Capital Punishment Controversy

Capital punishment has been a controversial issue that still exists in America today. Capital punishment is a law passed by the government to punish any individual that has been convicted of committed a heinous crime. The death penalty has been a method used throughout history as punishment for criminals. The punishment also known as the death penalty is a scheduled execution, which would be done with lethal injection. The reason why this punishment is chosen is because when crimes are committed that shock the conscience, the immediate emotional reaction is to retaliate with severe punishment (Schnurbush 2016). The death penalty is debated when it is brought up, opinions vary from one group of people to another, one side says the execution is murder, and the other saying that it is justice being done. Each side presents valid arguments to why people should be for it or against it; people’s opinions are formed by personal beliefs.

Capital punishment has been a hot topic for quite some time now. In earlier times it was merely a way to punish as well as an attempt to deter members of society from committing heinous crimes. In the last century we have actively monitored the effects of capital punishment, and this has revealed the truth. It is for these reasons capital punishment is not morally acceptable.

Many people question the need for the death penalty, the execution of those who have committed certain crimes, as a capital punishment. For instance, the author of “Against the American System of Capital Punishment”, Jack Greenburg, who is a Professor of Law at Columbia University, argues that the death penalty does not benefit society and is not necessary. Likewise, Kevin Johnson, writer of “Study Finds No Evidence Death Penalty Deters Crime”, also argues against the use of the death penalty by pointing out the flaws in the common research of deterrence. On the other hand, some may also argue for the many aids the death penalty offers. Professor of Jurisprudence and Public Policy at Fordham University, Ernest Van den Haag, with his “The Ultimate Punishment: a Defense”, and authors James M. Reams and Charles T. Putnam, with their article, “Making a Case for the Deterrence Effect of Capital Punishment”, both give arguments for the grander justice the death penalty offers. While each of these articles give very well thought out claims for the necessity of the death penalty, using arguments including racism, and deterrence, Van den Haag’s claim gives the clearest and best arguments.

Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is a constitutionally acceptable form of criminal punishment, but its use has created serious controversy in the United States. The use of the death penalty has changed throughout history. At one point, capital punishment was the automatic conviction for murder and other high felonies. Standards were later created in 1972 to lessen arbitrary imposition of the death penalty by Furman v. Georgia. In 1977, Coker v. Georgia established that the death penalty is not a proportionate punishment to rape, and in 2005, Roper v. Simmons made it illegal to sentence those who were under eighteen when a crime occurred to capital punishment. Some states have abolished the death penalty, whereas others allow it, but the

The controversy with capital punishment has been debated for hundreds of years. The Supreme Court is likely to sway its opinion often about whether it should be abolished or instituted throughout the United States. There have been many court cases and lawsuits regarding this issue that has suggested that legislation would be the most effective way to ending the discussion once and for all. In order to abolish the death penalty, the majority has to agree in support of abolition for any legislature to repeal it. This support would have to defend itself through the occasional questions of reinstatement of capital punishment. In order to abolish capital punishment, abolitionist have to provide alternatives to the death penalty that would make sure the criminals that committed the crimes receive harsh enough punishment that would please those wanting to keep the death penalty. Whether or not they are able to accomplish such a task is hard to say. The death penalty needs to be removed on the grounds that is unconstitutional.

(“History of Death Penalty Laws” n. pag.). There were close to 72,000 people executed in the sixteenth century and various capital offences which included marrying a Jew, not confessing to a crime, and treason. (“History of the Death Penalty” n. pag.). The number of crimes in Britain increased due to the crimes people committed. From 1823 to 1837, the death sentence was eliminated for over half of the crimes previously punishable by death (“History of the Death Penalty” n. pag.). There was a court case that used the death penalty in 1972 when a young girl was murdered while attending college (“Do Families of Victims Feel Justice with the Death Penalty?” Page 1-2). The Stambaugh brothers found out about their sisters death and demanded something to happen to the killer, Allen Walunga. They pushed the death penalty in the many court cases they attended. A probation officer stated, “if we had a death penalty in this state, I would recommend whatever the death penalty might be. This is a heinous crime and I agree that the chances of rehabilitation are poor” (“Death Penalty Would End Punishment of Victim’s Family” n. pag.). This case went on for thirty- seven years, and this family still did not get the justice they felt they deserved. Walunga was not sentenced to the death penalty at any time during any time while requesting for parole. This young girl lost her life, while the one who committed the crime continued to live.

