...Nikita Federoff Essay #1 Joseph-Anthony Roberto January 26, 2012 Criminology-BHS 142 Capital Punishment I believe Capital Punishment to be one of the most important environmental forces currently impacting the United States Criminal Justice System in a negative way. Capital Punishment is defined as the lawful infliction of death as a punishment, Commonly known as the Death Penalty. The first known infliction of the death penalty occurred in the American colonies the year of 1608, The victim being Captain George Kendall in the Jamestown Colony. Throughout history the death penalty has been known to be carried out by one of five lawful means; Hanging, Gas Chambers, Firing Squad, Lethal Injection, and Electrocution. In the eighteenth century 162 documented executions took place, Followed by 1,391 executions in the nineteenth century. Towards the end of the Revolutionary War, 11 Colonies wrote new constitutions allowing Capital Punishment. Ironically, nine out of those eleven colonies did not allow “Cruel and Unusual Punishment.” The Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the government from inflicting "cruel and unusual punishments." The uncertainty of the phrase "cruel and unusual." cause controversy's over the constitutionality of the death penalty. Some argue that the phrase "cruel and unusual" refers to the type of punishment inflicted, others feel that the phrase refers to the degree and duration of the punishment. The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected...
Words: 547 - Pages: 3
...How you ever heard of Amendment 8? If not,you might find out about it if you read this essay.The purpose of this essay is to tell you more about the amendment that I have, which Is the eighth Amendment. The words of the Amendment are “Excessive bail shall not be required,nor excessive fines imposed,nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” It is about safeguarding Americans against excessive punishments. If the eighth amendment did not exist... it would affect the U.S. by things like people would not be able to get out of jail,people doing cruel and unusual punishments happening. People who would want to get out of minor crimes,they wouldn’t be able to. And also people might suffer more than they deserve, or there would be more people who would want freedom of not being in jail but they probably won’t get it. The people in the U.S. might be more cruel to one another with money or with other things.If the eighth amendment didn’t exist there might be changes with the rules or laws in different places like jails,courts,and maybe other ones....
Words: 496 - Pages: 2
...Abstract The essay outlines the arguments for abolishing the death penalty, also including any counter arguments that can be used for a use of the death penalty. The arguments made in this essay for death-penalty abolition are its devaluation of human life, eliminating of the possibility for revenge, its violation of human rights, as well as including the view of religious groups. This essay argues that all of these arguments address that human life cannot be taken away from a person, even if the person is a murder, simply because then the society is not being better than the murder him- or herself. I have investigated many research and scientific studies in order to back up my arguments as best as possible. Furthermore I have also investigated into the methods of death penalty, such as lethal injection. This essay views practice of capital punishment as an expression of anxiety about safety, in particular it counteracts the argument that death penalty would deter any future crime, and terrorist attacks. I also looked up numbers in order to show how costly death penalty is, in order to emphasize that there are more cheaper and less inhumane methods to sentence a murder. I also draw attention to countries that use death penalty as a way to eliminate any enemies, using it as a political weapon to silence any troublesome individuals. I suggest that every life is valuable, and that death penalty does not consider the risk of killing an innocent person, but rather emphasize that...
Words: 2476 - Pages: 10
...Zulamita Robles Government Mr. Allen 3/26/14 Public Opinion Essay (Conservative) Being raised in a Hispanic Catholic Home I do highly believe I am a conservative. While thinking it through it came to mind that it may be because of how I was and am being raised or perhaps my religion or possibly even my race. Then it came to mind that being a Hispanic girl raised with Hispanic parents in a strongly enforced catholic home has greatly influenced my beliefs. We all want the same things in life. We want freedom; we want the chance for prosperity; we want as few people suffering as possible; we want healthy children; we want to have crime-free streets. Conservatives believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a strong national defense. We believe the role of government should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals. Conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems. There are several topics in which my belief of me classified as a conservative is put up to its meaning for example Abortion a Liberal would believe that A woman has the right to decide what happens with her body. A fetus is not a human life, so it does not have separate individual rights. The decision to have an abortion is a personal choice of a woman regarding her own body and the government must protect this right. However a Conservative would argue that a Human...
Words: 932 - Pages: 4
...excessive punishments, such as torture, were applied without the accused being granted a fair trial. Besides this, the punishment someone was given was often dependent on their status, thus making the system unfair by today’s standards. These practices coincided with the Age of Enlightenment, a time in which the idea that humans were rational creatures emerged. This concept of humans operating based on reason shaped the ideas of the first thinker of the classical school: Cesare Beccaria. He argued that humans had free will and were governed by hedonism, which means their actions were determined by a calculation of what would bring them the most pleasure and the least amount of pain. Considering this, in order to minimize crime, punishments should be severe enough to make the negative consequences of committing a crime more undesirable than the benefits were desirable. If this would be the case, people would be deterred from committing criminal acts because the choice of doing so simply would not be rational anymore. Based on these principles, Beccaria wrote an essay entitled On Crimes and Punishment, protesting the state of the criminal justice system and proposing a better way. He starts out his essay with the theory of a social contract; every individual has given up a small portion of their freedom in order to form a functioning society. Laws are put in place to make sure that this society can continue to function. However, because of this contract, punishment should firstly...
