Is Capital Punishment Ever Justified?

Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is the execution of a convicted criminal as punishment for crimes known as capital crimes or capital offences. Since ancient times capital punishment has been a punishment for crimes like murder. Stoning, crucifixion, and drowning were old ways of carrying the death penalty out. Theses days some countries (the majority of the U.S.A., Iraq and others) say that they use more ‘humane’ ways of carrying out the death penalty. Theses include the electric chair, lethal injection and hanging. The death penalty in the U.K. has been abolished now since 1969 (1999 for treason and arson on a naval base). The last two people to be

Capital Punishment is Not Only Unusual, But Cruel      The most widely known aspect of the eighth amendment is the fact that it prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. Cruel and unusual punishment is perceived as punishment that causes “an unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain” (Bailey). Is capital punishment cruel and unusual? It is one of the most controversial topics in America today. In effect since the 1600s, the US Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty was “cruel and unusual” in 1972 but reversed this decision when a "cleaner" way to bring about death was found in 1976 (Encarta).

The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution states, “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted.” This amendment is most commonly used in context when discussing capital punishment, otherwise known as the death penalty. Many people in today’s society believe that the death penalty is unconstitutional, that it violates the Eighth Amendment because it is considered cruel and unusual punishment. This should not be considered cruel nor unusual because the people receiving the death sentence have committed unspeakable crimes, therefore, punishing them with the death penalty is fair. The death penalty can help prevent the act of lynching.

Capital punishment is never morally justified, and feminist, progressive and socialist ethics would always consider the social and family environment that produced the criminal in the first place, including poverty, racism, segregation or other types of oppression. It would also examine ways that society could be reformed on restricted in ways that would reduce oppression, such as ending the ghettoization of minorities or the extreme inequality between rich and poor in the United States. Indeed, inequality is more extreme in the U.S, than any other Western nation, the prison population is larger and the social safety net much weaker. These conditions have worsened during the present recession, particularly for blacks and Hispanics. Among Western nations, only the U.S. still practices capital punishment even though there was a moratorium in 1967-77 because of Supreme Court rulings. Feminist ethics would also emphasize caring, community, empathy and interpersonal relationships instead of morality based on following rules and regulations (Volbrect 17). Their response to the death penalty as well as war and other forms of public or state-sanctioned violence would therefore be pacifist, and demand social, economic and cultural change rather than punishment of perpetrators.

Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is a government sanctioned practice where a person is put to death as a punishment for a crime. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. Among countries around the world, almost all European and many Pacific Area states, and Canada have abolished capital punishment.

Many contend that the death penalty is morally impermissible due to some irreversible miscarriages of justices . However, capital punishment can be defended in both consequentialist and deontological terms. Kantian ethics claims that, for exceptionally heinous crimes committed with malice aforethought, the penalty of death is not only morally justifiable but is morally obligatory. Consequentialists can substantiate the use of capital punishment through the claim that the death penalty is more effective than other more moderate punishments in averting the murder of innocents through inducing the fear of consequences in

The eighth amendment claims that there would be no cruel and unusual punishment. Furthermore, Williams writes, “In 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court suspended the death penalty on the grounds it violated the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment (2011, 2)”. Supporters of this do not believe that it is fair to kill someone for a crime. The most common forms of executions in the United States are lethal injection, electrocution, and lethal gas. People believe that these ways of execution are in humane, and according to Williams article -- The Cost of Punishment -- “has no place in society”. Also, people who argue the death penalty say that it is a costly alternative to life sentencing in prison. ( quoted material from argues side cost of punishment.) It also says that on average it only takes twenty thousand dollars to keep an inmate in jail for a year, While the death punishment requires much more money to carry out. Whether it be because of the violation of the eighth amendment, or the cost to carry out, the death penalty is not in agreement with all of the American

Edward I. Koch uses his essay “The Death Penalty: Can It Ever Be Justified?” to defend capital punishment. He believes that justice for murderous crimes is essential for the success of the nation. The possibility of error is of no concern to Koch and if would-be murderers can be deterred from committing these heinous crimes, he feels the value of human life will be boosted and murder rates will consequently plummet (475-479). Koch makes a valiant effort to express these views, yet research contradicts his claims and a real look at his idea of justice must be considered in order to create a fair nation for all.

Capital punishment, or death penalty, has been here for thousands of years around the world. Capital punishment is when a criminal or offender is convicted of a heinous crime and is then sentenced to death. Ancient Greece was one of the first civilizations to start using capital punishment, followed by the Romans and religions such as Christianity and Judaism. The death penalty was used on anyone who committed crimes such as female adultery, violence against a King, religious deviance, counterfeiting, and murder.

The primary argument against the death penalty is it can be considered as cruel and unusual punishment. The term, “cruel and unusual punishment” origins are within the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed,

Fifty eight countries in the world participate in the use of the death penalty, in 2010 the United States ranked fifth in having the most executions even though only thirty five states in the US legalized it. The death penalty is inhumane and you can argue it violates the constitution by using cruel and unusual punishments, that said The death penalty has many flaws with the system and it it should be abolished because it has a risk of discrimination and wrongful execution, it is not effective, and the cost of the system.

In the United States Constitution, the 8th Amendment prohibits the use and practices of cruel and unusual punishment. What exactly is considered to be cruel and unusual punishment? This question is a hot topic among America's many different current controversies. Many people are saying that the use of capital punishment (to be sentenced to death as a penalty in the eyes of the law [a capital crime]. An execution [capital punishment]) is a direct violation of the 8th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States (Capital Punishment). They say there should be another way to deal with these criminals other than having them executed. The purpose of this paper is to give a brief history of the death penalty

Capital Punishment is the lawful infliction of death and has been used in Britain since the 5the century. It was not until 1964 that capital punishment was abolished and this has been described by many historians as Britain's worst decision in over 500 years.

Opponents of the death penalty believe capital punishment is unnecessary and inappropriate in our modern

Capital punishment, or otherwise known as the death penalty, is death sentenced upon a person by the state as a punishment for a crime. These crimes are known as capital crimes or capital offenses. Capital punishment has been practiced in many societies; now 58 nations practice the death penalty, while 97 nations have abolished it. In the past, it was common for the ruling party to make the offender known throughout the community for his or her criminal act. Thus, if the community were made aware of the consequences for breaking the laws, the crime rate would reduce. Such criminal penalties included: boiling to death, disembowelment, crucifixion and many more. As time went on the movement towards more humane treatments took hold. In the