Capital Punishment Removes Rehabilitation from Incarceration

1231 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How effective is capital punishment

Capital Punishment Removes Rehabilitation from Incarceration

Capital Punishment refers to the sentence or decision to

a capital crime such as murder, rape, or assault. Many times,

the sentence is life in prison or execution. Currently, the

United States is the only western democracy that still has

execution on the books. An alternative to execution is life

imprisonment, which is common throughout the world. There are

many features, however of life imprisonment that are debated.

Treatment of offenders of capital crimes is questionable in

certain prisons. Also, the safety of society is a question at

hand when discussing life imprisonment assuming the prisoner

could be up for parole or escape. Lastly, the rehabilitation

process of offenders of capital punishment is a big question

mark. Many wonder what success it brings, just how effective it

really is, and what its purpose is for criminals who've

committed such horrible crimes as homicide, or other capital

crimes.

The Article "The Wrong Man" by Alan Berlow points out

some of the wrongs about the death penalty. There are numerous

stories of men who spent their life on death row, only to be

released days or hours before their death because of being

proved innocent. In his article Alan talks about "the growing

number of innocent prisoner being discovered on death row" and

how the government needs to "wake up"(Berlow 7). This means

that more and more cases are being rushed to execution without

all of the facts. Remember, in order to give a sentence, the

client must be guilty beyond reasonable doubt, and it seems

that this is sometimes ignored as unclear cases are being

pushed by officers and lawyers to executions. Another p...

... middle of paper ...

...verage of at least 75% of their

sentence, a drastic improvement over the years. Rehabilitation

services like this seem a good idea, helping society that much,

so services liek this one should be popping up in other parts

of the country soon. This rehabilitation is exactly what the

U.S Catholic Bishops mean when they say it is the most

important part of prison.

Bibliography:

Works Cited

Ahlers, Julia and Michael Wilt. Christian Justice: Sharing

God's Goodness. Winona: Saint Mary's Press, 1995. 30- 40.

Berlow, Alan. "The Wrong Man." Atlantic Monthly. Nov. 1999.

Erskine, Michael. "Dozens of Killers in Medium Security." The

Commercial Appeal. June 1999: A1.

O'Neill, Heather. "Programs Offering Alternatives..."

Connecticut Post. August 1999.

Pilcher, James. "Inmates Enjoy New Quarters: Tents." The

Associated Press News Service. August 1999.

Show More
Related

  • Capital Punishment Essay - True Justice Through Application of the Death Penalty

    1070 Words  | 3 Pages

    The death penalty, as administered by states based on their individual laws, is considered capital punishment, the purpose of which is to penalize criminals convicted of murder or other heinous crimes (Fabian).  The death penalty issue has been the focus of much controversy in recent years, even though capital punishment has been a part of our country's history since the beginning.  Crimes in colonial times, such as murder and theft of livestock were dealt with swiftly and decisively ("The Death Penalty...").  Criminals were hanged shortly after their trial, in public executions. This practice was then considered just punishment for those crimes.  Recently though, the focus of the death penalty debate has been on moral and legal issues.  The murderers of today's society can be assured of a much longer life even after conviction, with the constraints of the appeals process slowing the implementation of their death sentence.  In most cases, the appeal process lasts several years, during which time criminals enjoy comfortable lives.  They have television, gym facilities, and the leisure time to attend free college-level classes that most American citizens must struggle to afford.  Foremost, these murderers have the luxury of time, something their victims ran out of the moment their paths crossed.  It is time this country realized the only true justice for these criminals is in the form of the death penalty.  The death penalty should be administered for particularly heinous crimes.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of The Death Penalty

    648 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are many different reasons associated with the fact that there are still innocents being convicted with crimes they did not commit. At Northwestern Law School, in 2001, the Center of Wrongful Convictions studied the individual cases of 86 death row exonerees. Five top components were included: eyewitness error, where people have a faulty memory or are confused by the incident. Government misconduct, exemplified by the justice system(both police and the prosecution). Junk science, evidence being mishandled or studied by those who are unqualified in a trade where precision is of the utmost importance. A snitch testimony which is a trick and is normally given to those believing it is a reduction in their sentence. A false confession prompted by a mental illness or of those being clinically retarded, also stemming from police torture. Hearsay and circumstantial evidence also top the list as well.(2) When the irreversible sanc...

