The Death Penalty : A Fact Finding Report Essay

This paper will briefly cover the world history of the use of the death penalty as well as its current use in the United States of America. The paper will discuss the statistics of how often the death penalty is utilized as a sentence for capital crimes as well as the time a convicted person spends awaiting the death penalty to be imposed. This paper will utilize research from published sources. This paper will also review current death penalty issues are the occurring in our court systems today.

The death penalty sometimes also known as capital punishment or execution, is the sentence of death brought on by courts as punishment for a serious crime people who receive the death penalty typically are convicted of murder and similar capital crimes like aggravated murder or felony murder (What is the death penalty). In Canada, there is no death penalty, where in America there is one. The most common form of the death penalty is by lethal injection which is done in 33 states (Methods of execution).

The death penalty, or capital punishment, refers to a death to a person by a state for their crimes; where the executive branch made an attempt to address the considered but was unsuccessful, where the Legislative branch talks about and try to modify the death penalty, where the supreme court is handling the cases in trail.

The moral and ethical debate on the sentencing and enforcement of capital punishment has long baffled the citizens and governing powers of the United States. Throughout time, the interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, and the vast majority beliefs of Americans, have been in a constant state of perplexity. Before the 1960s, the Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution were interpreted as permitting the death penalty. However, in the early 1960s, it was suggested that the death penalty was a "cruel and unusual" punishment and therefore unconstitutional under the Eighth Amendment. Many argue that capital punishment is an absolute necessity, in order to deter crime, and to ‘make things right’ following a heinous crime of murder. Despite the belief that capital punishment may seem to be the only tangible, permanent solution to ending future capital offenses, the United States should remove this cruel and unnecessary form of punishment from our current judicial systems.

The death penalty is a capital punishment that is put into effect for major crimes. The death penalty is a very controversial topic in the United States and throughout the world. There was a time period were the death penalty was banned for about four years in 1972-1976. Many feel that the death penalty is justice because it is retribution toward criminals who have committed heinous crimes. However the death penalty is inhumane and should be abolished in the United States.

Capital Punishment, also known as the Death Penalty, is described as a government practice where a person is put to death by the state as a punishment for crimes such as murder, treason, espionage, and genocide.

More than two centuries ago, the death penalty was commonplace in the United States, but today it is becoming increasingly rare. In the article “Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished?”, Diann Rust-Tierney argues that it should be abolished, and Joshua Marquis argues that it should not be abolished. Although the death penalty is prone to error and discrimination, the death penalty should not be abolished because several studies show that the death penalty has a clear deterrent effect, and we need capital punishment for those certain cases in which a killer is beyond redemption.

The use of capital punishment in the U.S. is a growing concern for most American citizens. According to statistics, seventy percent of Americans are in support of the death penalty, while only thirty percent are against it. These statistics show that few people are against capital punishment (“Fact” 1). With the use of the death penalty growing the controversy is becoming more heated. With only twelve states left not enforcing it the resistance is becoming futile (“Fact” 4). Many debates have been made and even clauses have been invoked, such as, the “Cruel and Unusual Clause” that was invoked by the Supreme Court in 1962 (Meltsner 179). The use of death as a punishment has been viewed as “cruel

The Death Penalty The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is the punishment of execution, administered to someone legally convicted of a capital crime. Capital punishment is enacted by the court through different forms after the court proves that one was directly involved in serious crimes such as murder, rape, or even drug trafficking. This form of punishment has been around for many decades. Much controversy surrounds the death penalty.

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.

The earliest reported execution in the new colonies was Captain George Kendall from Jamestown colony of Virginia in 1608 because he was a spy for Spain. In 1612, Virginia Governor, Sir Thomas Dale signed the Divine, Moral and Martial Laws with the death penalty. The death penalty applied for the simplest offenses such as stealing grapes, killing chickens, and trading with Indians. The regulations of the capital punishment diversified from one colony to the next. (Randa, 1997)

The death penalty, as we know it today, didn’t exist in the United States until 1976. However, the American penal system has incorporated capital punishment since the earliest settlements were founded in the early 1600’s. The first recorded execution in the United States occurred in 1608 in Jamestown, Virginia when Captain George Kendall was executed just one year after the Jamestown settlement had been established after he had been convicted of being a spy for Spain (Part I: History of the Death Penalty). Over the next 250 years, several states moved toward abolishing capital punishment altogether. While there has been serious push towards ending capital punishment, more than half of state governments within the United States cling onto their right to execute criminals who perform truly heinous crimes.

Against the Death Penalty: An Annotated Bibliography While the Death Penalty has been historically used as a deterrent of crime, it is barbarity, is economically costly, and racially bias in the United States of America. With this research paper, I will explain how the death penalty should be abolish from our judicial system. Death Penalty Information Center. http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org./ This is a website that gives lots of information about the death penalty from the history, current inmates and trials that could lead to death row.

The history of the death penalty in the United States has fluctuated greatly over time. In 1608 the first victim of Capital Punishment was executed. Captain George Kendall was sentenced to death and executed for espionage. Shortly after in Virginia Governor Sir Thomas Dale launched the Moral, Devine, and Martial Law. These laws called for the death penalty for non-violent crimes such as stealing, executing chickens, and participating in trade with Native Americans. Much like today the laws pertaining to Capital Punishment fluctuated amongst colonies. In New York the Dukes Law was enacted which brought the death penalty to offenders who were guilty of moral offences, such as denying God.

Well First let me explain what capital punishment is. Capital punishment, the death penalty, or the execution of somebody is the infliction of death upon a person by a judicial process as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences.