Death Penalty Essay, Research Paper
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.