes were ruled as unconstitutional. After death penalty reforms were ruled constitutional by the Supreme Court, the death penalty was reinstated (History of the Death Penalty). To this day the use of capital punishment still exists in the United States. The practice of the death penalty has come under fire in recent years. The financial burden of the death penalty, the failure to act as a deterrent, and racial discrimination are major reasons for the death penalty to be eradicated. All other industrialized nations have abolished the death penalty, it is time for the United States to catch up to the rest of the world by abolishing capital punishment in its entirety. When the country is in debt, and states are facing budget shortages, $620,932 is a lot...
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...‘executed by firing squad for treason’. Even though controversial this punishment has no place in America. Death Penalty is unreasonable and inhumane deterrent for crime and should be abolished. First of all. data shows a racial bias towards black crimes against white victims. In addition, it is less expensive to house inmates than to execute them. Finally many countries have abolished the Death Penalty deeming it merciless I am a person that does not believe in the death penalty. The main thing we Question is, what purpose it serves for us to put another person on death row. By killing another human being it wont bring back that victim they murder. People against this method realize capital punishment does not stop criminals from killing or stop them from their mischief act. Many states that are against this method argue that the death penalty is both cruel and unnecessary that the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who done great evil. Prosecutor need to take time out to make sure that innocent people are not being put to death due to the fact that some people which are given the death penalty are being treated unfair. Many of the Americans people believe in capital punishment. Capital punishment is another word that we use to identify the term death penalty. Another reason capital punishment should be eliminated is cost to taxpayers. The cost is one of...
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...involved, it’s a costly situation. The worst of situations is those convicted and put of death row, only later to be found innocent of all charges. The lucky ones proved innocent before their scheduled execution but some are not half as lucky until they have reached their after life. The overall cost of executions have different ways to take a toll on someone. It’s the financial cost of carrying out the death penalty. The cost of an execution is much higher then the cost of life in prison. If sentenced to death, their are many financial costs that need be taken care of such as the lawyers, the medications for the actual execution, the trials to be tried, etc. Since 1978, in California alone, the death penalty has cost them $4 billion to carry out this capital punishment. It was further estimated that if given life in prison without possibility of parole instead of capital punishment to those now on death row, the state of California would immediately save $170 million annually, and in the coming 20 years a possibility of saving over $5 billion. The death penalty...
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...thinking of capital punishment. It does not make sense to kill people to show that killing people is wrong. An effective form of punishment has three basic characteristics: it is delivered immediately after the wrongdoing, it is administered consistently, and alternative behaviors are introduced. Society needs to get over the “eye for an eye” mentality in order for civilization to continue advancing (“Should”). The death penalty does not have any of the characteristics of an effective form of punishment. First, people who are sentenced to die are not put to death immediately. They spend years on death row. The average time on death row before execution is 10.26 years (“Death”). There are currently 3,300 men and women on death row in the United States (“Death”). Because those who are sentenced to death are not punished immediately after their actions, the death penalty is not an effective form of punishment. A good form of punishment is administered consistently. Not every person that murders someone is sent to death row. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia do not use the death penalty (“Death”). Among the states that do encourage it there are multiple methods of execution. These methods include lethal injection, electrocution, gas chamber, firing squad, and hanging (“Methods”). Not only are all murderers not punished equally, but also those that are sentenced to execution are not consistently killed in the same way. Finally, in an effective form of punishment alternative...
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...Kevin Reasoner Professor Kraskin English 1101 December 8th, 2012 Capital Punishment Capital punishment is a debate our politicians argue each year with. Many people are for it and many are against it. Our very own Supreme Court still debate on this topic. If properly used right, capital punishment is good for society because it is a deterrence against future crimes and protect the rights of victims of malicious murders, capital punishment is a legal and an appropriate measure in the United States legal system. Capital punishment was reestablished in 1976 by the Supreme Court as an appropriate measure for murder cases. Since then, many murderers have been convicted and put to death for their awful crimes. With each execution of a murderer, society is a safer place. When a human makes the ultimate decision to commit a crime of murder, rape, child rape, and torture, would a life in prison term be fair. Prison's are for much less acts of crime and people who do the acts against fellow humans should be punished by capital punishment. Prisons and jails are used as a deterrent so that people in today’s' society will not perform an act against another human. If they do, they know the repercussions of the acts they are performing. Some people are clearly not mentally capable of knowing the difference between right and wrong and they are put into hospitals because of their sickness. The majority of society know the difference of right and wrong. Another form of a deterrent...
