Capital punishment has been an emotionally charged issue in the United States for over two hundred years. This is easy to understand, since the taking of another human's life, even by court order is irrevocable.
The purpose of this essay is to give you background information so that you can be informed regarding the pro's and con's involved in this issue. Forming an opinion about capital punishment is something you must decide for yourself. The three basic aspects of the issue are: the moral factors; [Is it Just], the legal factors; [Is it administered according to the rules], and the practical factors [Does it prevent Crime].
First we will talk about capital punishment as it took place in early America starting with the Massachusetts Bay Colony of 1636. "The Capital Laws of New England," listed these "crimes" as worthy of the death sentence: Idolatry, witchcraft, blasphemy, murder (excluding self defense) assault in sudden anger, sodomy, buggery, adultery, statutory rape (death sentence optional), man stealing, perjury in a capital trial, and rebellion (Worsnop 200).
Executions were public displays until the mid-nineteenth century. It was believed that public display would by example deter crime. In the early nineteenth century, public hangings were occasions for sadistic celebrations where thieves and pickpockets joined the onlookers in merriment (Worsnop 200). Between 1930 and 1950, executions in the U.S. ranged between 117-199. A murderer "lived with the expectation that he might forfeit his own life in return" with a 1 in 25 chance, whereas in 1992 that probability dropped to 1 in 625(Tucker 24). By the latter part of that century it was recognized that such publicity seemed to serve no deterrent effect. Practically speaking, law enforcement officials [today] don't consider the death penalty as an effective deterrent. According to a new national poll of 386 police chiefs and sheriffs, the death penalty was ranked as the least cost-effective way of reducing violent crime (Worsnop 195).
It stands for the total abolition of the death penalty but allows states parties to retain the death penalty in time of war. ... Some states have already abolished the death penalty. ... Some people think the death penalty is fair. ... The death penalty is a global issue. ... The death penalty isn't a way to prevent crime. ...
Currently, there have been over 1,000 deaths due to the death penalty since 1976 (Death Penalty Information Center). ... There are many different forms of execution used in the death penalty. ... Three years later in 2009, New Mexico repealed the death penalty. ... The death penalty gives most people a sense of security in many states. ... The Catholic religion is the religion most against the death penalty. ...
I am against the death penalty. ... "A new survey by the New York Times found that states without the death penalty have lower homicide rates than states with the death penalty" ("Facts" 6). ... My last reason for my opposition to the death penalty is its constitutionality, whether or not the death penalty should be legal. ... "The Death Penalty on Trial." ... "Debating the Death Penalty." ...
The Old Testament clearly calls for the death penalty on many occasions. ... In the case of the death penalty, an individual kills another human being and he is punished for it by death. ... Statistics from the Death Penalty Information Center (1997) show that the death penalty does not really deter crime. When comparisons are made between states with the death penalty and states without it, the majority of the death penalty states show murder rates higher than non-death penalty states. ... In 1996, death penalty states averaged a rate of 7.1 criminal homicides per 100,000, while non-death pen...
(Religious Organizing Against the Death Penalty Website) The main argument that advocates for the death penalty have is that the death penalty deters crime, that the threat of execution is enough to make criminals think twice about committing a capital crime. ... Clearly, by the time he has decided to commit his crime, he has already disregarded other forms of punishment besides the death penalty, such as lengthy imprisonment. ... Also, states that do not have a death penalty experience lower number of murders each year than that of the states who do. ... (Death Penalty Information Ce...
After the Supreme Court made this ruling, states reviewed their death penalty laws. ... The death penalty contradicts the whole idea of human rights. ... Supporters of the death penalty believe that the death penalty helps keep the crime and murder rate down, but that is not so. States with death penalty laws do not have lower crime or rates than states that with death penalty laws. ... If the death penalty is not "cruel and unusual punishment" then what is? ...
-Contact Death Penalty Focus. ... -Start a Death Penalty Focus chapter at your school. ... -Attend national conferences on death penalty organizing. ... What Teachers Can Do -Use the Death Penalty Information Center's curriculum for educators in your classroom! ... Death Penalty Focus can help you find many excellent speakers. ...
One way people are being deprived of their rights is the use of the death penalty. The death penalty is often used to kill people who have committed murder. ... The death penalty is not a surefire way to punish criminals. ... Jury members may avoid the death penalty for this very reason. ... If the death penalty does not deter crime, why should there have a death penalty? ...
DEATH PENALTY The death penalty has existed as long as humans have existed. ... There have been many comparisons of crime rates of death penalty states to non-death penalty states. ... Michigan, Ohio and Illinois all have the death penalty. ... In 1994, the average murder rate in death penalty states of a population of 100,00 was 8.0, for a non-death penalty state, 4.4. ... In 1976 Canada got rid of the death penalty. ...
The death penalty protects society because if the murderers are executed, they are no longer on the streets (The Death Penalty). ... Studies show that by increasing the death penalty by one percent, it would prevent one hundred and five murders (The Death Penalty). ... Why the society defends the death penalty. ... Arguments of those who oppose the death penalty. ... Concluding thoughts of reinstating the death penalty....