Capital Punishment Essays - Benefits of the Death Penalty

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Capital Punishment Essays - Benefits of the Death Penalty

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.

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