The Death Penalty Is A Form Of Execution - 1269 Words

I. Introduction The death penalty is a form of execution used in the United States. The federal death penalty can be used in any state or territory of the U.S. even in states that do not have it. There are currently 32 states including North Carolina that have the death penalty. Its purpose was to deter crime from happening. Therefore, creating a safer environment. Unfortunately this has not been the case. The death penalty has claimed innocent lives, ruined lives, is issued at random unfairly, and does not decrease the crime rate. It should be abolished by all states because it does not work. II. History Britain influenced America’s use of the death penalty more than any other country. When European settlers came to the new world (now the United States). They brought capital punishment. The first recorded execution in the new colonies was that of Captain George Kendall in the Jamestown colony of Virginia in 1608. He was killed for being a spy for Spain. Death penalty laws were different from colony to colony. It was Cesare Beccaria’s 1767 essay On Crimes and Punishment that had a strong impact throughout the world on the justification for the state’s taking of a life1. The first attempt to reform the death penalty in the U.S. occurred when Thomas Jefferson introduced a bill to revise Virginia’s death penalty laws. The bill proposed that capital punishment be used only for crimes of murder and treason. It was defeated by only one vote1. In 1946, Michigan wasShow MoreRelatedThe Death Penalty Throughout History1074 Words   |  5 PagesThis pa per explores how society has influenced the development of the death penalty throughout history. It begins with a brief explanation of the origins of capital punishment, referencing the first known documentation of actions punishable by death. The paper goes on to explore different methods of execution and how they have progressed and changed over the years. Documented cases at different points of history are referenced to show the relationship of time periods and beliefs to the implementationRead MoreThe Death Penalty : A Fact Finding Report Essay1514 Words   |  7 PagesThe Death Penalty: A Fact-Finding Report The Death Penalty, also, known as, Capital Punishment, is the sentence of execution, for serious crimes punishable by death, through means prescribed by congress, through laws agreed upon by state legislatures (uslegal.com). Since, the first laws were established in the eighteenth-century, the topic of capital punishment has been met with vast amounts of controversy. Many Americans, have fought correspondingly, to repeal, change, and reinstate, capital punishmentsRead MoreEssay The 8th Amendment1201 Words   |  5 Pagesuse of capital punishment (to be sentenced to death as a penalty in the eyes of the law [a capital crime]. An execution [capital punishment]) is a direct violation of the 8th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States (Capital Punishment). They say there should be another way to deal with these criminals other than having them executed. The purpose of this paper is to give a brief history of the death penalty and state some alternative forms of punishment along with opposing viewpointsRead MoreTypes of Death Penalty1564 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"The death penalty for heinous crime is as justifiable, if society deem it necessary for its well-being, as is the demand upon the citizen-warrior to meet death upon the battle-field, or upon the doctor to remain steadfast at his duty in the plague-stricken city. The good of society is the prime reason for the punishment of criminals and their reformation is justifiable only when it conduces to this end† (Hall, 1902, p. 390). In recent years, death penalty has become a much talked about and controversialRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is One Of The Most Ethical And Controversial Issues1581 Words   |  7 PagesSome may say the death penalty is one of the most ethical and controversial issues of all time. The issue brings forth anger among many individuals among todays society. This anger has developed over time throughout the history of the death penalty. Over time, the policy has been developed, started and evolved over time. Different states and countries choose to address the penalty differently resulting in more of a controversy. I personally believe that this policy is severely wrong and needsRead MoreThe Death Penalty Should Be Abolished1534 Words   |  7 PagesIntro The death penalty gives humans in our legal system rights to decide who deserves to live, a power only God should possess. Capital Punishment takes away our rights as equals. From its origins, the death penalty has been an inhumane, costly, ineffective, and biased form of punishment that needs to be abolished granting everyone their right to live. History of the Death Penalty Down through history, the death penalty has been adapted to be justifiable in the eyes of the people. By alteringRead MoreThe Controversy Behind the Death Penalty Essay995 Words   |  4 PagesThe Controversy Behind the Death Penalty Some people think that the death penalty is a bad thing and others think that it serves the people right but I don’t really know which side to believe because there are good facts protecting both sides. The Death Penalty is a controversial issue. What is Capital punishment? Capital punishment is the death penalty. It is used today and was used in ancient times to punish a variety of crimes, Even the bible supports death for murder and other crimes likeRead MoreCapital Punishment : A Form Of Discipline Essay1729 Words   |  7 Pagescommitted as a form of discipline. Death penalty laws were established back in the 18th Century B.C. In the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon it ordered the death penalty for about 25 different crimes and in the Seventh Century B.C.’s Draconian Code of Athens made the death penalty the punishment for all crimes. The death sentences were executed in many forms such as lethal injection, gas chamber, electrocution, hanging gas, firing squad and many more to name. The most common type of execution is hangingRead MoreCapital Punishment Of The United States961 Words   |  4 Pagescrimes are subject to facing the death penalty. Pickens shares, â€Å"Capital crimes are considered to be treason or terrorist attacks against the government, crimes against property when life is threatened, and crimes against a person that may include murder, assault, and robbery.† Dating back to 1608, the execution of George Kendall is believed to be one of the first recorded cases of capital punishment in the United States (Pickens). Kendall was sentenced to death for aiding the Spanish, which wasRead MoreCapital Punishment And Its Social Implications1463 Words   |  6 PagesKeywords: Capital punishment, death penalty, criminal justice The Use of Capital Punishment to Serve Justice, and its Social Implications What is Capital Punishment? Capital punishment is a practice in which prisoners are executed in accordance with judicial practice when they are convicted of committing what is known as a â€Å"capital crime.† Capital crimes are crimes deemed so heinous that they should be punishable by death. People may also use the term â€Å"death penalty† to refer to capital punishment