Capital Punishment

Some may be shocked to be informed that capital punishment actually costs more than life in prison; that is without parole. Many would figure that the costs would be less for the death penalty because of the food, place of living for the prisoners, etc., but quite frankly, it costs more for a prisoner to be punished to death rather than to having life in prison (Hyden). Some state’s taxes differ but for the state of California, capital punishment costs taxpayers more than $114 million a year (Bushman). Additionally, the taxpayers of California spend $250 million per execution (Bushman). According to the nonpartisan state legislative analyst’s office, the average cost of imprisoning an inmate was around $47,000 per year in 2008-09. In comparison, the death penalty can lead to an additional $50,000 to 90,000 per year, according to the studies found (Ulloa). In more studies, they have estimated the taxpayers to spend $70 million per year on incarceration, plus $775 million on additional federal legal challenges to convictions, and $925 million on automatic appeals with the initial challenges to death penalty cases

As of the end of 1998, the execution of prisoners 16 years old or younger was permissible in a dozen states. Eight of which did not specify a minimum age for which the death penalty could be imposed.

The age of eighteen is the way where society draws the line for many purposes between childhood and adulthood. Juveniles that have been put in the death penalty have been served there life’s for committing a crimes that relates to murdering (Death Penalty for Juveniles). A high number percentage of juveniles on death penalty have suffered from an illness such as mental abuse, physical abuse, drug abuse addiction, and abandonment and severe poverty. Juvenile execution is expressly off limits in the international Covenant on Civil and political rights. The United States is still the only country that executes juveniles besides other countries killing incent lives being completely different with a governmental agreeing to give a juvenile the death penalty for committing a crime he or she should be punished

In the United Sates, the first juvenile death penalty recorded occurred in 1642 of a minor under the age of 18 and the youngest person ever given the death penalty was ten-year old James Arcene in 1885 for robbery and murder (Strater, 1994-1995). By 1994 there were only 9 states, among which were New Jersey, Kansas, and Maryland, that prohibited the death penalties for juveniles. In 2003 the number of states permitting capital punishment declined to 21, a number of them allowing this punishment to those as young as 16 (Steinberg & Scott, 2003). Since the days of the first juvenile execution approximately 362 more juveniles have been

October 21, 2002 - In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court refuses to reexamine whether executing killers who were under 18 when they committed their crimes is constitutional. The US, along with Somalia, is one of the last remaining countries in the world where it is legal to execute juveniles.

In 1997 28 states had already put into exclusion the offense of murder from the juvenile system. This meaning that a youth would be sent directly into the adult system if he or she was facing such a charge. This number is most likely going to increase that has put more emphasis on the debate of juveniles sent into the adult system. According to

Murder, a common occurrence in American society, is thought of as a horrible, reprehensible atrocity. Why then, is it thought of differently when the state government arranges and executes a human being, the very definition of premeditated murder? Capital punishment has been reviewed and studied for many years, exposing several inequities and weaknesses, showing the need for the death penalty to be abolished.

The lawful infliction of death of an individual is what is referred to as death penalty. Majority of the countries in the world have abolished the practice, however, there is no cord that has been officially formed by world countries against its use (Cole, 25). China, which is the most populous country in the world, leads as it executes thousands of inmates yearly. United States of America still practices it even when it is perceived the most democratic republic on earth. As of today, 84 countries in the world retain capital punishment (The Grinnell Literary Societies, 78). However, the number of nations using death penalty is decreasing. With the recent pressure from different human rights watch groups and religious groups more so from the Roman Catholic Church, the world remains optimistic that the practice will be done away with once and for all in all nations (Cole, 42).

Criminal law is imposed by almost every nation in the world to reduce crime rate and maintain law and order of the society. An individual who found guilty of a crime will have to face corresponding punishments. Among all penalties, capital punishment is considered to be the most severe and cruelest one which takes away criminal’s most valuable right in the world, that is, right to live. It is a heated debate for centuries whether capital punishment should be completely abolished world widely. The world seems to have mixed opinion regarding this issue. According to Amnesty International (2010), currently, 97 countries in the world have already abolished capital punishment while only 58 nations still actively adopt death penalty.

and the remainder of states continue to use the death penalty. The methods of execution are limited to lethal injection, gas chamber, firing squad, electric chair or hanging. Lethal injection is the most commonly used.

A brief history of the death penalty is in order so that one can be aware of this laws nature since that is how one would start to

In 2005, the Supreme Court in Roper v. Simmons struck down the death penalty for juveniles. 22 Defendants had been executed for crimes committed as juveniles since 1976 ("Juvenile Offenders Who Were On Death Row | Death Penalty Information Center"). From the research I have gone through Tennessee has never executed a juvenile, to date the youngest person to be on death row is Sedrick Clayton, 33. (Courtesy: Tennessee Department of Correction).

We are the “State.” When the “State” kills, we are participants. There are three main methods for the death penalty, with the most common being lethal injection. Lethal injection usually contains three drugs: sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide, and third, potassium chloride. The sodium thiopental is used as an anesthetic, the pancuronium bromide is used as a paralyzer, and the potassium chloride is used to induce cardiac arrest. The second most popular method is electrocution. During the electrocution process, the prisoner is strapped to a chair by their wrists, ankles, and waist. An electrode is attached to the head and another to the leg. At least two jolts of an electrical current are applied for several minutes.

As of now 31 states still currently use capital punishment. These states have it for child rape, treason, and kidnapping. As time went on the states that remained using this have less methods of doing so. The remaining methods include lethal injection as well as even fewer have the electric chair. Many states refuse to use hanging.

The death penalty is something about which many people do not have a clear opinion. It is considered to be the punishment of execution, administered to someone convicted of a capital crime. Many people support the death penalty, while others wish for the death penalty to be abolished. My personal opinion on the death penalty is that it should be administered only in cases of certain crimes such as: serial murder, serial rape, and terrorism.