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.