The Death Penalty In America's Judicial System

724 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Effect of capital punishment

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. The death penalty is the ultimate warning to criminals who are about to commit a crime. Before an individual performs an illegal action, they are logically forced to assume all risk that accompanies the action. By knowing this, the convicted murderers of the world should lose all natural rights as human beings. Abolitionists of the death penalty glaze over this point. Due …show more content…

They argue that death is not the most appropriate answer to murder. If death is not the most appropriate option, then what is? The problem with their point is the obvious lack of equality in punishment in the judicial system. Petty crime is not treated the same way as a severe crime. The only punishment now available is prison time. If a criminal were to mug an individual, take their wallet, and beat them, they might as well should kill the individual for there would be little difference in their judgement. The sentence would be merely more years in prison. Thus the only way to be fair would be the death penalty. Such law that expresses this point is Hammurabi’s code, which is the earliest recorded law system in the world. This code states that law is as simple as “an eye for an eye.” This law was used as deterrent for other crimes such as petty theft

Show More
Related

  • Kant Capital Punishment

    1888 Words  | 4 Pages

    ... crimes committed. Abolitionists argue that the death penalty should be replaced with a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, yet there is no purpose of paying to keep someone alive who is not contributing to society. That is not to say that everyone who commits a crime should be given a death sentence; only those cases and criminals which fall under certain extreme and severe crimes and contain aggravating circumstances shall be considered for a death penalty sentence. This practice of capital punishment shall continue to be carried out in situations where it is proportional to the crime committed and so long as it continues to fulfill Kant's "Respect for Persons" ethics; that is that it is practiced in giving people what they deserve and it can be practiced across the board universally and not merely altered on a case by case situation.

    Read More

  • The Need for Capital Punishment in America

    1160 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Death Penalty in the United States

    1557 Words  | 4 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • What Are The Pros And Cons Of The Death Penalty

    2104 Words  | 5 Pages

    This paper will examine the pros and cons of the death penalty. Is it a deterrent or is that a myth. Does it give the family of the victim peace or does it cause them to suffer waiting for appeal after appeal. What are the forms of execution and any evidence of them being cruel and usual punishment. Is the death penalty fair if there are glaring, disparities in sentencing depending on geographic location and the color of the offender and victim’s skin?

    Read More

  • Capital Punishment Essay - True Justice Through Application of the Death Penalty

    1070 Words  | 3 Pages

    The death penalty, as administered by states based on their individual laws, is considered capital punishment, the purpose of which is to penalize criminals convicted of murder or other heinous crimes (Fabian).  The death penalty issue has been the focus of much controversy in recent years, even though capital punishment has been a part of our country's history since the beginning.  Crimes in colonial times, such as murder and theft of livestock were dealt with swiftly and decisively ("The Death Penalty...").  Criminals were hanged shortly after their trial, in public executions. This practice was then considered just punishment for those crimes.  Recently though, the focus of the death penalty debate has been on moral and legal issues.  The murderers of today's society can be assured of a much longer life even after conviction, with the constraints of the appeals process slowing the implementation of their death sentence.  In most cases, the appeal process lasts several years, during which time criminals enjoy comfortable lives.  They have television, gym facilities, and the leisure time to attend free college-level classes that most American citizens must struggle to afford.  Foremost, these murderers have the luxury of time, something their victims ran out of the moment their paths crossed.  It is time this country realized the only true justice for these criminals is in the form of the death penalty.  The death penalty should be administered for particularly heinous crimes.

    Read More

  • The Controversy Surrounding the Death Penalty

    1121 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The Case Against The Death Penalty

    869 Words  | 2 Pages

    It's dark and cold, the fortress-like building has cinderblock walls, and death lurks around the perimeter. A man will die tonight. Under the blue sky, small black birds gather outside the fence that surrounds the building to flaunt their freedom. There is a gothic feel to the scene, as though you have stepped into a horror movie.

    Read More

  • Ethical Issues In The Death Penalty

    1624 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Death Penalty practice has always been a topic of major debate and ethical concern among citizens in society. The death penalty can be defined as the authorization to legally kill a person as punishment for committing a crime, this practice is also known as Capital Punishment. The purpose of creating a harsher punishment for criminals was to deter other people from committing atrocious crimes and it was also intended to serve as a way of incapacitation and retribution. In fact, deterrence, incapacitation, and retribution are some of the basic concepts in the justice system, which explain the intentions of creating punishments as a consequence for illegal conduct. In the United States, the Congress approved the federal death penalty on June 25, 1790 and according to the Death Penalty Focus (DPF, 2011) organization website “there have been 343 executions, two of which were women”.

    Read More

  • Is the Death Penalty Cruel and Unusual Punishment?

    1249 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...shment: A Defense,” an article in The Death Penalty: Pro and Con written by Ernest Van Den Haag , shares this “Abolitionists appear to value the life of a convicted murderer or, at least, his non-execution, more highly than they value the lives of the innocent victims who might be spared by deterring prospective murderers”(3)

    Read More

  • The Controversy of Death Penalty in the US

    1313 Words  | 3 Pages

    The death penalty, ever since it was established, has created a huge controversy all throughout the world. Ever since the death penalty was created, there have been people who supported the death penalty and those who wanted to destroy it. When the death penalty was first created the methods that were used were gruesome and painful, it goes against the Eighth Amendment that was put in place many years later. The methods they used were focused on torturing the people and putting them through as much pain as possible. In today’s society the death penalty is quick and painless, it follows the Eighth Amendment. Still there are many people who are against capital punishment. The line of whether to kill a man or women for murder or to let him or her spend the rest one’s life in prison forever will never be drawn in a staight.

    Read More

  • Death Penalty in the U.S

    1231 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this paper I will argue for the moral permissibility of the death penalty and I am fairly confident that when the case for capital punishment is made properly, its appeal to logic and morality is compelling. The practice of the death penalty is no longer as wide-spread as it used to be throughout the world; in fact, though the death penalty was nearly universal in past societies, only 71 countries world-wide still officially permit the death penalty (www.infoplease.com); the U.S. being among them. Since colonial times, executions have taken place in America, making them a part of its history and tradition. Given the pervasiveness of the death penalty in the past, why do so few countries use the death penalty, and why are there American states that no longer sanction its use? Is there a moral wrong involved in the taking of a criminal’s life? Of course the usual arguments will be brought up, but beyond the primary discourse most people do not go deeper than their “gut feeling” or personal convictions. When you hear about how a family was ruthlessly slaughtered by a psychopathic serial killer most minds instantly feel that this man should be punished, but to what extent? Would it be just to put this person to death?

    Read More

  • The Death Denalty, An Annotated Bibliography To The Death Penalty

    1346 Words  | 3 Pages

    When someone is legally convicted of a capital crime, it is possible for their punishment to be execution. The Death Penalty has been a controversial topic for many years. Some believe the act of punishing a criminal by execution is completely inhumane, while others believe it is a necessary practice needed to keep our society safe. In this annotated bibliography, there are six articles that each argue on whether or not the death penalty should be illegalized. Some authors argue that the death penalty should be illegal because it does not act as a deterrent, and it negatively effects the victim’s families. Other scholar’s state that the death penalty should stay legalized because there is an overcrowding in prisons and it saves innocent’s lives. Whether or not the death penalty should be

    Read More

  • Capital Punishment

    983 Words  | 2 Pages

    A big part of abolitionist’s argument is that the death penalty is not humane. They pull in Amendment 8, “…nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” What the victim went though was indeed “cruel and unusual punishments’.” The murderers’ death is not cruel. The people will demand justice for what he or she has done (Bidinotto 19). Hanging and the electric chair are topics more reasonable to argue, but now because of lethal injection capital punishment has become more humane. The death penalty is not barbaric, the pain and agony that the victim went through is barbaric. Abolitionists were very upset in 1996 when rapist and murderer John Albert Taylor was executed by firing squad; they said his death was barbaric (Feder 32). Charla King, the poor 11-year-old girl he raped and strangled with a telephone cord, her death was barbaric! It makes no sense to think that John Taylor’s’ death was barbaric or inhumane. He would not even hear the bullets shoot out; his victim went through more pain than what any court system could have inflicted on him (Feder 32). In the past people have challenged the death penalty, it has always been denied, lethal injection is fair enough (Johnson 43). There have been inhumane ways in the past; people should be thankful that we use lethal injection instead of using electrocution as first choice (Johnson 43). Honestly, the death penalty is roughly enough pain that can be legally inflicted, they get what they deserve (Bidinotto 19). We will not use the death penalty to get revenge; the legal systems would not tolerate victims’ family using it for revenge. It is to seek justice, not to get even (Bidinotto 20).

    Read More

  • The Death Penalty is Necessary in Modern Society

    751 Words  | 2 Pages

    The death penalty has been around since the beginning of modern times. The way of executing it has evolved as well to include more humane and civilized executions. Although death is harsh in any aspect, the choice on whether or not to keep the sentence has been decided. This heavily debated subject can make heroes of some and enemies of many. Controversy over age requirements, costly incarcerations, and possible flaws in convictions have the people wondering whether the death penalty is worth all the risk involved. The answer will always be, “Yes”. The price tag on the incarcerated prisoner is not just that of his own life, but for the life he has taken and the lives of the families he has broken.

    Read More

  • Capital Punishment Persuasive Essay

    1461 Words  | 3 Pages

    Capital punishment has been a controversial topic in association to any person condemned to a serious committed crime. Capital punishment has been a historical punishment for any cruel crime. Issues associated to things such as the different methods used for execution in most states, waste of taxpayers’ money by performing execution, and how it does not serve as any form of justice have been a big argument that raise many eyebrows. Capital punishment is still an active form of deterrence in the United States. The history of the death penalty explains the different statistics about capital punishment and provides credible information as to why the form of punishment should be abolished by every state. It is believed

    Read More

More about The Death Penalty In America's Judicial System

Open Document