...Rhetorical Analysis Proposal The article that I have chosen to read and analyze for the rhetoric analysis paper is called “Death Penalty and Sentencing Information” by Dudley Sharp, the Death Penalty Resources Director of Justice for All. After reading through the document, the position is clearly in opposition of the death penalty. The paper is written to alert and educate students and adults of the violation of human rights that exist within the code of capital punishment. The author wrote the article in an attempt to make the reader consider their own personal beliefs on the death penalty, and also encourages the reader to delve further into the controversy that has been existent for quite some time. The rhetorical situation in this case is in the form of a well-backed, very detailed position paper about a highly controversial topic. The paper opens up the idea that there are more than just two opposing views, and offers a great deal of factual evidence in support of why the death penalty should not be a viable option of criminal justice. In reading this paper, I was able to identify several types of rhetorical elements. The logos present aree in the form of detailed, well-researched factual evidence that is brought to not only help the position of the author, but intrigue the reader and spur the reader to think about their own position on the matter. Pathos is used in the paper when the author turns to the moral, religious argument that opposes the death penalty. The idea...
Words: 288 - Pages: 2
...John Vera English 101H Professor Kaufman 23 October 2014 Is the Death Penalty Actually Effective? Of the many crimes one could commit, murder, felony manslaughter, espionage, genocide, and treason are a few of the crimes that can lead to one paying with the ultimate price, their own life. Lethal injection, gas chamber, firing squad, electrocution, and hanging are the methods of death afforded for those who commit such heinous acts. However, does knowing the possible consequences of capital offenses deter individuals from committing the crimes? Did it make you stop and think? In the United States the death penalty is used as a punishment for capital offenses. These specifically can vary from state to state, but commonly include first-degree murder, murder with special circumstances, rape with additional bodily harm, and the federal crime of treason. (Facts) The goal of the death penalty then, is to deter these crimes from even taking place, to be so feared that offenders think twice about committing such horrible crimes. But does it? In the following paper, the above question will attempt to be answered by looking at the background of capital punishment and the death penalty, the ideas behind it, viable alternatives, and finally, the effectiveness of the death penalty at deterring crime. Early death penalty laws date back to the Eighteenth Century B.C.. The death penalty also had a heavy presence in the Fourteenth Century Hittite Code, the Seventh Century Draconian Code...
Words: 1473 - Pages: 6
...The Death Penalty PHI103: Informal Logic Professor Donald Ceplenski March 26, 2012 The Death Penalty Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the lawful infliction of death as a form of punishment. It is considered to be one of the most controversial and a debated topic across the United States which leads to the logical question; is the death penalty just and applied fairly? Although in theory sentencing a criminal to death may bring closure to the victim’s families, the practice of sentencing someone to death is an unjust form of punishment with factors such as costs, deterrence, and rehabilitation failure show that putting a criminal to death is counterproductive and inhumane. Death Penalty laws have been around since Eighteenth Century B.C., but the execution in American dates back to the colonial days in 1608, when Virginia carried out the colonies first execution to Captain George Kendall (Randa, 1996). According to the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC), in the last four hundred years, 36 states have instituted the death penalty, making execution the ultimate form of punishment (2012). In theory the death penalty appears to be a reasonable method of punishment but in reality it has major flaws that damage the integrity of the state. Not only does it have serious flaws it is absolutely inhumane in every way. The death penalty goes against our rights as human beings. We are supporting the message that killing is okay if the reason...
Words: 2264 - Pages: 10
...Death Penalty: How Newspaper Coverage Has Perpetuated Negative Stereotypes about Female Violence & Gender Roles Tonya Rice Capella University MPA 5416– Quantitative and Qualitative Research [ January 25, 2013 ] Dr. Gangl Introduction of the Problem Chimene Keitner argues that, “the uncritical resort to sex-role stereotypes pervades the trials, sentencing’s, and media reactions to women who receive the death penalty” (Keitner, 2002). Often, women who face the death penalty are portrayed in a negative light, for example, they are portrayed as deviant and/or unwomanly by the media. The media tends to focus on gender stereotypes, such as the notion that women are and should be having more virtuously than men and aspects that are not related to the crime and/or charge. In doing this, the media reinforces negative images of women and female violence. Since society and the media have difficulty understanding women who commit violent acts, they tend to emphasize certain characteristics of these women in order to dehumanize them. Under this mind set, society and the media/press is essentially arguing that normal women, who fit into traditional female gender roles, do not commit violent acts; and therefore, those who do are unwomanly or somehow deviant. As a result, the females that do commit violent acts are viewed negatively and the only way to understand their behavior is to cast them to the periphery of society and expose everything about them that goes against the status...