Capital punishment is one of the most debated topics in the history of the World. It has been implemented and repealed several times by several different countries (DPIC 2014). Capital punishment is the use of the death penalty on someone who has been found guilty of a crime. As of 2013 there are still 58 countries in the international community that still use the death penalty. Of those countries, China had the highest reported number of executions which was in the thousands, the next highest was Iran with 369 reported executions. The United States was among the highest with 39 reported executions. There are currently 3054 inmates on death row in the United States (DPIC 2014).

The crime I think is the most severe is murder. Taking another's person’s life without their approval is the most horrible thing you can do. So therefor it deserves the most severe punishment. It is here the huge debate about the death penalty comes in. Should it really be allowed to kill murderers? Everybody's opinion is different when it comes to this subject, people agree on some things, but disagree on others. I am deeply conflicted when talking about this but most of the time i think of it as the easy way out. In my eyes dying instead of spending your life in the prison is like taking a shortcut in a marathon. You get to the goal either way but one of the options are cheating. No matter what way the prisoner gets they are still going to

Capital punishment, otherwise known as the death penalty, has been effective tool in our country’s justice system since its inception. When an inmate is given this, the harshest sentence available, it is always with just cause. Capital Punishment is an important tool in our criminal justice system today and there are several reasons it should remain in effect.

These motivates citizens and creates belief in them about their governments. However, in achieving retribution and justice, the state must ensure that it does not violate the human rights of the same people it is serving. It must not do so through the use of sentences that are irrevocable. Mistakes are known to happen, and when they do, it is best for the state to be in a position to correct them. How can that be done when the mistake comes from the execution of an innocent person? The capital punishment is full of mistakes that leave several innocent people dead with no one to answer for them (Michigan State University, 2000).

The debate over capital punishment is in regards to whether the death penalty contradicts the Eighth Amendment. If the death penalty does contradict the Eight Amendment, then the State should not have the power to sentence criminals to death for capital crimes. However, if capital punishment is not against the Eighth Amendment, then the State has the right to sentence criminals to death. In this essay I will first summarize Justice Brennan’s argument on why the death penalty is beyond the power of the State to inflict. Then, I will explain and discuss each of Brennan’s premises. Finally, I will analyze each of Brennan’s faulty premises. If I can successfully prove that one of his premises is false, it will prove that his argument is unsound. Although Brennan’s conclusion follows with necessity from his premises, making his argument valid, his argument is unsound because his third premise is false.

Capital punishment is the execution of a perpetrator for committing a heinous crime (homicide), and it is a hotly debated topic in our society. The basic issue is whether capital punishment should be allowed as it is today, or abolished in part or in whole. My argument is that:

Life is the most precious good that a human being possesses. Therefore, it is not a coincidence that one of the first human rights listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the right to life. The third article states that a person has the right not to be killed by any other human being, and this is where the nations that apply the death penalty are failing (Source 1). The death penalty or capital punishment is a legal process in which a person is executed as a punishment for committing a crime. It is still used in over 50 nations worldwide.

Though people only get death row after many trials and concrete proof, there are still many that are innocent and falsely convicted. According to ACLU, between 1973 and 2015, there were 148 exonerations of innocent people from death rows in the modern system. These are the only ones they found out so far, so in reality, the numbers are most likely higher. Only a few innocent people on death row are lucky enough to be found not guilty before their execution. Afterwards, the person has already lost their life, everyone falsely thought they were a murderer, and their families are heartbroken. ACLU also says that one in every 25 defendants sentenced to death is likely innocent. This is clearly a lot and should not be acceptable.

Capital punishment is the execution of a perpetrator for committing a heinous crime (homicide), and it is a hotly debated topic in our society. The basic issue is whether capital punishment should be allowed as it is today, or abolished in part or in whole. My argument is that: