...the death penalty? 31 states currently have the death penalty. 6. What was decided regarding capital punishment in Atkins v. Virginia? Atkins v. Virginia is a case in which the Supreme Court ruled that executing people with intellectual disabilities violated the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishments. However, intellectual disability was left to...
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...state fond of the death penalty ever since the establishment of capital punishment. The circumstances in which a person can be subject to capital punishment are clearly defined in section 19.03 of the Texas Penal Code. (5, Metze.) Most of the reasons for executing an inmate pertain to the act of intentional/premeditated murder. Despite the fact that Texas legislature strongly supports capital punishment and the idea of retribution, the issue is growing to be quite controversial to the general public. The Texas legislature largely supports the death penalty and their voting tends to indicate this as fact. A spring 1985 poll conducted in Texas reported that 74% of the Texas electorate support and favor the...
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...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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...Death Penalty Argument 1) In this letter, the author expresses their support of the use of the death penalty, making the claim that it is morally justified and serves as a deterrent. 2) In support of his argument, the author provides several pieces of evidence and arguments to support his claim. To support his claim, he initially argues that the death penalty serves as a deterrent and is morally justifiable. He continues his argument on morality by stating his belief that when one has raped and murdered a child, the person deserves to die and no longer has the right to life. In this letter, the author justifies the moral use of the death penalty with a quote from President Obama, insinuating that there are such crimes so heinous that the community is justified in expressing the full measure of outrage and meting out the ultimate punishment. Following that, the...
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...Capital Punishment: Why the Death Penalty is Morally Permissible Karina Morgan April 13, 2010 Professor Mark Reynolds PHI 206 Sec. 04 Word Count: 1,910 Syllogism for Argument: 1. Every human has a right to life 2. But this right is not absolute because a person’s life can be overridden for good reasons 3. So the right of life does not hold in every situation no matter what 4. One of these situations includes taking the life of another innocent human 5. Therefore, it is morally permissible to set the right to life aside, and use the death penalty, if they took the life of an innocent human. Outline I. The Death Penalty -Thesis- Although all humans have the right to life, there are certain situations that can overrule this right, such as taking the life of an innocent human. Since the right of life does not hold in every situation and if an innocent human’s life is taken, then it is morally permissible to set the right to life aside and use the death penalty on the person who committed murder. II. Pro-Death Penalty A. Retribution a. The death penalty is the best way in order to serve justice to convicted murderers of innocent people. b. The families and friends of victims will feel more secure if justice is served. c. There will be no worry about the murderer being able to commit more murders or to have any chance of receiving parole. B. Deterrence b. If the death penalty is continuously used in...
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...Writing to Convince Argumentative and Persuasive Essays Sometimes we write to defend an opinion, to argue against somebody’s point of view, or to convince readers why and how we think a certain problem should be settled. The argument we develop should be a logical, properly thought-out presentation of ideas that makes a claim about an issue and supports that claim with evidence. Within this general frame, our argument consists of four basic components: (1) an issue, (2) a claim, (3) support, and (4) a recognition and refutation of the opposing view. A. The Issue. An argument is concerned with an issue – a case (like war, smoking, cloning, etc.) on which people hold opposite or different opinions. To build a convincing argument about an issue, it is essential that we be aware of the audience we are addressing: • Agreeing audience: When you write to people who already agree with your claim, the focus is usually to urge them to take a specific action and build emotional ties with them. • Neutral audience: In writing to a neutral audience, try to emphasize the importance of the issue and offer explanations that clear up your readers’ questions or misunderstandings about, or lack of interest in it. • Disagreeing audience: The most challenging audience combines people whose viewpoints contrast with yours; they may be hostile to your claim and have strong feelings about the issue. In writing to a disagreeing audience, your goal is to convince readers to consider...
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...December 2013 The Death Penalty: An Exaggerated Punishment Furman v. Jackson, a case ruled in the State of Georgia in 1972 really aroused concerns regarding the death penalty. Technically, William Henry Furman was found guilty of murder which was supposed to attract a death sentence. However, his death sentence was said to be “arbitrarily and capriciously “applied and therefore regarded a contradiction to the eighth amendment that prohibits excessive bails and fines as well as cruel and unusual punishment. In effect, this argument hindered the death penalty law of forty states and the federal death penalty decrees and altered the sentences of 629 inmates who were on death row during that period (“The Death Penalty in America”). Now, if the death sentence of 629 inmates were commuted at the time, it means that there could have been an alternative form of punishment applied in place of the death penalty. Therefore this gives rise to questions, is the death penalty really necessary? Is the life of the murderer any less valuable than that of the victim? Over the years, the view that the death penalty is a deterrent to serious crime has been immensely debated, in this paper the debate against death penalty as a good deterrent to serious crime will be continued. Democracy is a prime feature of the system of governance in the United States and as part of democracy the freedoms and rights of the people are held in high esteem. With the imposition of the death penalty, the intention of...
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...another. In the earlier times, the acts that were committed; were counter reacted with the same crime done to that person. For instance, if one killed someone they in return would be killed. The death penalty today is used for only severe crimes against humanity. An example of a severe crime against humanity is the Oklahoma City bombings. The death penalty is viewed as strange and unknown land that people would like to explore. “Thanks to the decision of a California district judge last week, the American public has been spared the spectacle of criminals being executed on television”, said Jacob Weisberg in the article This is Your death( Weisberg 9). As regards to the death penalty today it is viewed as cruel punishment, why is the United States the only democracy to have it, kills innocent, and cheapens the value of human life. In my opinion the death penalty is exactly what you make of it. If someone kills someone in my opinion them, themselves should have the same fate. The death penalty is viewed by millions of people as cruel and unusual punishment. As stated by Edward I. Koch in Death and Justice, the death penalty is “barbaric” (Koch 905). Capital punishment is the intentional taking of one’s life because they have committed a heinous crime against society. The death penalty today is not viewed as “barbaric” because of the way that capital punishment is carried out. Today, the most humane form of capital punishment used is lethal injection. Less humane types of capital...
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...CHAPTER 2 Identifying Arguments The starred items are also contained in the Answer Key in the back of The Power of Logic. Exercise 2.1 Part A: Arguments and Nonarguments *1. 2. 3. *4. 5. 6. *7. 8. 9. *10. 11. 12. *13. 14. 15. *16. 17. 18. *19. 20. 21. *22. 23. 24. 25. Nonargument (explanation). Nonargument (conditional statement). Nonargument (report). Argument. Conclusion: Waging war is always wrong. Nonargument (explanation). Argument. Conclusion: Today the principal threat to America is America’s public education establishment. Argument. Conclusion: Without us, light does not exist. Nonargument (conditional statement). Nonargument (report). Nonargument (explanation). Nonargument (explanation). Argument. Conclusion: The population of the world has grown both steadily and rapidly since 1950. Nonargument (report). Argument. Conclusion: James died because he was hanged. Argument. Conclusion: Not all mob bosses avoid prison. Nonargument (illustration). Nonargument (conditional). Nonargument (illustration). Nonargument (conditional). Argument. Conclusion: The U.S. policy of nuclear deterrence was immoral. Nonargument (conditional). Argument. Conclusion: The good don’t always die young. Nonargument (explanation). Argument. Conclusion: Some metals are liquids at room temperature. Argument. Conclusion: Stealing is wrong simply because society disapproves of it. Exercise 2.2 Part A: Identifying Arguments *1. 1. The defendant is insane. So, 2. The defendant is not guilty...
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...DEATH PENALTY ARGUMENTS: Deterrent or Revenge (Pros and Cons) INTRODUCTION What is Capital punishment? Capital punishment is the death penalty. It is used today and was used in ancient times to punish a variety of offenses. Even the bible advocates death for murder and other crimes like kidnapping and witchcraft. When the word death penalty is used, it makes yelling and screaming from both sides of extremist. One side may say deterrence, while the other side may say, but you may execute an innocent man. Today, one of the most debated issues in the Criminal Justice System is the issue of capital punishment or the death penalty. Capital punishment was legal until 1972, when the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional in Furman v. Georgia stating that it violated the Eight and Fourteen Amendments citing cruel and unusual punishment. However, in 1976, the Supreme Court reversed itself with Gregg v. Georgia and reinstated the death penalty but not all states have the death penalty. Thirteen states do not have the death penalty: Alaska, District of Colombia, Hawaii, Iowa, Main, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY (CONS) Death Penalty Fails to Rehabilitate What would it accomplish to put someone on death row? The victim is already dead-you cannot bring him back. When the opponents...
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...Unit READING ……………………………………. 2 3 5 Overview exercise ……………………………. Article …………….……………………… Close study exercise ……………………. 4 2 7 WRITING (Argument) ………………............... Suitable Topics for an Argument ……………. Elements of an Argument ……………………. Rational or Emotional Appeal ……………. Dealing with your Opponents ……………. Discovering the Pros & Cons ……………. Organization of an Argument ……………. Strong Argument ……………………. Balanced Argument ……………………. Writing tips ……………………………. Being Concise ……………………………. Using Specific Detail ……………………. 7 7 10 10 11 13 13 16 20 20 23 REMEDIAL WORK Review ………………………... 25 ……………………………………. 25 VOCABULARY ………………………............ 31 Academic Word List (AWL) 6 ……………. 31 Word Formation 4 ................................ 32 PRESENTATIONS ……………………...… 33 Argument ……………………………………. 33 READING The article on the following pages is taken from the Science & Technology page of the BBC website. Dated 19 July 2010, the article expresses one point of view in the continuing debate about GM food, which is a significant part of the biotechnology industry. “GM” stands for “genetically modified.” Exercise 1 Overview Answer the questions below to obtain an overview of the article. Many questions can be answered by reference to the topic sentences. 1. 2. 3. 4. What kind of science does Jonathan Jones specialize in? He is writing in the BBC’s “Green Room.” What is that? Read the article synopsis. What does Professor Jones think about GM food crops? Read the whole of the introductory...
