The death penalty has been used as punishment in the U. Opinions differ greatly and have become a controversial topic for debate over the years. Retribution, a moral obligation to society and the removal of those who are a threat to society are the goals capital punishment is said to achieve. This paper examines the pros and cons of the capital punishment and illustrates that taking a life does not bring closure or justice to anyone involved.
Laws, crime, and punishment have always been and always will be integral parts of our society. The definition of each of them however seems to constantly be changing. For example, stealing a horse a few hundred years ago would constitute the person paying with his life while an entire town witnessed him being hanged for his crime. This may seem ludicrous and hard to believe but unfortunately it is not. The government determines what the laws are, what is considered a crime and most importantly what punishment a person should endure when a crime is committed. The death penalty is implemented when it is decided to be fitting to the crime committed, however the capital punishment is not an effective way to reduce cost or crime and should be abolished as a means of punishment in America.
Capital punishment was brought to America from Britain where it has been used for centuries. The first recorded execution occurred in 1608 when Captain George Kendall of the Jamestown colony was executed for mutiny (Reggio).There have been several different methods of execution used throughout history. One of the oldest methods was execution by firing squad. Typically a group of law enforcement officers or soldiers fire simultaneously on the accused who stands blindfolded awaiting his death. Another method used was execution by hanging. The accused would be hanged in the center of town while the members of the town gathered to watch. Electrocution, the gas chamber and lethal injection are the methods that have been used most recently.
