Capital Punishment Research Study

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This study was conducted to identify the characteristics of capital punishment and establish findings related to cost, racial bias, socio-economic class, innocent persons on death row, and cruel and unusual punishment. A questionnaire was provided to participants to gauge the level of education regarding issues and knowledge of the death penalty. Capital punishment is defined as the legal process to which a person is put to death by the state as punishment for a crime. Capital punishment is also hereby referred to as the death penalty. Research Methods Data for this study was obtained using both primary and secondary research. Secondary research was investigated via a content analysis of websites regarding characteristics that relate to capital punishment. HSC Online defines primary research as collecting data first-hand by asking questions, conducting trials, and collating results. Secondary research is based on the findings of other people’s research, such as findings from books, the internet, or reports (Primary and Secondary Research). Content analysis is described as the study of content that is written texts and artifacts (Hodder, 1994). Secondary Research Secondary research was conducted first in order to gain statistics and information that would later be used for primary research. Primary Research Primary research began over the course of the school semester between January to March 2014 and was conducted by questioning those on social media websites such as FaceBook and Tumblr as well as in-person. Participants were firstly asked if they would mind participating in a short questionnaire regarding the death penalty. Participants were mainly selected due to ease of access and varied in age, socio-economic class, ra... ... middle of paper ... ...t.html Francis, D. (2012, September 13). Where Do You Fall in the American Economic Class System? Retrieved from http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2012/09/13/where-do-you-fall-in-the-american-economic-class-system High Cost of Death Row . (2009, September 27). The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/28/opinion/28mon3.html?_r=0 Hodder, I. (1994). The Interpretation of Documents and Material Culture. Handbook of Qualitative Research, 155. The Innocence List. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/innocence-list-those-freed-death-row Primary and Secondary Research. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.hsc.csu.edu.au/design_technology/producing/develop/2662/primary.htm States With and Without the Death Penalty. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/states-and-without-death-penalty

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