The Death Penalty Of Capital Punishment

The death penalty has been one of those things in the justice system that has slowly changed as the years have gone by. The death penalty has its pros and cons. There are guilty people who deserve the death penalty and then there are innocent people who get convicted of crimes that they didn’t do. This paper will let you open your eyes to the criminal justice system, specifically to the death penalty.

Capital punishment is the death penalty. It is used today and was used in ancient times to punish a variety of offenses. Today, one of the most debated issues in the Criminal Justice System is the issue of capital punishment or the death penalty. Capital punishment was legal until 1972, when the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional in Furman v. Georgia stating that it violated the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments citing cruel and unusual punishment. In 1976, the Supreme Court reversed itself with Gregg v. Georgia and reinstated the death penalty but not all states have the death penalty. Since 1973, 140 people have been released from death

The death penalty and capital punishment were brought to America from Britain when America was colonized. This paper will argue why the death penalty is an outdated punishment and that it needs to be banned in America. When analyzing certain key points as crime rates, costs to maintain death row inmates, wrongful convictions, and ethics it becomes evident that the death penalty should be ruled illegal in the United States.

The death penalty dates back centuries. The death penalty is a lawful infliction of death as a punishment for the commission of a particular crime in the United States. Capital punishment is used in the United States as a deterrent to serious crimes. A sentence to death may be carried out depending on each state by lethal injection, electrocution, gas chamber, hanging, or firing squad but all states have lethal injection as their primary method. There has been a big debate over capital punishment for years on whether it is justifiable, “an eye for an eye” or cruel and unusual punishment “two wrongs do not make a right.”

“At 8:30 p.m. the first jolt of 1900 volts of electricity passed through Mr. Evan’s body. It lasted thirty seconds. Sparks and flames erupted from the electrode tied to Mr. Evan’s left leg. His body slammed against the straps holding him in the electric chair and his fist clenched permanently. The electrode apparently burst from the strap holding it in place. A large puff of grayish smoke and sparks poured out from under the hood that covered Mr. Evan’s face. An overpowering stench of burnt flesh and clothing began pervading the witness room. Two doctors examined Mr. Evans and declared that he was not dead.” What you just heard was a horrifying account of just one, of the many terrible mishaps, that have occurred in the history of the

I) In this Term Paper I will be arguing Capital Punishment. I will attempt to remain unbiased in my writing until my closing; in which I will weigh in with my statement.

The death penalty was first established in the Eighteenth Century B.C. under the Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon. During this time, capital punishment was used for 25 different crimes, including accusing someone without proof and for stealing someone else’s minor son. The death penalty was also used in the Fourteenth Century B.C. Hittite Code, Seventh Century B.C. Draconian Code of Athens, and Fifth Century B.C. Roman Law of the Twelve Tablets. Drowning, crucifixion, burning, and impalement were used most commonly to legally kill people at the time. Throughout history, Great Britain was also quite involved in the matter of capital punishment. Legalized killing started mostly with hanging in the Tenth Century A.D. However, this took a sharp turn in the Eleventh Century under William the Conqueror, who banned execution except during times of war. The norm changed once again in the Sixteenth Century, during which over 72,000 people were executed while under the reign of King Henry VIII for reasons such as marrying a Jew or committing treason. In fact, by the 1700s, Britain had established 222 capital crimes, some of which included stealing and cutting a tree. One hundred of these crimes were eliminated due to reforms during the

Societies in the past accepted and practiced the death penalty, otherwise known as capital punishment, for those who were found guilty of committing capital offenses. In today’s society there are mixed opinions on the subject. Capital punishment is argued by the people to be a just or an unjust way of sentencing someone who is found guilty of a capital offense.

Many people begin their morning with a cup of coffee and the daily news, whether attained by social media, television, or the radio. News coverage of death penalty cases, grabs the attention of an audience. The death penalty is an emotional issue for individuals to ponder. In fact, America’s opinion of capital punishment depends on its constitutionality, deterrence, retribution, and the irrevocable mistakes made by sending an innocent defendant to death row. The death penalty also known as capital punishment is legal in thirty-one states and illegal in nineteen states, to include the District of Columbia, (“History of,” 2015.) There has been 1,418 executions in the United States since 1976, the most recent execution was in Texas on October 2015, (“Executions by,” 2015). First, the Supreme Court sets the perimeters on the legality of the death penalty. Second, consider the pros and cons of the death penalty as a deterrent to murder and retribution, not revenge, (“Top 10,” 2009.) Third, the lethal injection drugs that are available for some states to use are brought before the U. S. Supreme court because of the complaint of inmates on death row of the “risk of severe pain,”(“Lethal Injection, ”n.d.) The death penalty is an allowed form of punishment for defendants that are convicted of murder or other capital crimes as long as it does not violate the Constitution.

Despite the widespread abandonment of death sentencing by many developed nations, the United States continues to execute citizens every year. The standard methods used to execute Americans have evolved over time. Each state has adopted their own preferences for sentencing those convicted of the most heinous crimes. Death by lethal injection is now most commonly practiced and hangings, firing squads, and the electric chair, have been progressively phased out. American society continues to dignify which methods are cruel and unusual, but will not principally condemn the practice.

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.

Capital punishment, also referred to as the death penalty, is the utmost form of punishment in the United States. It is the method of punishment by execution legally given to a criminal convicted of a crime. Capital punishment originated from many early societies, it is only imposed on people who have committed very serious crimes, and only five different execution types are currently used in the United States.

The death penalty has been notable, in the justice system of the United States of America.

Capital punishment has been around for centuries taking the life of guilty convicts to bring justice to the people. However, many people see the death penalty as a brutal action which no human should have to face, guilty or innocent. After the death penalty travelled around the world, it became very popular in America leading to many Supreme Court cases and protests. Endlessly, people have argued their viewpoints about whether the death penalty is constitutional in relation to the 8th amendment which states no “cruel or unusual” punishment. Politicians from every state including Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, have commented their personal views on the death penalty making it a very public dispute. Capital punishment is a very popular subject to debate over, and still a very prominent issue America is facing today.

Capital punishment is an issue that has been continuously debated for the past few decades and will keep on being discussed and argued about for a long time to come. Capital punishment is the act of executing somebody as punishment for committing a particular felony and crime after being served a lawful legal trial. Executions can only be utilized by a state, and if used by non-state organizations it is considered as committing a murder.