Report On Capital Punishment Essay, Research Paper

Capital Punishment

In his report “Capital Punishment”, the author Tom Guilmette, describes how death penalty has many disadvantages as a method of punishment and justice satisfaction, but is still a necessity for our society. It is defined with the word “capital”, because it is the worst, and most severe of all the punishments. Unlike in the past, capital punishment in today s society is usually linked to capital crimes, such as attempted murders, or felony murders. During its long history death sentence, sometimes preceded by torture, was commonly used to punish law offenders for various crimes even small thefts, and robberies.

Death Penalty is the only corporal sort of punishment still active in modern society law. During the last century certain ways were found for the execution method to be as less painful as possible. Ways of execution in the past were very cruel such as: crucifixion, boiling in oil, beheading, burning alive, tearing apart, and similar. Today s methods are more human like: lethal injection, electrocution, gas chamber, and less used hanging and firing squad. In today s society death row convicts only alternative to capital punishment is a life sentence, as a second most severe punishment.

First efforts towards the abolition of capital punishment were made at the end of 18th century in England, and then in the United States several states revised their criminal code in mid 19th century. Some of them rejected death penalty completely like Michigan, and some of them reduced the number of crimes which inflicted capital punishment. Today it is still active in 32 states of the U.S.

According to Guilmette capital punishment is currently one of the most controversial public issues. The author also claims that more that 66% of Americans support the death penalty even though there is a mass campaign against it. From some sources Guilmette has found out that people of Florida widely support capital punishment; but some hesitate with their opinion when faced with facts that it takes more money for execution of every condemned convict, than to keep him 40 years in prison. Those who are opposing death sentence have pretty strong arguments against it. The statistics has shown: states which enforce capital punishment have a bit larger number of homicides than those who don t, states who brought back death penalty show no significant changes in homicide rate. There is no concrete evidence that capital punishment is more effective in crime prevention than life sentence. Sometimes even innocent man can be convicted and executed which doesn t leave him an option to prove his innocence in a long-term period.

Moral integrity of death penalty is also being questioned, but its supporters recall Bible s verses to approve it. In Bible God states: “Whoever sheds man s blood, by man his blood shall be shed” (Genesis 9:6) . Also, in the time when God was giving His law to Moses and His people, He said, “He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death” (Exodus 21:12). “Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death” (Numbers 35:31).

“So you shall not pollute the land where you are; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it” (Numbers 35:33).

Most well-known Bible citation in connection with death penalty is the one from “Revelations”: “He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints” (Revelation 13:9-10).

Translated into modern language it could mean that those who are capable of killing society members should not be allowed to live.

Guilmette mentioned three major ways in the United States that are main objection to capital punishment. As first, he indicated that women are rarely put on a death row for the same crimes men committed. Second, a racial disproportion is also noticed in a way that non-whites have more chances of getting a death penalty for the same crimes white people commit. And third is that poor, and uneducated people, who can t afford expensive lawyers to at get them least a life sentence are more likely to be sentenced to death. Those who oppose capital punishment say that it is even unconstitutional while its defenders say according to US Constitution person could be sent to death row if there is adequate evidence for that. They both recall fifth amendment. ” No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.”(5th Amendment, U.S. Constitution).

Lately, it is evident that a lot of states which abolished death penalty in the past are bringing it back.

Despite all the facts against capital punishment, the author feels strongly in favor of this method. In closing paragraph of his report he says:” I feel strongly toward using the death penalty as punishment for unspeakable crimes. I feel that it is a deterrent for criminal activity because of its severity and it will never allow the murder to murder again and tear apart another family”(Guilmette 4).

However, he also calls for fair treatment for everyone and certain restrictions in use of death sentence as a method of punishment. Some people do not value death penalty as a deterrent for criminal. They just speak of it as a people s will, like Lord Denning of Supreme Court Of England: “Punishment is the way in which society expresses its denunciation of wrong doing; and, in order to maintain respect for the law, it is essential that the punishment inflicted for grave crimes should adequately reflect the revulsion felt by the great majority of citizens for them. It is a mistake to consider the objects of punishments as being a deterrent or reformative or preventive and nothing else… The truth is that some crimes are so outrageous that society insists on adequate punishment, because the wrong doer deserves it, irrespective of whether it is a deterrent or not” (Historic Traveler Magazine 36).

Today we are all born equal, regardless of religion, race of nation. We all have same rights according to Constitution, and God s law. But we have resposibilities, too. Everyone should obey laws, and no one has right to take another persons life. Unfortunately, murder has become very common crime in today s society. Capital punishment is very severe punishment, but not as severe as some crimes could be. Therefore for public tranquility, and safe living capital punishment should stay threatening message to criminals from our society.