The Issue of Capital Punishment in American Politics
In 2002, 71 persons in 13 States were executed -- 33 in Texas; 7 in
Oklahoma, 6 in Missouri; 4 each in Georgia and Virginia, 3 each in
Florida, South Carolina, and Ohio; 2 each in Alabama, Mississippi, and
North Carolina; and 1 each in Louisiana and California.
In 2003, 65 inmates were executed, 6 fewer than in 2002.
The death penalty has become a topic of serious controversy in recent
years. In particular, debate has been made over whether or not the
death penalty is an appropriate punishment for severe crimes such as
murder. Although the topic has been the subject of recent debate, it
is interesting to note that the basic opinions on both sides of the
argument date back to ancient times.
There are essentially two justifications for criminal punishment. The
first is retributive.
It is the idea that criminals deserve to be punished, that it is
morally right to punish wrong acts. The second justification is
utilitarian. Under this theory, punishment is justified because it
makes society better off in some way, perhaps by deterring potential
criminals, protecting society by segregating criminals, or by
reforming the criminal such that he/she can one day rejoin society.
I don’t believe either of these justifications for criminal punishment
supports the use of the death penalty. To take the utilitarian view
first, I would argue that capital punishment is an unsuccessful
deterrent. People still commit the crimes and figures of serious crime
haven’t gone down Secondly, I don’t think capital punishment is
necessary to segregate offenders and thereby protect society. A prison
and a life sentence can take care of that. Third, I think the
prospects for rehabilitation of capital offenders are quite slim, and
in any case, capital punishment certainly prevents whatever
possibilities there might otherwise be, cos you know, the guy or girls
dead anyway! The utilitarian theory of punishment would seem to
suggest that capital punishment is a bad idea. It is more costly than
lifelong confinement.
Capital punishment is a declining institution as the twentieth century nears its end. At one time capital punishment was a common worldwide practice, but now it is only used for serious violation of laws in 100 of the world's 180 nations (Haines 3 ). It can be traced back to the earliest forms of civilization. The origins of the movement away from capital punishment are difficult to date precisely. The abolition movement can be heard as early as the religious sermons of the Quakers in the 1640's (Masur 4). In the seventeenth century, the Anglo-American world began to rely less on public executions and more in favor of private punishments. The possible decline in popularity of the capital punsihment system is directly related to the many controversial issues it entails such as: the questions of deterrence, morals and ethics, constitutionality, and economics.
It is the firm belief and position here that committing such a crime as murder is punishable by death. Americans should take a position for anyone on death row, to be executed sooner rather than later.
Capital punishment results in the victims family gaining a greater sense of security, making sure the criminal is able to be punished to the highest degree for his crime, and honoring retribution. The issue of capital punishment has created a division
Is the death penalty fair? Is it humane? Does it deter crime? The answers to these questions vary depending on who answers them. The issue of capital punishment raises many debates. These same questions troubled Americans just as much in the day of the Salem witch trials as now in the say of Timothy McVeigh. During the time of the Salem witchcraft trials they had the same problem as present society faces. Twenty innocent people had been sentenced to death. It was too late to reverse the decision and the jurors admitted to their mistake. The execution of innocent people is still a major concern for American citizens today.
If you are in a rush to attend a very important meeting and you can not find a parking spot, would you risk parking your car in a restricted zone if you knew the fee would only be 25 dollars? Would you reconsider taking the risk of parking your car there if the ticket would be 500 dollars? If the consequences of an action are severe, how many people would take the risk of taking that action? If the penalty to pay for taking other people’s lives was death, would fewer people take the risk of committing such a crime? Life is the most precious possession one holds. When another human brutally robs another of this gift, it is the most heinous of all crimes. It is only justice if the punishment fits the crime committed, and for murder, the only punishment fit is the death penalty, therefore, the capital punishment should be retained in all the States as a means of justice and a clear message for potential criminals out there not to follow.
This country is determined to prove that killing someone under certain circumstances is acceptable, when in all reality there can be no rationalization for the taking of another human life. Killing is murder. It is as simple as that. There have been so many different controversies surrounding this debate that often, the issues become clouded in false statistics and slewed arguments. The basic fact remains that killing is morally and ethically wrong. This fact does not disappear by simply changing the term "murder" to "capital punishment". The act is still the taking of a life. On these grounds, the death penalty should be abolished.
