Death Penalty Debate - 2037 Words

Death Penalty Debate Paper BCOM/275 The death penalty is an issue that has continually created conflict in today’s society. Many people arguing whether or not the death penalty should exist. Who’s to say whether the death penalty is a form of justice and therefore a valid and appropriate punishment or whether it is a â€Å"cruel and unusual† form of punishment. â€Å"The Arizona Supreme Court threw out the death sentences for a Tucson man who bludgeoned his girlfriend and her two children to death in 1984 after lying in wait for each of them, ruling that the murders weren’t especially heinous even though they were â€Å"atrocious† and â€Å"senseless†.† (Associated Press 2012) That statement gives the illusion to potential†¦show more content†¦It is unlikely that any research predicated primarily on current U.S. statistics can discover a trustworthy connection between homicide and execution rates. (Liptak, 2007) Con The most compelling comparison made by Profesor Wolfers is Canada has not used capital punishment since 1962. However, the homicide rates in the U.S. and Canada are comparable since then, counting the four-year death penalty suspension in the U.S. in the 1970s. (Liptak, 2007) Does the death penalty really help deter crime? The theory of deterrence is based on the idea that the threat of punishment must be severe enough to counter the benefits or pleasures that the criminal would receive from the crime. In addition, the punishment must be administered swiftly so that potential criminals will see a clear cause and- effect relationship between the crime and the punishment. The death penalty would be considered a specific deterrence. As a result of their punishment, the criminal can not commit further crimes. There is no doubt that capital punishment serves as a specific deterrent: The executed criminal will never kill again. However, experts and others have long debated whether capital punishment is a more effective general deterrent than life in prison. Some opponents of the death penalty argue that instead of deterring crime, capital punishment actually increases murder rates because the state, through executions, devalues human life. Another argument for theShow MoreRelatedThe Debate On Death Penalty1447 Words   |  6 PagesThe debate on death penalty In her book Last Words From Death Row: The Walls Unit, Norma Herrera writes about the tribulations she and her family went through while trying to free her brother, Leonel, from the death row. Despite showing glaring and overwhelming evidence claiming his innocence, Leonel was sentenced to death for a crime that he did not commit. His last words to the world were, â€Å"I am innocent, innocent, innocent. I am an innocent man, and something very wrong is taking place tonightRead MoreThe Debate On The Death Penalty1597 Words   |  7 PagesThe debate on the death penalty has been the ongoing question for generations. There are plenty of different sides to take on this issue. You have the side where some people think that putting prisoners to death is inhumane and that no matter what they did putting a human to death is wrong. While others may think that if the crime is extreme enough that the prisoner who committed this crime should pay for it with their own life. Throughout history there have been several instances where prisonersRead MoreThe Debate On The Death Penalty1892 Words   |  8 PagesDeath Penalty The debate on if the death penalty is ethical is something that is a long-standing debate depending on what side of the issue you are on. Both sides of this issue have their points yet there are always things about the issue that kept it in the forefront. The right to life is taken for granted without thinking twice, however, due to the laws of this country the freedom we take for granted can be taken away with the mistakes we made. Looking at both sides of the issue gives insightRead MoreDeath Penalty Debate Essay1235 Words   |  5 Pagescontroversial debate over the death penalty has been going on for a very long time and still has no conclusive solution. In the United States that is, most of the rest of the civilized world has done away with the death penalty a long time ago. Many people have different views on this issue. Although, there is a consensus that heinous murders need to be severely punished, there is no consensus on the choice of that punished. The debate over the proper punishment lies between the death penalty and lifeRead MoreIntroduction Of The Death Penalty Debate1523 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction to the Death Penalty Debate It was said by an Iowa State Supreme Court justice in the 1840s, â€Å"Crime indicates a diseased mind in the same manner that sickness and pain do a diseased body. And as in the one case we provide hospitals for the treatment of severe and contagious diseases, so in the other, prisons and asylums should be provided for similar reasons† (Banner, 2002, p.118). Individuals who have committed crimes serve their sentences and punishments, or are â€Å"treated†, in prisonsRead More The Death Penalty Debate Essay1041 Words   |  5 PagesThe Death Penalty Debate The issue of the death penalty is widely disputed. So disputed that maybe I shouldn’t have picked this topic. But nevertheless, the death penalty is an issue that needs to be addressed. Should the death penalty be abolished from our criminal justice system? Well, that depends on whom you ask. If you ask me†¦ no. I personally don’t see anything wrong with the death penalty because there are a lot of criminals that are just too dangerous to society and death is the onlyRead MoreThe Death Penalty Debate Essay746 Words   |  3 PagesThe Death Penalty Debate To kill or not to kill. That is the question. Some people think it is wrong; however, a close look into the matter will show it is the right thing to do. The Bible states thou shall not kill but it also states an eye for eye. The death penalty is the worst and most deserved punishment for those who choose to take a life. There is no excuse for a life to be taken; therefore, the murderer should be punished to the full extent. Imagine a lovedRead MoreThe Debate Over Death Penalty1618 Words   |  7 PagesProfessor Reiner Writing 39C 7/20/16 Debates over Death Penalty in the United States The issue of death penalty today is a popular topic for numerous public and scholarly discussions. The death penalty has a long and distinguished history in the United States, as it has been around in some form—either official or otherwise—since the beginning of American society. America originally adopted the British justice system, with hundreds of crimes being punishable by death. Slowly but surely, states beganRead MoreThe Death Penalty Debate Essay978 Words   |  4 PagesThe death penalty seems to be a very debatable subject. There are arguments and support for both sides of the debate, but which side is right? That is a tough question to ask. After reading the article in the textbook, two other articles, and looking at statistics, I seem to feel that the death penalty may not be the right answer. The article in the textbook The Death Penalty in the United States and Worldwide was fairly informative. One of the points it brought up was the cost of life withoutRead MoreThe Debate Of Banning The Death Penalty877 Words   |  4 PagesPublic Executions The United States has been going through the debate of banning the death penalty for decades; however, it continues to remain at a standstill as crime rates continue to stay the same throughout the country. The people for continuing the death penalty happens to see their group split in to two groups. One for the private executions and the other for public. Public executions can do many things like deter crimes from happening, giving the victims closure, and finding the right kind