Words: 1679 - Pages: 7
...Chelsea MIchael CLN 4U1 McCabe 09/30/2016 Jurisprudence and Legal Philosophy Essay Canada’s laws are a combination of many different philosophies about how to achieve justice. One of the most impactful philosophists are Plato because he believed that humans by nature are good which is a belief that Canada has adopted. Aristotle also believed in natural law and that everyone should have access to the same resources despite financial advantages or disadvantages similarly to Canada's beliefs. Lastly, Cicero greatly impacted Canadian law because he believed that justice comes from a reasonable person which is the basis of all Canadian laws. The three most impactful theorists on Canadian law are Plato, Aristotle and Cicero because they all believe...
Words: 919 - Pages: 4
...Jacoby Greenwood Crime is all around us. wherever we look, we find crime and criminals. Criminals have become a part of our lives whether we like it or not. This does not mean we should let them darken society. Getting the rightly accused to a punishment is important. Some criminals commit a crime because they have no other option, some do it for fun and for their own benefit. I do not approve of the death penalty for everybody. A person who stole from a store, is definitely not a deserving person for the death penalty, But, a serial killer, who kills people just because he wants to, definitely deserves to be removed from society. The death penalty should be pursued in the United States in order to eliminate horrible people from the world. Not everyone deserves to die, but some people do. If someone killed one of your family members or someone who meant the world to you, do you think they deserve to live? The 5 different forms of execution in the united states are Lethal injection, electrocution, lethal gas, firing squad, and hanging. Lethal injection is the most common. A lot of people see both sides of the death penalty and some people are unsure on how they think about it. Many people support the death penalty, while others wish for the death penalty to be abolished,...
Words: 728 - Pages: 3
...harsh restrictions, and cruel and unusual punishment can be corroborated with multiple sources provided by actual slaves at the...
Words: 1047 - Pages: 5
...Persuasive Essay Capital Punishment, Appropriate or Cruel and Unusual? The roots of Capital Punishment date back as far as the Eighteenth Century B.C in the code of King Hammurabi of Babylon. During this time period there were 25 different crimes that resulted in the death penalty. As time progressed the death penalty became more of a commonplace. Throughout the centuries following King Hammurabi’s reign, the death penalty can be seen in many regions of the world. The death penalty was first seen four centuries after King Hammurabi in the Hittite Code; then in the Seventh Century B.C.'s Draconian Code of Athens, and finally in the Fifth Century B.C.'s Roman Law of the Twelve Tablets. What we would now call cruel and unusual, their methods of execution included crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burning alive, and impalement. In the Tenth Century A.D punishment by execution became a central law of the land, starting off with 222 crimes punishable by death and then reduced to around a 100. Because America’s origins trace back to Britain our laws were influenced theirs, the death penalty being one of them. This influence of the death penalty on our nation by Britain is where issues arise. Times have changed and so have the people living within them. Where once punishment by death received little to no outcry of wrongful doing, now many believe it is an unjust and horrid act of violence. Those who oppose Capital Punishment tend to argue that taking the life of a...
Words: 1051 - Pages: 5
...Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment Capital punishment is a topic that anyone can count on to stir emotional discussions with plenty of opinions. In the world today, people commit horrific crimes daily. There are many who feel that those who carry out these terrible crimes deserve one fate: death. Capital punishment is used in reference to the death penalty that is issued in a judicial manner to execute those found guilty of a capital or hard offense. This according to our text is called legal punishment. Legal punishment is defined as the state-authorized imposition of some form of deprivation-of liberty, resources, or even life-upon a person justly convicted of a violation of the criminal law. (Stohr, pg 3) In this review of the pros and cons of the death penalty we will examine some different aspects of the process and allow the reader to form their own opinion. History The death penalty can be traced back a long time throughout history. The first established death penalty laws date back to the Eighteenth Century B.C. In the code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon, which gave the death penalty for 25 different crimes. This code expressed the well-known concept of lex talionis (the law of equal retaliation), which is further enunciated in the Mosaic code, the ancient law of the Hebrews, as “an eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth.” (Stohr, pg. 3) During the 18th century, many philosophers like Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham wrote influential writings on prison...
Words: 1654 - Pages: 7
...For decades the death penalty has been an emotional and almost unmentionable issue that has affected people in many different ways. Whenever the word "death penalty" comes up, extremists from both sides start yelling out their arguments. One side says deterrence, the other side says there's a potential of executing an innocent person; one says justice, retribution, and punishment; the other side says execution is murder. Regardless of people’s philosophic points of view, it is important to be aware of the facts. This is exactly what I would like to talk about in this essay: the facts regarding this controversial issue. I do not have the answer to this question; I believe both viewpoints have good arguments. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion in this or any other matter, but no one is entitled to his own facts. What is the death penalty? Congress or any state legislature may prescribe the death penalty, also known as capital punishment, for murder and other capital crimes. (Death Penalty: An Overview, 2010) As far back as the Ancient Laws of China, the death penalty has been established as a punishment for crimes. In the 18th Century BC, the Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon established the death penalty for twenty five different crimes, although murder was not one of them. The first death sentence historically recorded occurred in 16th Century BC Egypt where the wrongdoer, a member of nobility, was accused of magic, and ordered to take his own life. During this period...
