The Importance Of Capital Punishment In The United States

Capital punishment, also frequently referred to as the death penalty, is a government certified practice where a person is put to death by the state as a form of punishment for a crime they have committed (Henderson, 25). Crimes that are found punishable by death are referred to as capital crimes or capital offences, and commonly include offences such as murder, treason, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide (Henderson, 48-9). The term capital is derived from the Latin term capitalis meaning "of the head" which alludes to executions that were carried out by beheading (Kronenwetter, 202). This paper will discuss the complexities of capital punishment’s history and methods as well as its economic, political, and

This paper will discuss the Death Penalty. It analyzes the effectiveness of the death penalty. It covers the history of the death penalty as our nation shifts through various eras in its history, as well as the historical background of the death penalty in New York. It considers all factors such as crime rates, deterrence, the rights of the people, and consequences of the death penalty. Analogies were made of areas all over the country as to what degree the death penalty effects crime all around. It concludes this paper by reflecting on the information provided of the death penalty and provide an alternative to it.

Whether the capital punishment, the legal punishment that deprives an individual’s life, is constitutional, moral or necessary is constantly debated. Although the United States maintain the retentionist view of capital punishment that executes hundreds of criminals each year, many revolutionists are challenging our current legal system and trying to abolish the use of capital punishment. In this paper, I will discuss the theory of the capital punishment, and the controversial points of the abolitionist and retentionist debate. Siding with abolitionist argument, I will be presenting my arguments beginning with retentionist view, then move into abolitionist rejection. I will also argue against the

Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is a constitutionally acceptable form of criminal punishment, but its use has created serious controversy in the United States. The use of the death penalty has changed throughout history. At one point, capital punishment was the automatic conviction for murder and other high felonies. Standards were later created in 1972 to lessen arbitrary imposition of the death penalty by Furman v. Georgia. In 1977, Coker v. Georgia established that the death penalty is not a proportionate punishment to rape, and in 2005, Roper v. Simmons made it illegal to sentence those who were under eighteen when a crime occurred to capital punishment. Some states have abolished the death penalty, whereas others allow it, but the

Within the thirty-one states that don’t officially prohibit the death penalty, additional three states haven’t essentially steered a killing ever since early 2000’s. This issue leaves eighty-three

Currently there is not an active death penalty in New York state. New York's history of capital punishment goes back to colonial times, with the second most executions of any state from 1608 to 1972. The last record of its use was in 1963. Mr. Eddie Mays was executed by means of electrocution at Sing Sing state prison. He was convicted of first degree murder and robbery in 1962. Mays was 34 years old at the time of execution. Currently there is a zero population on death row in the state of New York.

Why, after all the executions of people who were later proven innocent, is the death penalty still a justifiable outcome in the legal systems of developed countries? The United States has been ranked fifth for the highest number of executions. According to Alexis Manning, “ the U.S has a strict attitude toward punishment in general.” The death penalty is the punishment of execution administered to someone legally convicted of a capital crime. There are a variety of ways people see the death penalty. Some people oppose the death penalty and some agree with it, those who support the death penalty think that those who are on death row should be killed faster, but the opposition states that the death penalty is uncivilized in our country.

Did you know nineteen states in the United States do not currently use an or enforce the Death Penalty? Capital Punishment or as you may know it as, “ The Death Penalty” is the legally authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime. I feel as the Death Penalty should be legal in all states because it gives a sort of presence or may give the possible killer less incentive to go through with murdering a person knowing the consequence will lead to their demise.

In our contemporary criminal justice system, capital punishment has been one of the most debated topic. Capital punishment is also known as the death penalty. It is a punishment by death of a person by the government, as a result of committing a vicious crime. The nature of the punishment raises a plethora of human-right case; therefore, it has led to its abolishment in many countries. In several countries, the ending of capital punishment against juveniles has been accomplished through enforcement if specific provisions of international agreements, which prohibit the execution of a juvenile. Although, Capital punishment for adults is allowed under international law, the execution of a juvenile is not tolerated. Almost every country in the world have ratified or sign the United Nation Convention on the right of a child treaty. The United States is the only country with a pending reservation to the Article forbidding the execution of juveniles. Juvenile capital punishment has been an active force in the United States for decades. Statistics show, most offenders were sentence to death row as a juvenile and later executed as an adult. Capital punishment for juvenile offenders appears to have forsaken by the United Nation Convention on the right of a child and other international agreements.

The death penalty has been around before the birth of the United States Constitution. The death penalty is a very conversational topic and is a deterrent of the worst criminal acts (murder, rape, and terrorism). Support for the death penalty has gone down in recent years from 1994 to 2014 support of for the death penalty dropped 20%. Kenneth Williams blames these key factors innocence, race, arbitrariness, incompetent lawyers, etc… ).

As of 2010, thirty-four States have some form of Death Penalty, while twelve States plus the District of Columbia have no Death Penalty. The number of Death Penalty executions from 1977 2010 by color-coded States follows:

However, as with every controversial issue, there are always two sides to consider. Opponents of the death penalty argue that the death penalty violates the basic human right to life. They believe that prison sentences are a satisfactory alternative to the death penalty for criminals who commit even the most horrific crimes. They present their case by contradicting the very same reasons that validate the death penalty. In addition to their counter arguments, they further argue that it sometimes leads to the death of innocent people and that it discriminates by race. Even after considering objections made against it, I have addressed the statements of opposition to illustrate that the need for the death penalty exceeds these objections.

While abolitionists and retentionists continue to discuss their viewpoints on the death penalty, it does appear that the retentionists do not have any concrete arguments other than retaining the death penalty as a form of retribution for murders committed. However, as the abolitionists propose it is worthwhile for individuals to pay the penalty of a crime in a humane manner (Mappes, DeGrazia & Zembaty, 2012).

The legal right of the Government to take a life. The chances that the death penalty violates Individual Rights after receiving maximum punishment. The Government shall carry out all death sentences, weather it’s morally acceptable or not. The Death penalty is an unusual punishment nowadays. Incarcerating criminals for life in prison in lieu of the death penalty, is more morally acceptable than having a citizen take away another life during an execution.

Should the death penalty continue to be used or should it be changed. The death penalty should continue to be implemented.