The History of Capital Punishment as a Deterrent to Crime

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In today’s day and age, many people have had high minded and ordained question concerning capital punishment, or the death penalty. Through the passing of time, our society castigates transgressors with the death penalty. Many nations through time have decided to enact this harsh treatment. In the United States alone, the federal government has persevered to reinforce people to death (Marzillo 10). According to Wikipedia Encyclopedia, “Capital Punishment is the execution of a person by judicial process as a punishment for an offense.”

Over the centuries capital punishment has been one of the most controversial debates in our society. The decapitation of criminals and domestic opponents has been used by many of our societies. The purpose of decapitating is to decrease crime rates and have a safe society, but many of Americans today argue that capital punishment is and is not a deterrent. (Wikipedia). Practices of the death penalty have been held in some countries mainly for murder, treason, sexual crimes and many other criminal and non criminal offenses. As a believer of the bible, when Jesus walked on the earth, capital punishment was used through out the new and old testament directly and indirectly in many ways. For example we see this directly when we remember the story of Cain and Abel. The very first murder to have ever occurred on the face of the earth was the killing of Abel by his very own brother. Cain however did not suffer to be executed for the crime because “the situation at that time murder was unclear.” (The Death Penalty-A defense). Cain had the mark of God set upon him so that if anyone found him the mark will keep them from killing Cain (Gen. 4:13-15). The Old Testament we can say endorsed capital punishment be...

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.... Capital Punishment: Point-Counterpoint. Philadelphia: Chelsea HP, 2003.

Torr, James D and Laura K. Egendorf. Problems of Death: Opposing Viewpoints. SanDiego: Green Haven Press, 2000

Introduction to the Death Penalty. Death Penalty Information Center. 2009. 08 December 2009 < http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/part-i-history-death-penalty>

The Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment in the USA. Thoughts.10 December 2009.
Capital Punishment. Wikipedia Encyclopedia.com

The Death Penalty-A Defense. David Anderson.1998. 10 December 2009.

The Bible

Texas Execution Information Center. Texas Department of Criminal Justice. David Carson. 2009. 11 December 2009

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