Words: 2381 - Pages: 10
...12/07/12 The Death Penalty Crimes are committed every day. Some of them worse than others. The worst crimes get the worst punishment. That can mean capital punishment. Capital punishment is just another way of saying legal murder. Should it be allowed? This is one of the most debated issues in the criminal justice system. Hundreds of criminals are being killed legally at the hands of the government every day. Why you may ask, because they were convicted of killing one or more people. But the government can do it and get away with it. The death penalty is wrong and should be outlawed in all 50 states. The reasons why it should be outlawed are: the person could be innocent, it is not a good crime deterrent, and it does not cause closure for a victim’s families. The most obvious reason it should be banned is that it is against the law. It says so in our constitution. The Eighth Amendment clearly states that the federal government is prohibited from using cruel and unusual punishment. Most people would have to say that sitting down in a chair and getting electrocuted until your dead or getting poison shoved in your veins is pretty cruel and unusual. Also when you put someone to death for committing murder you are committing an act of it as well, which is an eye for an eye. Evidently the government seems to not think so. Another good reason to ban capital punishment is the person who was charged with the murder could actually be innocent and wrongfully accused. This means that an...
Words: 1112 - Pages: 5
...Fighting Crime with Murder Introduction—two wrongs don’t make a right even though two negatives make a positive. I. What is death penalty? A. Methods of execution. B. The history of the death penalty. II. How do you got put on the death row “death penalty” A. What state uses what method? B. What states don’t use any method? III. What do the people think about the death penalty in the U.S.? A. Why are people for the death penalty? B. Why are people against the death penalty? Conclulusion-The death penalty isn’t the right way to go for punishment after a crime it just as worse as the person that committed the crime. Fighting Crime with Murder The death penalty is a common topic and one of the major’s topics today. This research paper as you can already see is about the death penalty and it will show and tell what it is, how it works also how it is wrong because, two wrongs do not make a right even though two negatives make positive. I have learned many of things about the death penalty more than what I expected to learn. I hope by you reading my research paper you will learn how the death penalty isn’t the right way to go just like abortions some people say abortions are right but not the death penalty or the other way around it does not make any sense they both are murdering someone. Yes, the person on the death penalty did something wrong to get there but like I said before two wrongs does not make a right. Make them suffer in the...
Words: 2659 - Pages: 11
...Argument for Capital Punishment Since the 1970's, almost all capital sentences in the United States have been imposed for homicide. There has been intense debate among Americans regarding the constitutionality of capital punishment. Critics charge that executions are violations of the “cruel and unusual punishment” provision of the Eighth Amendment; while supporters of the death penalty counter that this clause was not intended to prohibit legal executions. In the 1972 court case of Furman vs. Georgia , the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment was no longer legal. However, in Gregg v. Georgia (1976), the court allowed capital punishments to resume in certain states, and shortly thereafter, Gary Gilmore was executed by a firing squad in Utah. Since the reinstatement of capital punishment in the United States,a separate penalty trial has been required for some capital cases, at which time the jury reviews circumstances that suggest the need for capital punishment. In 1982, Texas became the first state to execute a prisoner using lethal injection; other common methods of execution used in the United States include lethal gas and electrocution. In recent years, the Supreme Court has made it more difficult for death row prisoners to file appeals. Nearly 3 of 4 americans support the death sentence as a form of punishment. The other third has condemned it and their list of claims against it is long. Opponents challenge proponents on issues of deterrence, economics, fallibility...
Words: 1933 - Pages: 8
...constitutionality of capital punishment. Critics charge that executions are violations of the “cruel and unusual punishment” provision of the Eighth Amendment; while supporters of the death penalty counter that this clause was not intended to prohibit legal executions. In the 1972 court case of Furman vs. Georgia , the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment was no longer legal. However, in Gregg v. Georgia (1976), the court allowed capital punishments to resume in certain states, and shortly thereafter, Gary Gilmore was executed by a firing squad in Utah. Since the reinstatement of capital punishment in the United States,a separate penalty trial has been required for some capital cases, at which time the jury reviews circumstances that suggest the need for capital punishment. In 1982, Texas became the first state to execute a prisoner using lethal injection; other common methods of execution used in the United States include lethal gas and electrocution. In recent years, the Supreme Court has made it more difficult for death row prisoners to file appeals. Nearly 3 of 4 americans support the death sentence as a form of punishment. The other third has condemned it and their list of claims against it is long. Opponents challenge proponents on issues of deterrence, economics, fallibility, and rehabilitation. Their indifference to capital punishment is founded on constitutional and moral grounds. In societies best interest and for the safety of individuals, capital punishment is a respectable...
Words: 1929 - Pages: 8
