The Death Penalty And Capital Punishment

Capital punishment, otherwise known as the death penalty, is a controversial subject which has been argued for decades due to the ethical decisions involved. People believe the death penalty is the right thing to do and that it is the perfect example of ‘justice’ while others believe that it is immoral and overly expensive. The death penalty is not a logical sentence for criminals, it doesn’t give them the right type of justice and it is immoral.

Throughout mankind has been using the death penalty as a form of punishment. Many people argue with this type of punishment because they believe in an eye for an eye. Many people that it is okay to murder a human being due to them having killed an individual over time. There have been many cases that have proven that they death penalty violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment, being very expensive, and innocent lives are convicted.

The justice system is filled with opposition. Those who support the use of Supermax, the death penalty and the execution of those who are mentally retarded and juveniles, and those who oppose the above mentioned. The following essay will discuss all mentioned topics.

America’s criminal justice system is based on equality, integrity, and fairness. All criminals are treated the same, given the same rights, and punished fairly based on their crimes. However, despite that, there are many controversial topics regarding the criminal justice system, such as the death penalty. Capital punishment has been used many times in history all around the world, and it was quite popular. Many people argue that capital punishment is useful in deterring crime and that it is only fair that criminals receive death as punishment for a heinous crime. On the contrary, others see the death penalty as a violation of the 8th amendment. It restricts excessive fines, and it also does not allow cruel and unusual punishment to be inflicted upon criminals. Although there have been many court cases discussing capital punishment, there is still much confusion regarding whether it violates the 8th amendment or not. Capital punishment is a very significant, and very controversial topic that has been around for a long time; the death penalty is still being argued today, with persuasive arguments on both sides.

The death penalty’s main argument is morality. Is it wrong or is it right to sentence someone to death for a crime. The idea of capital punishment stems back from the world’s earliest known societies (Garland, 2011). In the United States today the death penalty is used as form of punishment in 32 states. America is a country of opinion, Americans have their own outlook on everything and the death penalty is no different. Many Americans feel capital punishment is wrong and unethical; while other Americans feel it is ethical and needed.

Capital punishment began in the mid-twentieth century and was intended for all crimes committed. Capital punishment is still practice in the United States in 38 states but used in today’s intent for more horrific crimes. Fourteen of the states have abolished capital punishment for many reasons from being unlawful to being inhumane.

Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, has been used in our country since we first landed on its shores. Brought overseas by the colonists, the death penalty was first used in the colony of Jamestown. It was cited that the man had committed the capital offence of treason. Capital punishment has evolved in many ways since this time. In the sixteen hundreds, you could be put to death for stealing, heresy, murder etc. Since then, many states have abolished the death penalty, describing it as cruel and unusual punishment. Michigan was the first state to abolish it in 1864. Through the years, there have been many opposers of the practice. Many say that the system has flaws. Studies have shown that there are connections between race and the death penalty. In recent years, it has been revealed that a good number of convicts sent to death were wrongfully convicted. The use of DNA evidence has brought to light many of the injustices that the death penalty has brought about.

Since the foundation of our nation the Death Penalty has been a way to punish prisoners that have committed heinous crimes, however since the turn of the 20th century the practice of Capital Punishment has been questioned on its usage in America and the world as a whole. The Death Penalty is used in America to punish criminals who have committed murders, or taken the life of an innocent person, and while the death penalty seems like it is doing justice to those who have killed others it is actually being used improperly in most situations, while also hindering our economy and is a means of ending more lives than necessary. The Death Penalty can be a valid source of punishment for criminals in the US however due to the misuse of this power by the government it is a huge detriment to our nation and the people that inhabit it. Because of the fact that Capital Punishment is used unfairly, and ineffectively in our nation it is an obsolete form of punishment and should have no place in the United States justice department.

