Essay/Term paper: Death penalty

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Politics

Death Penalty

In the eighteenth century,England would punish by death for pickpocketing and
petty theft. Ever since the 1650's colonist could be put to death for denying
the true god or cursing their parents advocates. Capital Punishment have clashed
almost continuously in the forum of public opinion in state legislatures and
most recently in courts. In 1972,the case of furman vs.Georgia reached the
supreme court. The court decided that punishment by death did indeed violate the
eighth amendment to containing that "excessive fines imposed,nor cruel and
unusual punishment inflicted." By this decision death sentences all over the
country were set aside. The three most common death penalties are the gas
chamber,lethal injection,and the electric chair. Capital punishment has become
an increasingly controversial issue over many decades. The problem lies between,
is the death penalty being accepted in murder cases or ruled out completely.
While some people feel that Capital Punishment will not discourage crime,
Capital punishment should be legalized in all states, because it is morally just
and it will deter crime.

The many opponents of capital punishment who are against it feel that the death
penalty is not a deterrent and that it is barbariaertic of the past. It has no
place in a civilized society today. One of the biggest arguments against capital
punishment is people feel that it violates the eighth amendment which forbids
cruel and unusual punishment. People against Capital Punishment believe the
death penalty is absurd and is in un-christian practice. Further more, they feel
society should not" encourage sentiments of vengenance cater to morbid interest
in ritual execution." Criminologists also built a strong case that the threat of
death failed to deter murder, anymore effectively than prison. Therefore, to
inflict harm to one,it is simply useless.

However, the punishment fits the crime therefore, it is morally just. Capital
punishment is an expression of society's moral outrage at offensive conduct.
This may be appealing to many but it is essential in an ordered society. It asks
our citizens to rely on legal procedures rather than to self-help their wrongs
doings. It is morally right to sentence a person to the death penalty who has
commited a serious crime as murder. If someone has murdered a person it is
unethical to let the murderer live when you have an innocent person who is dead.
Capital Punishment has to be based entirely on consideration of justice and
morality.

Finally, the death penalty is a deterrent against crimes. Statistics show that
the crime rate is reduced in all states that hold the death penalty. The point
given to these people is that they are less likely to commit a crime knowing
they will receive the ultimate punishment to kill. "No other punishment deters
men so effectively from committing crimes as the punishment of death". Still,
Capital Punishment is supported by many Americans. They usually rely on
deterrence as their main reason to deter people from committing serious crimes.
Hopefully Capital Punishment will be legalized in many states to eliminate
violence from american life.

Many people feel Capital Punishment will not discourage crime . It promotes
murder rather than deter it. A desire for suicide is what leads some murders to
their criminal acts. Capital Punishment should remain legalized in all states.
The two main reasons are it is morally just and it will deter crime. The way our
society is today we need to continue on with the death penalty. It deters other
murders and it protects our society from them. Clearly, the usage of the death
penalty will force crime to be unacceptable in our world and protect our
citizens.