...The Death Penalty The death penalty is a form of punishment in which a person who has been convicted of a serious crime is executed under the precept of the criminal justice system. The death penalty has been in existence for thousands of years and has gained wide acceptance in the United States since early colonial times. Even those who framed the Constitution specifically the Fifth Amendment approved of it though implicitly (McCord and Latzer 9). Despite the growing acceptance of the death penalty as an appropriate punishment for certain kinds of crimes such as first degree murders, there are still some people who argue against it on certain grounds. The debate as to the justification of the death penalty has raged on for a long time. On one hand, there are those who are of the opinion that the death penalty is a cruel punishment which is morally wrong and a violation of the right to life for its victims. Others defend their opposing views by citing the wave of abolition of other types of corporal punishment such as branding and flogging and propose that imprisonment should also replace the death penalty (McCord and Latzer 9). However, the death penalty has proved to be a punishment befitting certain crimes such as horrific murders as it is the ultimate punishment. It has taken many harmful elements off the streets besides acting as a deterrent for both the convicted criminals and other potential murderers out there. In essence, it has saved many innocent lives that otherwise...
Words: 2007 - Pages: 9
...The Death Penalty The death penalty is a form of punishment in which a person who has been convicted of a serious crime is executed under the precept of the criminal justice system. The death penalty has been in existence for thousands of years and has gained wide acceptance in the United States since early colonial times. Even those who framed the Constitution specifically the Fifth Amendment approved of it though implicitly (McCord and Latzer 9). Despite the growing acceptance of the death penalty as an appropriate punishment for certain kinds of crimes such as first degree murders, there are still some people who argue against it on certain grounds. The debate as to the justification of the death penalty has raged on for a long time. On one hand, there are those who are of the opinion that the death penalty is a cruel punishment which is morally wrong and a violation of the right to life for its victims. Others defend their opposing views by citing the wave of abolition of other types of corporal punishment such as branding and flogging and propose that imprisonment should also replace the death penalty (McCord and Latzer 9). However, the death penalty has proved to be a punishment befitting certain crimes such as horrific murders as it is the ultimate punishment. It has taken many harmful elements off the streets besides acting as a deterrent for both the convicted criminals and other potential murderers out there. In essence, it has saved many innocent lives that otherwise...
Words: 2007 - Pages: 9
...Essay Andrea Counts Professor Lincoln Schreiber Critical Thinking May 3, 2015 Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is the punishment for a crime by death ("legal definition of capital punishment," n.d.). It is usually administered via the use of lethal injection for heinous crimes such as murder and other serial offenses. I am a defendant of capital punishment for several different reasons, which are detailed in this assignment. One of the main premises that support my position as a defendant of the death penalty is the separation of church and state ("Should the death penalty be allowed?" n.d.). Many opponents of the death penalty contend that it is an immoral act, as it essentially murder and that murder is inherently wrong. This viewpoint is flawed due to the fact that the United States is a country that believes in separation of church and state. Murder is a sin in many religions, but religion cannot play a role in how punishment for crime is carried out, nor is there anything in the constitution asserting that the death penalty as a form of punishment is against any civil liberties afforded to the citizens of this country. The death penalty is reserved for and carried out on the worst of the worst ("Should the death penalty be allowed?" n.d.). I agree with this premise and it goes back to my original statement in which I said the death penalty is used as punishment for those who have committed heinous crimes. There are those who commit crimes so unthinkable...
Words: 1088 - Pages: 5
...January 26th, 2014 Since capital punishment is the legal process in which the state puts to death a person that commits a certain type of crime, the death penalty should deter criminals from committing violent crimes. “The executions of people who have been found guilty of offenses believe that some crimes, especially murder, are so serious and so destructive to society that the perpetrators deserve the most severe punishment” (Capital Punishment 2014). In the article, Capital Punishment, the issues focused on the moral argument that killing is wrong, the mental capacity of people facing the death penalty, and the fairness of the death penalty in which wrongful executions of innocent people, and the lack of uniformity in applying capital punishment. “Advances in technology, such as new and improved methods of DNA testing and other laboratory procedures, have shown that the justice system can make mistakes” (Capital Punishment 2014). An opponent of capital punishment argues that this type of punishment discriminates against minorities and the poor, encourages a culture of violence, and that it violates human rights. On the other hand, an advocate of capital punishment argues that it deters crime. The unstated premise in the article is that killing is always wrong. If killing is always wrong, then the death penalty is wrong. Killing is always wrong. Therefore, the death penalty is wrong. “Opponents of capital punishment argue that there are no circumstances under which...
