Persuasive Essay On Death Penalty

The death penalty disproportionately targets minorities especially African Americans. In the United States of America there is an unequal and unfair burden against African Americans in the criminal justice system. In 2011, African Americans were only 13.6% of the American population (Rastogi, Johnson, Hoeffel, & Drewery, 2011). However, African Americans in 2011 made up 42% of the total death row population (Snell, 2011). Although a minority of the total population in the United States, African Americans make the majority of inmates on death row facing execution. Furthermore, the death penalty in many states is used as tool that following the racial legacy of Jim Crow laws. Sentences resulting in death are higher in states with a history of lynching (Schweizer 92). States with a history of lynching are predominately found in the Southern United states. The Southern United states has the highest population of death row inmates. In 2009 alone there were 1,630 inmates currently on death row in the South compared to 226 in the North and only 988 in the West (Schweizer 92). In addition, the race of the victim often will determine the sentence. Results from the Baldus Study suggested evidence of racial disparity in the state of Georgia based on the victims race (Schweizer 92). The Baldus study argued African American defendants who committed murdered white individuals had much higher probability of receiving the death penalty. Prosecutors in Georgia pursued a verdict of death in 80% of their cases if the defendant was African American and the victim was white (Schweizer 92). This is purely racial discrimination and prejudice. Finally, “Since 1977, the overwhelming majority (77%) off death row defendants have been executed for killing white victims, even though African Americans make up about half of all homicide victims (Amnesty International).”The race of the both the victim and perpetrator in criminal is irrelevant.

Across America a battle of morals rages over the death penalty. Like many other controversial issues that consume our society, the issue of the death penalty is not easily defined. Some people feel that one should reap what they sow. However, the issue is more complex than the eye for an eye standard. With the death penalty in place, our country is stumbling down a twisted path with numerous complications nationwide.

Since the beginning of time there has always been the question of what to do with someone that has committed a serious offense that has resulted in serious injury or even death to a person. The death penalty has always been a topic of whether it is humane or inhumane to put someone to death over their crimes against another human being. The death penalty to some is either acceptable to where a person should be put t death for their crimes or is not doing anything to deter people from committing crimes. the death penalty is starting to become less of a punishment and more of a costly expense to taxpayers whom for “Each death penalty case in Texas costs taxpayers about $2.3 million.” The death penalty for some think it should be abolished while others would rather see it extended.

In the jurisdiction of The United States we have what is known as the death penalty. The capital punishment consist of life in prison (25 to life) with parole, life in prison without (LWOP) parole and the death penalty. This controversial topic has been going on for decades because of the cruel punishment. Many of the victims family member search for an eye for an eye as their justice.

The Death Penalty is a very controversial topic that requires research and immense amount of thought before being able to take a side on the topic. Before reading Sister Helen’s book I thought that the death penalty was wrong, but I did not have a firm stance on the issue. Like many people I still had the mentality of “an eye for an eye.” I thought of how I would feel if faced with the loss of a loved one, due to another’s actions. Before I was shown the other perspective I only sympathized with the victim’s family. The problem with my former opinion was that I still believed that killing was wrong, but that it was okay because the person committed an evil crime.

One of the first issues that are always brought up concerning the death penalty is its morality. Those for the death penalty, they addressed the fact that the opposition would suggest that the death penalty is inherently immoral because no one or one government should take someone’s life. In the cases sentences to the

Since its earliest inception, society has always had in place some form of public accountability, rules, and in some cases, punishment, in hopes to dissuade would-be offenders from perpetrating any number of offenses. It has been a verdict applied to a variety of crimes ranging from the abandonment of soldiers during periods of war, to that of appalling crimes perpetrated by serial killers. Capital punishment has been characterized by some as brutal, disgusting, abnormal, and unnecessary. (1) While some argue for its continued existence, the judgment of death, according to some, violates the constitutional ban and is an application of cruel and unusual punishment, since it

The death penalty has been present, in one way or another, for virtually as long as human civilization has existed. The reasons why are apparent; it is intrinsically logical to human beings that a person who takes the life of another should also be killed. This philosophy is exemplified in the famous Biblical passage, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." However, in light of recent research into ethics, criminology and the justice system, the time has come for us to re-examine our ageless paradigm of revenge.

