Persuasive Essay On The Death Penalty

The death penalty, by definition, is the punishment of execution, administered to someone legally convicted of a capital crime. Each state has their own determinates of why someone would be given the death penalty, for example, in Missouri, it is first degree murder, but for Alabama it is intentional murder with 18 aggravating factors.

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.

Do you ever wonder what should happen to dangerous criminals? Watching the news just thinking “huh?” Well what do you think should happen to the dangerous criminals? There are many opinions. Some people think the only option is the death penalty. I honestly agree and disagree with that because there are some death penalties are justified and some are not .Listen to these two cases.

The Death Penalty has been a long standing part of the American justice system. For many years, the death penalty went without opposition, but as of recently it has gained it’s long overdue mass opposition. The Death Penalty is barbaric, and is costing our nation obscene amounts of money. While one would think that modern-day American citizens would have done away with this method, a good portion of Americans reason that it lowers the crime rate and it provides closure (or rather vengeance) to families of victims.

Although some do believe that we should take a life for a life taken, the death penalty isn’t the best option. The death penalty is a capital punishment where a person is put to death. Not only is the death penalty a very expensive process, but also, many lives that are taken are found to be innocent. Also, many find the death penalty more inviting than to have life in prison without parole.

The prosecutor solicited the death penalty, not because of his certitude of Willingham guilt, solely because he dropped his offer to plead guilty for a life sentence. Jackson's egotistical job ambition is to look tough on crimes but not to guarantee that an innocent person never gets executed wrongfully. In Jackon's goal to be tough on crimes, changed Webb mind by stating that “His story doesn’t have to match exactly’,” he wanted him to just say that Willingham put fires in the corners. He needed Webb to say that so he can condemn Willingham, contrarily, he would have a criminal working the streets. Willingham defense's team was inexperienced, incompetent, and did not investigate to bring enlightenment to the case. The attorneys convoked a single witness, a babysitter who testified of Willingham's love for his girls. The jury sentenced Willingham to death on August 21, 1992

Up until recently, I felt that the Death Penalty is not necessary as a form of punishment. I felt that if an individual committed a horrendous enough crime to get the worst form of punishment available; the death penalty would be letting them off easy. I believed that having to spend the remainder of their lives in prison was the most extreme form of punishment for criminals. After speaking to a person close to me, I feel differently. As of now, I think that the death penalty results in retribution, closure for families, and is the most extreme, last resort, form of punishment, which we require in some cases. The death penalty is humane and cost-effective, and should not be going anywhere in the future.

The reason the death penalty should not be allowed is because it is just an easy way to get out of what the person has done. If that person does a crime they should do the time no matter what they did. No one should not be able to get an easier way out of what they have done by getting the death penalty. Jail time could be sentenced for the rest of his or her life based on the crime committed, and that way they can sit in the jail cell and really think about what they did instead of having a few minutes to live and think about it for just a second before it is over with. The crime committed should not be dismissed by a simple death penalty even if the family wants closure they should think about the fact that the person

I will be talking about the history of capital punishment, and why others believe it is okay. Capital punishment is when someone has committed a crime in which they are sentenced to death. In this paper I will be arguing that the death penalty is okay.

Capital Punishment is punishment by death, it is the practice of putting a criminal to death as punishment for serious crimes. For the longest time people used their own methods of punishment, they would use the term “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth”. This saying originated from Rome. But people decided there needed to be more restrictions on what you can or can't do to punish someone.

I understand that because of what you have experienced you feel closure from the death penalty. I do see your point of view, so I can understand why you agree. However, I must say I disagree. It does not deter crime. A criminal is not going to stop and think “if I kill this person I will have to sit in prison or be sentenced to death”. It just does not cross people's minds. You said that you believe he knew exactly what he was doing. That statement is probably true. However, if someone commits a horrific act on purpose, they usually are happy with the outcome. I know you would like to think that after seeing the aftermath of their actions they feel remorse. The reality is that they know right from wrong. They just have no regard for that feeling of knowing they are doing something wrong.

In 1991, Todd Cameron Willingham was accused of starting a house fire at his home in Texas, which resulted in the death of his three daughters (Lithwick). He was then put on trial for arson (Lithwick). The case was total chaos, and no matter the evidence, Willingham was always denied innocence (Lithwick). Thirteen years later, Willingham and his team finally saw potential, when Gerald Hurst, a celebrated scientist, conducted his own self-reliant investigation regarding the case (Lithwick). In his study, Hurst found no evidence that the fire was intentional, writing in his report that it was likely caused by a space heater or faulty wiring (Lithwick). Hurst’s report was disregarded by the state of Texas and Willingham was sentenced to the death penalty. He was executed in 2004 (Lithwick). The death penalty is a cruel, time consuming, costly, and inconsistent method of punishment that should be abolished throughout the United States.

According to Deathpenaltyinfo.org, as of July 1st, 2017 there were approximately 2,817 prisoners on death row. CNN.com says that, as of now, the death penalty is only legal in 31 out of the 50 states. Did you know that the average death row inmate will spend roughly 15 years in prison before they meet their final day; nearly a quarter of death row inmates die of natural causes while waiting for execution, and exhausting all of their appeals? How about that in Virginia death row inmates are now able to play games, watch TV, send emails, and have physical contact with visitors along with much more? Death row is for criminals that have committed heinous crimes and have been convicted by 12 unanimous jurors to death. So, why give them that many privileges?

Capital punishment remains a controversial issue in the United States. As of November 6th, 2016 there are 31 States that have the death penalty (States with and without the Death Penalty). People who are against the death penalty believe that it is cruel and unfair. The reason why is because killing someone is not going to bring the person killed back to life. People who are for the death penalty believe that if a person kills someone they deserve to be killed, so “an eye for an eye”. Since there are only 31 states that have the death penalty, two different people can commit the same crime in different states and one will get the death penalty and one won’t so it’s not really fair. For example a convict can commit a crime worthy of the death penalty in Nevada (where the death penalty is eligible), and another convict can commit the exact same crime in Iowa (where the death penalty is not eligible). One would be eligible for the death penalty, and one would not. The death penalty should be federal law, and all states should have the death penalty and effectively use it, under certain restrictions, and also to speed up the process of the death penalty.

Death penalty laws were established back in eighteenth century B.C. Back then the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon classified only 25 crimes an automatic sentence to death penalty. Death would consist of crucifixion, drowning, being beaten to death, burning alive and impalement. It wasn’t until A.D. Tenth Century that hanging became an act of punishment for the death penalty in Britain. Britain later influenced America’s use of death penalty which expanded more than any other country(deathpenalty.org 2017).