Words: 516 - Pages: 3
...argue the death penalty should be abolished, they fail to offer up any comparable alternatives for the crime for murder. It is a harsh punishment but, in all fairness, the punishment fits the crime. Capital punishment does what the name suggests: it punishes and it removes the notion that one can kill and get away with it. It serves as a deterrent for those contemplating murder and in the end, it brings justice. Capital punishment defends the sanctity of life and until we evolve to the place where murders are no longer a part of our society, we must punish this crime fairly. To know we have removed a murdering criminal from the street is a relief thankful to deterrence of violent crime, retribution, Christianity, and innocence. One argument for the death penalty is the fact that it deters crime. Those enticed by killing someone might think twice if they know their life will be taken as a consequence. Joanna Shepherd explores the history of capital punishment and explains that while many studies produced mixed results, modern economic studies reveal executions “significantly deter murders” (Shepherd). In addition, Wesley Lowe reports when the death penalty was temporarily suspended, the number of murders in the America “skyrocketed from 9,960 to 23,040, a 131 percent increase” (Lowe) and the murder rate “doubled from 5.1 to 10.2” (Lowe). He goes on the quote Karl Spence of Texas A and M University, who maintains until “we begin to fight crime in earnest [by using the death penalty]...
Words: 1896 - Pages: 8
...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). Capital punishment is a topic that many people offer their opinion on...
Words: 2198 - Pages: 9
...IS THE DEATH PENALTY Is the death penalty the right form of punishment for crimes such as murder? 1 IS THE DEATH PENALTY Is the death penalty the right form of punishment for crimes such as murder? 2 During this paper you will hear supporting and opposing arguments for the death penalty when a murder charge is sought. You will hear information on the trial, the families, and the way it affects the jury. The death penalty has long been an ongoing debate. There are numerous reasons to be pro-death penalty, as well as, con-death penalty. When is the death penalty appropriate? What types of crimes should be considered for the death penalty? Throughout the course of this paper were going to look at the pros and cons of the death penalty when dealing with murder charges. We’ll discuss the money that goes into a trial and sentence of an inmate on death row, weather the death penalty actually gives the family a sense of justice, as well as, weather the death penalty is the right punishment for murder. We will also look at if the death penalty is the only answer for murder and weather the evidence and information given to the jury plays apart in the way they vote. The death penalty can mean many different things to many different people. Many people think that if you take a life you should have yours taken away. The question there, is it really effective? Taking the life of someone else isn’t going to bring the dead back, but allowing them to sit in jail gives them many...
Words: 1076 - Pages: 5
...Article Tittle: PRO: Death penalty best way to deal with violent criminals In the article entitled PRO: Death penalty best way to deal with violent criminals the writer discusses why the death penalty should be mandatory in certain criminal cases. Personally, I Believe the article was based more on the author’s personal opinion regarding the death penalty. In the article, the writer referenced a bible verse that provides “justification” for death penalty bring place. My argument would be, how this applies to those who are NOT religious. Or maybe they are religious but just done follow the policies of the Bible? The Author also touched on the financials of housing a convicted felon in prison. The author stated its best to sentence these criminals to the death penalty to avoid the $20,000 + per year that it takes to house this population of prisoner. Based on my research, in many states he average convicted felon remained on death row for twenty years, before they were actually executed. So to that I say, where are costs being cut in this situation? One point within the article that I partially agreed with is, people who commit these type of crimes are not good people. The writer also stated that for the benefit of the victim(s), the inmates should be immediately executed, so that their pure existence would not haunt the surviving victims and families of those victims who did not survive. I cannot verify the validity of the data; because again, the article seems...
Words: 406 - Pages: 2
...men have tried to figure out the correct way to deal with law-opposing criminals. From crucifixion and slavery, to death by firing squad and life sentences, the world has utilized different forms of discipline. The death penalty has formed into the most questionable form of punishment, drawing the most attention from the public eye. The United States government uses this sanction to punish criminals for committing the most heinous crimes and offenses. The crimes that obtain the death penalty mostly consist of murder which include murder during a kidnapping, murder for hire, drug-related drive by shooting, and genocide. However, the crimes can also consist of other capital offenses, such as espionage, treason, and death resulting from aircraft hijacking. The United States of America...