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...Journal Review: Why God Became Man Kenneth Paul Watson II Liberty University THEO 313-D03 July 20, 2015 Critique Upon reading Why God Became Man, the author’s purpose becomes clear: to help the reader understand the incarnation of Jesus Christ and His purpose for doing so. The article goes into great detail in defining incarnation, how Jesus, from eternity, took human form, and His multi-fold purpose for becoming man. Strauss takes an orderly and focused approach to the article guiding the reader so that they understand the basis for incarnation and why Jesus became God-man. While lengthy, the article has logical structure and each point felt concise. The author demonstrated thorough knowledge of the Bible and of the person of Christ as he quoted multiple verses from both the Old Testament and New Testament to validate his claims. There were few assumptions as each argument became validated by scripture. Strauss failed to reference opposing viewpoints and arguments directly, but in a few instances generalized a couple of viewpoints that Christians have of the incarnation. For instance, when discussing the “steps in Christ’s exaltation,” instead of generalizing, Strauss should have provided direct opposing sources to help in strengthening the point. In reading the article the general purpose felt more to teach and explain incarnation as opposed to the defense of the concept, which may explain the lack of opposing viewpoints. Strauss used strong, precise, and...
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...THE BUDGET COST AND EFFECTS OF PRISONS IN THE UNITED STATES Christina Adonia Turner June 15, 2013 Introduction to Public Administration TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Table Of Contents…………………………………………………………2 2. Executive Summary………………………………………………………..3 3. Scope and Statement of the Problem………………………………………4 4. Literature Review………………………………………………………….5 5. Methodology………………………………………………………………7 6. Analytical Results………………………………………………………....8 7. Discussion………………………………………………………………...10 8. Bibliography………………………………………………………………16 9. Appendix………………………………………………………………....17 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In summary, the cost of housing an incarcerated inmate does affect the budget of the United States. Whether, the inmate is sentenced to life imprisonment or the death penalty. The facts in this research paper leans heavily in favor of life imprisonment as a cheaper form of punishment verses an inmate being sentenced to death row. The judicial system and politicians have formed several alternatives to assist our country with the ability to lower the cost of housing an inmate in our prison system. For example, the United States detaining systems are concentrating more on issuing a fair sentence to nonviolent offenders, such as, substance abusers and prostitutes. They realize that the majority of the inmates are in need of drug rehabilitation and have a mental illness. Also, the research shows that women offenders are the most affected with drug addiction...
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...Medicinal Cannabis….what’s all the hype? Medicinal Cannabis Jennifer L. Mello COM/156 Abstract I am writing this research paper not just to inform you, but to help educate you. There are many proven scientific trials and methods of medicinal cannabis. The research that I have found has truly enlightened my way of thinking. Segal, Ph.D. (2012), "The Jamestown settlers brought the marijuana plant, commonly known as hemp, to North America in 1611, and throughout the colonial period, hemp fiber was an important export. Indeed, in 1762, 'Virginia awarded bounties for hemp culture and manufacture, and imposed penalties on those who did not produce it.” (Jamestown Settlers Bring Marijuana to North America). Booth (2005). Medicinal Cannabis….what's all the hype? The therapeutic qualities are marvelous. Cannabinoids offer the following for patient’s antipastic, analgesic, antiemetic, neuroprotective, and anti-inflammatory actions. People who suffer from psychiatric diseases have found relief with their conditions ranging from depression, anxiety, bipolar, and similar mood disorders. The National Institute of Health, also known to many people as NIH. This organization states that medical marijuana helps a great deal with chemotherapy, and nausea. Letting the cancer patient consume food. They have also found that people who suffer from epileptic seizures that use medicinal cannabis helps to prevent them altogether. (Potter, 1998). Cancer patients who are going...
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...create a short title page including your name, the date, the assignment title, and the instructor’s name. The page limit does NOT include the title page or bibliography. Writing: Your writing should demonstrate both a factual understanding of the topic at hand and your own analysis. You will often be asked to explain what conclusions you have drawn on a topic. To do so, you should use historical facts to explain your own conclusions. You should NOT simply quote something from someone else’s writing. The purpose of these assignments is to demonstrate your personal understanding of the topics. Your writing should be well organized and easy to follow. Good spelling and grammar are always important and points may be deducted for poorly written work. The essay should be organized with an introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should include a statement of purpose or thesis. Avoid the use of first person, personal opinion that is not supported by facts from your sources, and vague pronouns. Research and Citation: Research is the basis of all analytical writing. Historians rely on facts to form their conclusions and they must be able to present the sources of these facts. Citations are a way to show the scholarly sources you used to find your facts. This helps others who read your work confirm the truth behind your findings. For example, if you wanted to use a specific statistic...
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