Capital Punishment An Effective Tool - 1493 Words

Capital punishment has been a subject of public debate, since the time the practice of the death penalty was implemented into the legal system. With the number of historical occurrences, it was widely acknowledged that the administration of capital punishment remains to be an imperfect embodiment of governmental power. Many studies in the context of criminological analysis have provided statistics, although inconclusive, regarding capital punishment as an effective tool in terms of deterrence. It was generally assumed that the death penalty is likely to deter more than other punishments because people fear death more than anything else, however, such notion was largely criticized by many scholars and criminal justice professionals. Therefore, the question of whether capital punishment is justified or stands as a legalized murder, whether the death penalty is a fair solution or a moral failure remains to be open, creating more and more dispute within the community. Given that prosecut ors exercise broad discretion within the intricacy of rules when deciding upon cases that merit capital punishment, understanding prosecutorial decisions is crucial, as it is directly connected to the legitimacy of the justice system and the amount of public esteem that citizens place upon judicial institutions. The history of the death penalty in America can be divided into several periods: first, from the colonial period to the adoption of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights; second, theShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay for Pro Capital Punishment1283 Words   |  6 PagesPersuasive Essay Why Capital Punishment Should Remain in Effect Stefanie Ridgway DeVry University, ENGL 112 Professor Adams April 19, 2010 Capital punishment, otherwise known as the death penalty, has been effective tool in our country’s justice system since its inception. When an inmate is given this, the harshest sentence available, it is always with just cause. Capital Punishment is an important tool in our criminal justice system today and there are several reasons it should remainRead MoreThe Death Penalty Debate Essay746 Words   |  3 PagesSome 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 loved one of yours is brutally murdered; how would you feel? How much pain wouldRead More Capital Punishment: The Best Solution Essay703 Words   |  3 PagesTherefore, it is only a necessity, but also an obligation to get rid of those who impose threat or harm to any individual. Capital punishment is not always the most appropriate solution, but given the circumstances, it may be the most effective way to deal with criminals who threaten society. First of all, capital punishment would reduce taxes and makes prisons a much more effective place to hold criminals. This causes life imprisonment to become practically obsolete and prisons will be capable ofRead MorePhilosophy Ethics and the Death Penalty1083 Words   |  5 PagesVan den Haag strongly contends the need for capital punishment in our society in his article. Van den Haag provides a substantial amount of convincing facts and information to support â€Å"The Ultimate Punishment†. Van den Haag discusses such topics as maldistribution, deterrence to society, miscarriages of the penalty, and incidental and political issues (cost, relative suffering, and brutalization). The death penalty is indeed the harshest/ultimate punishment a convicted criminal can receive in our societyRead MoreCapital Punishment a Reasonable Deterrant Essay1164 Words   |  5 Pages78-year-old Pelke thirty-three times with a twelve-inch butcher knife that she had brought along. Mrs. Pelke recited the Lord’s Prayer as she died while the girls left with thirty dollars to play video games (Guernsey 12.) The debate over capital punishment is fairly recent in comparison to history. Most ancient civilizations agreed that certain crimes should be punishable by death. Most of the civilizations that have existed endorsed the retaliation of the death penalty as well as the fact thatRead MorePunishing Criminals by Death Will Deter Future Crimes...or Not?1216 Words   |  5 Pagesdeterred by the imposition of death penalty as a tool used by the system of justice. The essay states some of the research that has been conducted with the intention of proving that capital punishment can deter crimes. This paper points out the effects and imposition of capital punishments on criminal activities. The paper finally makes a conclusion on the issue of capital punishment as deterrence. Introduction Many people assume that punishment by death will prevent crime, but if that wasRead MoreTruman Capote Arguments On Capital Punishment811 Words   |  4 PagesTruman Capote’s Argument on Capital Punishment In Truman Capote’s Novel, In Cold Blood, Capote synthesises the writing techniques of a reporter and an author to tell the horrific and true story of the Clutter family murders. Capote uses comparison, selection of detail, and understatement to pose his argument that capital punishment is not a correct practice. Upon murdering the Clutter family, Perry Smith and Richard â€Å"Dick† Hickock are housed in a jail as they await their trial, which would bestowRead MoreToughts on the Capital Punishment1646 Words   |  7 PagesCapital Punishment On June 1, 1985 Kathy Wilhoit was murdered. Greg Wilhot was left a single father to care for his four months old and fourteen months old. Nearly a year after Kathy was murdered Greg was accused, arrested and charged with the murder. The evidence to convict Greg of murder was a bite mark on Kathy’s body, that two dental â€Å"experts† matched with Gregs bite. This man was behind bars with two young daughters at home, so his parents decided to hire one of Oklahoma’s â€Å"best† defenseRead MoreCapital Punishment And The Death Penalty1643 Words   |  7 Pagescommitted daily. Watching the news, listening to the radio or reading a newspaper shows proof of this cruelty. So what can be done about these criminals? Capital punishment has been exposed throughout history; â€Å"In the Jamestown colony of Virginia in 1608, Captain George Kendall was hanged for the capital offense of treason. Among other serious capital crimes in colonial times were murder, rape and witchcraft† (Fridell). The death penalty has been under discussion for some time. While there are many supportersRead MoreCapital Punishment Should Be Illegal1613 Words   |  7 Pages Why Capital Punishment should be illegal? The Constitution that governs our laws in America is there to protect all of the people and that includes the criminals that are on death row. The death penalty materially violates the constitutional ban against cruel and unusual punishment, the guarantees of due process of law, and of equal protection under the law. (Bedau, Hugo Adam, The Case Against the Death Penalty) This is the reason why capital punishment should be illegal in all fifty states