Words: 675 - Pages: 3
...The Use of the Death Penalty A Paper Presented by the National Policy Committee to The American Society of Criminology National Policy Committee James Austin, Chair Kitty Calavita Roland Chilton Jeffrey Fagan Calvin C. Johnson Delores Jones-Brown Mark Moore Ira Schwartz Linda Teplin Franklin Zimring November 2001 The findings and opinions contained herein are those of the National Policy Committee and do not necessarily reflect the official position or policies of the American Society of Criminology. Ronald Weitzer, Professor of Sociology, Dana Coleman, Research Assistant, and Sarah Benatar, Graduate Research Assistant at the Institute on Crime, Justice, and Corrections at George Washington University provided substantial assistance in the preparation of this document. Introduction Capital punishment is among the most hotly debated issues in American politics. Passions run high for both those who want the death penalty abolished and those who seek to preserve or expand its use. What follows is a summary of key issues in the death penalty debate, research findings on the application of capital punishment, and a discussion of policy considerations. The American Society of Criminology (ASC) is greatly concerned with the death penalty and its application in the United States. This year, ASC President Ronald Huff and the ASC Executive Board authorized the ASC’s National Policy Committee (NPC) to develop a policy paper that would focus on...
Words: 6090 - Pages: 25
...Death Penalty and Politics Research Paper Danica Misic The Death Penalty and Politics Introduction The death penalty seems like a dreadful phrase at first glance, especially for those who are facing it. People convicted and sentenced to the death penalty usually have a long wait ahead of them. Some of these people facing the death penalty are looking forward to their execution, and some are dreading it. What exactly is the death penalty? To some it may be freedom once carried out, and to others it is retribution, a political tool, a means for producing money, or a deterrent for future crimes. It is important that the United States come to some conclusion so we can end the death penalty debate; we want the truth, not assumptions that can be argued to no end. This paper will discuss the ins and outs of the death penalty, why it has created much debate, why it is not a deterrent of murder, and that it is mostly used as a political tool. There have been many studies done to both effects; the death penalty deters crime, or it does not deter crime because the previous studies were flawed. First presented is a brief history to better understand where the death penalty comes from. The next section will discuss the modern approaches to the death penalty including landmark cases that changed the way the death penalty is executed in the United States. Following this section is an explanation of deterrence and its effects, and other controversies that exist. Finally...
Words: 5088 - Pages: 21
...counter arguments that follow. In full support of the former, in his article titled “On Deterrence and the Death Penalty”[ Van Den Haag, Ernest (1969) On Deterrence and the Death Penalty. The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology and Police Science, 60(2) ], Ernest Van Den Haag outlines his thoughts which support the use of the death penalty and how it might deter heinous crimes against society. The first section of this paper will give a summery of Van Den Haag’s thoughts, which he outlined in the article, including the main points and arguments made which support his view. Following this summary, an in depth analysis of how the article relates to my personal beliefs and understanding of the topic will take place. Summary In section one of the article, the author brings up the point that the purposes of the death penalty must always be understood as being one of two things: doing justice or deterring others. Van den Haag points out that any other aim of a justice system, such as rehabilitation, would not be met by this form of punishment. It is his belief that opponents contesting the use of the death penalty must show that that neither purpose is met in order to illustrate that it should be abolished[ Van Den Haag, Ernest (1969) On Deterrence and the Death Penalty. The Journal of Criminal Law, Criminology and Police Science, 60(2),pp.141]. He then outlines the purpose of his paper which is to challenge the claim that capital punishment is useless as a form of deterrence. Section...
Words: 1470 - Pages: 6
...Is the Death Penalty a Fair and Effective Deterrent in the United States? Abstract The death penalty is the most severe punishment that may be imposed on an individual by the United States government. It denies a person one of their most basic human rights, which is the right to live. One of the purposes of the death penalty is to serve as a deterrent for other would-be criminals. There have been studies conducted to determine if the death penalty is effective in this regard. There is another point of disparity surrounding the death penalty related to the equality of its application. Are all citizens treated equal? This paper takes a closer look at the equality in the application of the death penalty and its effectiveness as a deterrent. Is the Death Penalty a Fair and Effective Deterrent in the United States? The death penalty came to the United States with the first European settlers and continued until the 1960’s. “The 1960s brought challenges to the fundamental legality of the death penalty. Before then, the Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments were interpreted as permitting the death penalty. However, in the early 1960s, it was suggested that the death penalty was a "cruel and unusual" punishment, and therefore unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment.” (Bohm, 1999) Since the 1960’s courts have been battling the issue of the death penalty. Currently there are 38 states that have provisions for the death penalty. What is the purpose of the death...
Words: 1575 - Pages: 7
...thirty-two states have death penalty statutes. Of those thirty-two, only seven states carried out executions in 2014 (Bureau of Justice Statistics 2015). Those executions total 35 (Bureau of Justice Statistics 2015). As a result of the low number of executions carried out, experts in the United States have examined the efficiency of the death penalty. To accurately assess the economic costs of the death penalty, the difference between the costs...