In America, we no longer feel that crime should go without harsh punishment. Tim Robbins’ film, “Dead Man Walking” is a movie about a man named Matthew Poncelet (Sean Penn) who is on death row, and the different things he goes through as he counts down his final days until execution. The movie is based on a true story. Through the movie, I was able to see the different the steps that a death row inmate goes through leading up to execution. I cannot really say that the movie was pro or anti death penalty because I think it covered both sides well. In “Dead Man Walking” the justice system was right, and they executed the right man. However, in reality our system isn’t always right and sometimes mistakes are made. Although I don’t think that capital punishment is the perfect solution to our crime problem, I do think that it is necessary. I support the death penalty because it saves our government money, I believe it’s what our founding fathers wanted, it prevents murderers from killing again, and because of it’s deterrent effects.
The death penalty has been part of the American judicial system since the country’s founding [1]. Most people see the death penalty as the fairest way to punish those who have killed, because, in the words of Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, “the instinct for retribution is part of the nature of man.” I do agree that the deliverance of justice is an important factor in any public policy. However, it is also important to consider the more pragmatic aspects, like the cost to the state. It is possible that the financial cost could be outweighed by the societal benefit. However, upon researching the death penalty, one would discover that the cost of capital punishment is unreasonably high, particularly in the state of California, especially when we consider how rarely the death sentence is actually implemented. In times like these, times of economic turmoil and scarce financial resources, the state cannot afford a system that is so expensive and also so rarely utilized. I believe that, in the state of California, the death penalty is overly expensive and so rarely implemented that it should be abolished.
Since the execution of James Kendall in 1608, capital punishment “has been an accepted form of justice” in what is now the United States (Smith 2). Capital punishment can be defined as “the penalty of death for the commission of a crime” (Dictionary.com 1). In colonial America, both violent and non-violent crimes could merit the death penalty.
1. Most of the democratic countries of the world have abolished capital punishment. Indeed, it was only recently (2005) that the Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to sentence a person to death for a crime he committed while younger than 18. For older offenders, however, the United States continues to execute convicted criminals. Why do you think the United States practices capital punishment?
The question regarding whether the United States should implement the death penalty as a form of punishment is a heated issue in American politics. The topic is so divisive because it deals with death, which is permanent. Life is valued in every society, and when life is taken away, emotions rise. Most human beings maintain a strong underlying fear of dying, so they wish to prevent their own death, especially their murder, at any cost. Furthermore, since crime is a prevalent problem in the U.S., Americans yearn for a successful way to reduce the homicide rate. However, most Americans do not favor the use of the death penalty when other options, such as life in prison without parole plus restitution, are presented (Dieter). By comparing the empirical and moral claims of the arguments in favor and against the use of the death penalty, we suggest that the presidential candidate take a cautiously anti-death penalty stance.
Capital punishment, a legal justice operation practiced in the United States. Capital punishment is a method used to penalize criminals who have committed devious crimes with death. Dated back to the Eighteenth Century, the death penalty has been part of major countries and is still practiced to this day. Hanging, electrocution, lethal injection and other techniques are used to end the life of those who are condemned. Capital punishment is not an effective form of punishment and should be terminated. The death penalty has been analyzed to measure the connection between executions and crime rates in order to discover if capital punishment deter crimes. No proof has been provided to show that executions lower crime rates. In addition, one’s Eighth
The death penalty also known as the capital punishment, is an execution that occurs accordingly to the government or state, depending on the crime committed. Nearly all nations in the world either have the death sentence or once had it one time ago. It was used in most cases to punish those who broke the laws or standard that were expected of them. Currently there are ten countries that still embraces capital punishment. These countries are:
Since the beginning of civilized human society, law and order has regulated the populace of the world. Any person who has broken this natural order is judged and sentenced for their crime. The sentencing of criminals to death for heinous and inhuman actions has been the norm of society for centuries. Of course, with any action concerning human life, it is a controversial topic with strong arguments on both sides. Even though the death penalty is viewed upon with disgust by its opposition, it has more benefits than flaws. With universal application of the death penalty in the United States, America’s judicial system will thrive by deterring violent crime.
Crimes are happening everywhere in the united states the death penalty in the united states is a reserve for the most heinous murders and most brutal can conscienceless murders. It has been around for many years and over time the death penalty has changed. Different types of crimes have been given the death penalty and have been misused in the united states for many years as well. Having the death penalty being misused in the justice system brings many questions on how it should be used and what crimes should the death penalty best fit. For instance, in 1992 Cameron Todd Willingham was convicted of arson murder in Texas. They believe he intentionally set the fire, killing his three kids. He was executed in 2004, later after his death Texas forensic science commission later found that the evidence that was presented in the case was misinterpreted and concluded that none of the evidence lead to