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... because killing people is bad. If this is not the most obvious contradiction of the human race, I’m not sure what is. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that we as humans have the inalienable right, first and foremost, to life, the right of a life free from torture or punishment and the right not to be subjected to any cruel or inhumane behaviour, in my view Capital Punishment blatantly violates these rights. Capital Punishment or better known as ‘The Death Penalty’ is a concept that for most of us is hard to grasp, how does one justify and actively carry out killing a person because they’ve killed another person when we believe that action is wrong. Where do we draw the line when it’s right or wrong to kill another human being? The Death Penalty is the ultimate punishment, both psychologically and physically, thus proving to us as humans that we are in breach of our essential rights as a human being and are still enabling countries to carry out this action. While Australia and numerous other countries have abolished the Death Penalty there are plenty of countries that still uphold the belief that it is a justifiable action and is morally right. The American state of California currently has over 700 prisoners on death row, one of these prisoners a 55-year-old man named Kevin Cooper states “Between the moment we are sentenced and our death date, we die a profound psychological and spiritual death. It is a living death”, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week this human...
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...Death Penalty Mead Shumway of Nebraska was convicted of the first degree murder of his employer's wife on circumstantial evidence and sentenced to death by jury. His last words before his execution were: "I am an innocent man. May God forgive everyone who said anything against me." The next year, the victim's husband confessed on his deathbed that he [the husband] had murdered his [own] wife (Radelet, Bedau, & Putnam, 1993). There are an uncertain numerous amount of incidents similar to the one depicted above, that have repeatedly occurred throughout the course of history. Two highly distinguishable figures in the area of capital punishment in the United States, Hugo Bedau and Michael Radelet, discovered in 1992, at least 140 cases, since 1990, in which innocent persons were sentenced to death (Hook & Kahn, 1989). In Illinois alone, 12 death row inmates have been cleared and freed since 1987. The most conclusive evidence in support of this "comes from the surprisingly large numbers of people whose convictions have been overturned and who have been freed from death" (Bedau, 1997). One out of every seven people sentenced to death row are innocent (Bedau, 1997). The numbers are disturbing, innocent people are becoming victims of the United States judicial system by its overlooked imperfections. A former president of the American Bar Association (ABA), John J. Curtin Jr., said it best when he told a congressional committee that "Whatever you think about the death penalty...
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...Learning. www.studentsnewsdaily.com. (2013). Retrieved from www.studentsnewsdaily.com. DEATH PENALTY Thesis As you further read into this paper you will understand the reason and cause for the death penalty in the United States. You will be educated how many states in the United States use the death penalty as a form of punishment and also what form of it is used. There are many methods of death some states opposed while others see it as “an eye for an eye”. Capital Punishment is defined as the practice of executing an individual as punishment for a specific crime. This is known as a state’s form of committing murder. Capital punishment comes from the Latin word meaning for the head. Some oppose it (those we term Conservative) and those who support it (these we term Liberal). Capital Punishment can range from simple punishments of cutting ones’ hand off for stealing to being hung, set in front of a firing squad, using lethal injection (a commonly used form), to being gassed, or the electric chair (a more common form). Some countries even use poisoning, starving, and burning (which some deem as unconstitutional). So because a state does it, is it legal? Or morally right? Yes because it is done in a lawful manner (so the conservatives would believe). Definition Liberalism is defined as a set of beliefs that includes the advocacy of positive government action to improve the welfare of individuals, support for civil rights, and tolerance for political and social change...
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