Words: 990 - Pages: 4
...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
...Ms. Middleton 2,030 To Live Without Fear There are many influential documents for which the United States of America was founded on; the Declaration of Independence, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the United States Constitution are three well known documents that ensure the rights of the people of the United States. The Pledge of Allegiance states that we are “One Nation” and the Declaration of Independence states that “all men are created equal.” The term “Hate Crime” defined by Public Law #103-322A, a 1994 federal law, defines a hate crime as: “a crime in which the defendant intentionally selects a victim, or in the case of a property crime, the property that is the object of the crime, because of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation of any person.” Although this is the federal definition, each state has their own legal hate crime statues, which states what constitutes and is punishable as a hate crime in that state. Some states do not recognize hate crimes at all, yet, as it clearly states in the countries founding documents the people of this country are “one nation” and “all men are created equal.” The number of hate crimes being committed is growing in numbers. What is considered a “hate crime” today is no longer restricted to the issue of black and white, but the national standard for these crimes remains unclear. ...
Words: 2281 - Pages: 10
...Stiglich Article Rebuttal The article chosen for this assignment was published in the University of Denver student newspaper and titled Capital Punishment is Wrong, the United States needs to abolish the death penalty sentence. In this article, the author Ryan Hanschen states that the death penalty does not act as a deterrent to crime and offers supporting data to his claim that the death penalty should be abolished, but his sources lack credibility. The sources he cites in the article, such as Coloradans against the Death Penalty and Amnesty International are an interested party. These two sources stand to gain if the death penalty is abolished because abolishing the death penalty is their mission. Ryan Hanschens blatant use of rhetoric is obvious when he states for his argument, “How can we call ourselves the land of the free with a straight face while remaining one of the only first world countries that still executes its citizens?” Also his bias is apparent when he states, “we must end this vicious practice of capital punishment in the United States.” Included in the article is a University of North Carolina study that shows that the odds of minorities receiving a death sentence rose 3.5 times among those defendants whose victims were White, indicating a bias against minority defendants. However, this study did not provide data indicating the percentage of crimes committed by minorities vs. the crimes committed by Whites, so the validity of the University of North Carolina...
Words: 466 - Pages: 2
...Pros and Cons of Death Penalty Does the execution of a murderer serve justice for all? One of the most controversial topics in the world today not only deals with the death penalty, also known as capital punishment, but whether it should be abolished or not . While some believe that the death penalty is “cruel and unusual punishment” violating the 8th amendment of the United States Constitution, others argue that “an eye for an eye” does justice. Thirty-four different states support this type of punishment including Oklahoma, leaving fifteen states that do not. According to Newport and the Gallup Polls, as of May 2007, “sixty-six percent of Americans -- almost the same percentage that supports the death penalty” consider the death penalty “morally acceptable.” Only twenty-seven percent of people believe the death penalty is morally wrong. Some say that the “legality in the United States is critically undermining American moral stature around the world (Ballaro & Cushman)." The death penalty is a very emotional, complex, and rather complicated matter that includes, but not limited to, the argument of the pros and cons as well as the fact that some convicted people whether executed or not are then later freed from guilt and blame (exonerated). There are many different pros of the death penalty, but I have chosen to only discuss a few of the most controversial topics. Supporters of death penalty believe that “[j]ustice is only achieved when a crime is met with the proper punishment...
Words: 1837 - Pages: 8
...An Argument Against the Death Penalty Capital punishment should be abolished. One reason for abolishment is that the cost to imprison an inmate on death row costs more compared to someone facing a lifetime sentence. In a report released by the California Commission on the Fair Administration of Justice they found that on average the state was spending $137 million per year on the death penalty...life without parole would cost only $11.5 million per year (qtd. in Dieter 14). Additionally, there are several people on death row who suffer from varying degrees of mental illness. Even though the United States Supreme Court ruled during Ford v. Wainwright that it is unconstitutional to execute an insane person, these executions still take place....
Words: 332 - Pages: 2
...the American criminal justice system and the topic has created much debate on if this punishment is appropriate for the U. S. society. Many believe capital punishment is a necessary punishment for those who commit capital offenses and acts as a deterrent to violent criminals. Essentially, Americans that support the death penalty believe that it contributes to the overall wellbeing of U. S. society. Activists still desire to eliminate the punishment. Though, this country’s founding fathers broke away from England they did not completely disagree with everything they believed. When it came down to capital punishment, they adopted it from British common law. Even as history is reviewed, debate over capital punishment can be seen as far back as the American Revolution Debates over capital punishment continued from the Civil War until the 1960’s. During this period some states abolished and later reinstated the death penalty, but from 1968 to 1976, due to public out cry, no executions took place in the U.S. In 1972 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the death penalty in the Supreme Court case Furman v. Georgia because of the unfair application of the death penalty, and in this case, capital punishment was declared as excessive as well. This decision was then overturned by the 1976 U.S. Supreme Court case Gregg v. Georgia after the state of Georgia amended its law so that it would be applied more fairly (Grant, 2005). In the U.S. there have been...
Words: 1563 - Pages: 7