Words: 3210 - Pages: 13
...Impact of Death Row on the Correction System Name Task Date Abstract When an individual is found guilty of a criminal offense and consequently sentenced to death, the individual is held in death row pending any habeas corpus or appeals, and if these fail, until the convict is convicted. Those opposed to capital punishment have contended that the isolation of a convict and the uneasiness over his or her destiny constitutes a kind of mental depravity and that long-term death row convicts are particularly prone to become mentally unstable. This condition is commonly known as death row phenomenon. In severe cases, some convicts may try committing suicide. Issues relating to the administration of capital punishment are vast and varied. Often, talk about the use of death penalty concentrates more on sentimental arguments pertaining to the moral issue emanating from the administration of death penalty. This paper attempts to study the issues that surround capital punishment by making use of the system analysis approach. It shall endeavor to explore the dehumanizing effects brought about by the recommencement of capital punishment. While there are no clear-cut answers regarding the matter of capital punishment and death sentence, this paper will attempt to shed more light on the normally intricate social issue. Impact of Death Row on the Correction System In June 1972 in a case concerning Furman v. Georgia brought before the U.S. Supreme Court, the court...
Words: 1667 - Pages: 7
...easy for an international student. It is a big challenge to write an academic paper by using the second language. The argument, thesis, word choices and grammar always bother me. However, I know that writing is the most important skill for a college student, so I never stop practicing and improving it. I took a writing class 20C and 39A in my first year. Both of them helped me a lot to improve writing skills. Last quarter, I took 39B, which was my first time to know rhetorical writing. When I take writing 39C this quarter, I learn deeply about the rhetorical and research...
Words: 2375 - Pages: 10
...DEATH PENALTY ARLINCY ERSKINE WESTWOOD COLLEGE REFERENCES References (2010). Retrieved from www.bsos.umd.edu. (2013). Retrieved from www.citelighter.com. Bardes, S. S. (2013-2014). American Government and Politics Today. Boston: Cengage 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...
Words: 1088 - Pages: 5
...theories, non-consequentialist theories, and mixed (or hybrid) theories that contain both consequentialist and non-consequentialist elements. What distinguishes these theories is their focus and goals: Consequentialist theories are forward-looking, concerned with the future consequences of punishment; non-consequentialist theories are backward-looking, interested solely in past acts and mental states; and mixed theories are both forward- and backward-looking, with each hybrid placing a different emphasis on culpable past conduct versus future consequences. The present paper will briefly examine the two dominant consequentialist and non-consequentialist theories of criminal punishment–utilitarianism and retributivism, respectively–as well as leading hybrid theories. In between using the utilitarian and Kantian arguments fallacy of death penalty has also been explored. Research Methodology Aims and objectives: Present paper attempts to sketch the significance of two seemingly opposing justifications of punishment....
Words: 6603 - Pages: 27
...Assignment 3: Corporate Governance and Ethical Responsibility Research Paper By: To Professor: Stacie Pittell COURSE NAME: LEG 500 – Law, Ethics, and Corporate Governance Strayer University Washington DC August 2012 Corporate Governance and Ethical Responsibility Research Paper This analysis paper will explain if Dr. DoRight of Universal Human Care Hospital can manage when he discovers that patients inside the hospital are dying as a results of a extent of illegal practices by doctors, nurses and careless supervision of oversight on their be half. Also question the rights of staff to health and safety within the work place and address the duty of loyalty, and conflicts of interest between internal and external stakeholders. Additionally discuss the moral duties to report illegal actions, along side the deontology and utilitarianism principles. The Universal Human Care Hospital has to decide a way to handle things at the hospital. 1. Determine at least three (3) different internal and external stakeholders that Dr. DoRight might have to deal with on a daily basis at the hospital. The Universal Human Care Hospital has different internal and external stakeholders. Selected of these insider stakeholders are the nurse group committee, department managers, and Regional Director Compliance Manager. The nurse group committee is common nurses in command of promoting the health and safety of patients in their care. Department managers are concerned...
Words: 1774 - Pages: 8
...The Death Penalty and its Ethical Permissibility Palestine Fox Kaplan University Abstract The death penalty has been used for centuries to punish criminals for heinous crimes, in spite of the fact that arguments concerning the death penalty, its concepts of retribution, deterrence and just punishments have been disagreed upon. The question at hand is whether or not the death penalty is permissible and if so under what circumstances, which has long been a heated debate for centuries. The ethical issues surrounding the death penalty include the morality of this form of punishment and whether or not it is morally right to deprive a human being of life. This paper will discuss the background of the death penalty, its permissibility under the law and how the death penalty would be viewed by the ethical philosophies and various religions. The Death Penalty and its Permissibility Introduction of the Death Penalty The death penalty or capital punishment is the practice of executing someone as a form of punishment for a heinous or specific crime following a proper legal trial. The death penalty is usually a punishment sentenced for serious types of murders, in some countries treason, types of fraud, adultery and rape, which are capital crimes (Capital Punishment, 2013). The death penalty was introduced as early as the Eighteenth Century B.C. in the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon, who codified the death penalty for 25 different crimes. In the Seventh Century B.C. Athens...
Words: 4062 - Pages: 17
