"Capital Punishment", by definition it is the legal killing of an individual. Now, you might be wondering how could someone be killed legally when murder is almost universally recognized as a violent and serious crime. Traces of capital punishment can be dated back to the dawn of civilization. However, it was widely practiced during the times before and after medieval England when executions were conducted publicly to provide a display of the result of criminal acts or treason to other criminals. Since then, the death penalty has been a topic of many debates covering a range of issues from ethical reasonability, to violation of constitutional rights. Today all but thirteen states practice capital punishment. For the most part, the death penalty fails as a deterrent. It is commonly reserved for treason and crimes society considers heinous. Very rarely does an execution have an effect on the crime rate.
You can find separate views on this topic almost anywhere you look. Religious and political groups, different races, and entire states all hold different and conflicting views on capital punishment. With issues such as racial disparities and innocent people executed, the death penalty should certainly be questioned. "Perhaps the bleakest fact of all is that the death penalty is imposed not only in a freakish and discriminatory manner, but also in some cases upon defendants who are actually innocent."(Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan Jr. 1994).
.
Topic Overview.
Since 1976 there have been 739 executions, 253 of which have been in Texas, more than any other state. As with many topics there are people who support it and those who do not. Capital punishment is no exception. It is evident by show of the 37 states that support the death penalty that many Americans are in agreement with it. As an adversary to those states, this paper will side with those who feel that capital punishment itself is a crime.