By reinstating the death penalty, it is not guaranteed that justice will be served. Family and friends of victims of serious crimes are left longing for closure for the actions inflicted and often seek retribution (SOURCE). By allowing the death penalty, the victim’s family and friends are offered closure by the means of taking the assailants life. Commonly known as an “eye for an eye,” this form of punishment is classified as retributive justice as it requires the assailant to give up his or her own life to balance out the social order (SOURCE). In some cases, victim’s families have commented on the closure that the execution of the offender has brought them, as it ends the period of longing for justice for the victim (SOURCE). However, case 36 in Murder Victim Family Members describes the victim’s family feeling relief instead of closure, commenting that they will only receive closure after working within themselves. This view is further evident in comments about closure not being achievable through the execution of the offender as it does not bring back their loved one while allowing the offender to get off easily. The family and friends of the victims that found the death penalty to be unsatisfactory, agree that a life sentence in jail without parole would have been a better opinion. This is due to the offender suffering to the same extent of the victim while in solitary confinement (SOURCE). Furthermore, cases with individuals receiving the death penalty tend to span

Racism is one of the most common ways in which Capital punishment is unfairly enforced. In the year 2000, a series of studies was done by the United States Department of Justice. Results from the study show that Caucasians were more than twice as likely to receive plea-bargains in homicide cases than black defendants. A separate study showed that it was at least twice as likely that the prosecution would seek the death penalty if a black person killed a white person, than if a white person killed a black person. A similar 3,900 case study by Jack Boger, a law professor at the University of North Carolina, confirms the statement that if a white human is murdered, it is twice as likely the prosecution will seek the death penalty ( Progressive 135-36). The amount of black criminals that are on death row are beyond all imaginations. Richard Dieter, executive director of the Washington Death Penalty Information Center, did a studying on criminal cases in which capital punishment was sought by the prosecution. Results showed that 72% of these cases involved a black defendant. Amnesty International is also one of the many organizations that believe

“The color of a defendant and victim 's skin plays a crucial and unacceptable role in deciding who receives the death penalty in America” (American Civil Liberties Union). Racial bias exists at both the state and federal level. Many opponents of the death penalty argue that race plays a large role in sentencing because it creates a bias judgement. Studies have shown that a black man who murders a white is more likely to be executed than if his victim had been black.

As Johnson has suggested, “Capital punishment in the United States is administered in an economically discriminatory way...It is always ‘you get what you pay for’ rule.” (2001) Consequently, on the one hand, those indigent defendants cannot afford to hire accomplished lawyers. On the other hand, even though the Supreme Court provide a court-appointed attorney for those people, the compensation is not high enough to entice or hire excellent defense attorneys for those people. In some cases, lawyers are indifferent about the cases or even be drunken during the trial. Innocent People on Death Row

When it comes to a topic such as The Death Penalty, many individuals cannot fathom the idea of putting another human to death because it is not permanently in out nature to want to kill. It is quite easy to grasp the fact that the physical method involves executing an individual for their criminal actions but in the same sense, emotions that follow a death sentence are beyond one’s comprehension. Although this type of act can be necessary at times, many can find they are opposed to this particular type of punishment as well.

“Would you choose to be the person that pulls the switch that snuffs out a human life?” (www.oadp.org) Really think about that. Would you want to be the person who does the execution? Many things come into factor when thinking about the death penalty. Cost, guilty or not guilty, humanity, social changes, and so much more.

The death penalty is a prosecute that is used to kill criminals that have committed crimes that are so bad they should not be left alive. The idea of putting another human to death is hard to completely fathom. The physical mechanics involved in the act of execution are easy to grasp, but the emotions involved in carrying out a death sentence on another person, regardless of how much they deserve it, is beyond my understanding. Knowing that it must be painful, dehumanizing, and sickening. The Eight Amendment says” Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted” (Constitutions). And for the article Changing Views on\\e rate has gone down at a steady from the 1990 to now and that they death penalty is sometimes necessary, and it is our responsibility as a society to see that it is done.