What is the death penalty? The death penalty is a punishment of execution. There are many methods of executions, such as lethal injection, beheading, hanging, electrocution, or shooting in the back of the head, either by one person or a firing squad. Many people have different opinions on the death penalty, whether it should be legal or not. The death penalty argument in the US has left the country divided for a long time. There are thirty-three states where the death penalty is legal and seventeen states have abolished it. In my opinion, the death penalty shouldn’t be legal throughout the entire country. It breaches basic human rights: the right to life and the right to live free from torture. There are multiple reasons why the death penalty shouldn’t be legalized including, arbitrary, fallibility, high cost, and deterrence.

In today 's world, terrible crimes are being committed daily. Watching the news, listening to the radio or reading a newspaper shows proof of this cruelty. So what can be done about these criminals? Capital punishment has been exposed throughout history; “In the Jamestown colony of Virginia in 1608, Captain George Kendall was hanged for the capital offense of treason. Among other serious capital crimes in colonial times were murder, rape and witchcraft” (Fridell). The death penalty has been under discussion for some time. While there are many supporters, some still disagree. Currently, “there are thirty-one states in which the death penalty is enforced, and nineteen states that have abolished it” (Death Penalty Information Center). The Death penalty is a form of punishment that involves executing a person after he or she were found guilty of a major crime by the legal system. Should the death penalty be used for murderers, rapists, and serial killers and no other crimes? Research shows that “the major reasons why people support the death penalty is because of deterrence, retribution, and incapacitation” (Booker, Renee, and Hubbard). Racism also can play a part of capital punishment. The death penalty is an effective tool for reducing violent crimes and eliminating the costs of supporting violent offenders in the prisons. The death penalty’s effectiveness is based on its ability to deter, promote retribution, and ultimately to incapacitate violent offenders.

Tom Robinson is a Black, unfairly tried, innocent character being tried for Capital Punishment for falsely accused of raping a white girl in the book “To Kill A Mockingbird.” (Lee, Harper.). This is clearly wrong. Governments should not concern itself with taking people 's lives. Capital punishment is a legally authorised killing for a crime. In the modern United States capital punishment is only used for punishing murder. The 1930’s was the decade in which had the highest rate of capital punishment in American history. In that decade only two states made capital punishment illegal. Capital punishment is unjust because of the eighth amendment which wherein is

Capital punishment, commonly known as the death penalty, is one of the most controversial subjects that divides the nation. When, why, and how did this barbaric practice begin? Understanding the history of capital punishment, the methods used, and the con’s of this immoral act will prove this form of punishment should be forever abolished!

The government has sanctioned the practice of the death penalty to those who are believed to be deserving of such serious retribution. Capital punishment manages to maintain a large amount of public support; however, it has recently received the label of a dying practice. The decline of executions can be traced back to the high price, complicated procedures, and ongoing trials placed on these cases because of the major risk factors. While many Americans still believe the death penalty ensures justice for serious crimes along with enhancing future public safety, those against this form of punishment claim the process of executing a person has too many

An issue that has been widely debated for several years in the United States, and even throughout the whole world is capital punishment. Capital punishment is of course punishment by death after committing a capital crime or a capital offence. The word capital comes from the Latin capitalis, which means “regarding the head”, which is referring to beheading. The debate about capital punishment is whether or not is moral to punish someone with death after a crime they committed. Many view that those who commit capital crimes should be killed, as it is justice for the capital crime/crimes they have committed. Other believes that no crime is heinous to warrant execution of the committer of the crime. This question has been debated across the world for years, and has recently become a more pressing issue as now there are more humane ways of execution and people value human life more than in the past. Many already know how Americans and Europeans feel about capital punishment, however, how did old Eastern Philosophy feel about the death penalty? How does current Eastern Philosophy feel about the death penalty?

Death penalty, which is often described as capital punishment, is pronounced on offenders who have committed extremely heinous crimes. It is an ancient practice but in the United States it has faced several controversies in the latter half of the twentieth century (Robertson, 14). Does the death penalty serve any purpose in our current judicial system? Criminal executions were first implemented in our society as a crime deterrent to ensure that the offenders cannot engage in future crimes but time has shown that cost, errors, and effectiveness have led many to believe there are alternatives available.