The Death Penalty Debate Essay - 1041 Words

The 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 only punishment they deserve. I know that it is in the eighth amendment that prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, and I can’t think of a greater punishment for a crime than death, but I believe that exceptions should be made. Despite U.S.†¦show more content†¦The most recent state to enact a death penalty law was New York in 1995. As of January 1998, 38 states and the federal government have capital punishment laws in effect. Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin do not have a death penalty. (http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/just/death/) Death penalty advocates argue that the execution of convicted murderers deter others from committing murder for fear that they will also be executed, and also that murderers will be incapacitated: once dead, they will have no opportunity to commit additional murders. Death penalty opponents dispute the deterrent effect of capital punishment, arguing that few murderers rationally weigh the possibility that they might face the death penalty before committing a murder. Finally, death penalty opponents do not dispute that execution incapacitates executed murders, but argue that life imprisonment without possibility of parole is equally incapacitating. (Jacob Sullum, Los Angeles) I do not agree with this statement. I couldn’t think of punishment worse than death. If I were a criminal IShow 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 MoreDeath Penalty Debate2037 Words   |  9 PagesDeath 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. 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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 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