    Read More

  • Capital Punishment Essay: Enforcing The Death Penalty

    833 Words  | 2 Pages

    Enforcing death penalty in itself deters people from getting suitable opportunity to ensure that rehabilitation is enhanced. It is necessary to note that many individuals who have been charged with capital punishment have been emotionally and psychologically unstable. Enforcing the death penalty therefore denies them room for rehabilitation. There is a need to advance towards rehabilitation as opposed to advocating for execution. If individuals know that upon committing a capital offence they will be sentenced to death, they will hardly consider reform programs. It is also crucial to note that there is no concrete evidence on advantages derived from the death penalty. The truth is that it only aids in perpetuating death and chains of violence. Prisons should serve as centers to rehabilitate violent fellows, and then return them to the community as fully reformed and responsible individuals. It is therefore not justifiable that a death penalty should be enforced to them at all

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Incarceration And Rehabilitation

    883 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Criminal Justice system was established to achieve justice. Incarceration and rehabilitation are two operations our government practices to achieve justice over criminal behavior. Incarceration is the punishment for infraction of the law and in result being confined in prison. It is more popular than rehabilitation because it associates with a desire for retribution. However, retribution is different than punishment. Rehabilitation, on the other hand is the act of restoring the destruction caused by a crime rather than simply punishing offenders. This may be the least popular out of the two and seen as “soft on crime” however it is the only way to heal ruptured communities and obtain justice instead of punishing and dispatching criminals

    Read More

  • Analysis Of 'The Prisoner's Dilemma'

    1019 Words  | 3 Pages

    Chapman’s research shows evidence of 211 stabbings taking place in three years at one prison in Louisiana. Bloody riots, rape, robberies, and exhortation are just a few of the everyday occurrences that can be expected when entering a penitentiary.

    Read More

  • Capital Punishment And Death Penalty

    2563 Words  | 6 Pages

    One of the major problems many have with capital punishment is the cost. Death penalty trials are very complicated with many important parts, and as a result the death penalty is extremely expensive. Studies have shown that a “death-penalty trial costs $1 million more than one in which prosecutors seek life without parole (Barnes 1 of 2).” Duke University studied North Carolina’s death penalty and found that the state spent more, $2.1 million dollars more, on a death penalty case than a case seeking a life sentence (Barnes 1 of 2). Between 1995 and 2004, New York spent over $170 million dollars without executing a single prisoner (Costs 3 of 5). Death row prisoners are deemed dangerous to society and other prisoners, and so they are classified as maximum custody. This means that they are kept in a cell by themselves. Keeping prisoners on death row costs $90,000 more per year than regular confinement due to single cell housing and the extra guards that are needed in those prisons (Barnes 2 of 2). Security for the death row inmates is greatly increased which adds about 100,000 dollars to the cost of incarcerating each death row prisoner (Williams 1 of 2). California’s 714 capital prisoners cost $184 million more per year than those sentenced to life without parole. Capital crime cases have many aspects which increases the cost. Qualified lawyers are needed to work on these cases, and due to the limited amount of capable attorneys, the prisoners are forced to wait to have an attorney assigned to their case (Williams 2 of 2). These special state appointed attorneys cost the state up to $300,000 to represent each death row inmate on appeal (Williams 1 of 2). The long wait drives up the cost of the case along with the increase of time ...

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On The Death Penalty

    1222 Words  | 3 Pages

    We can see no difference in the states that have adapted the death penalty and the states that haven’t. There are various other ways we could help lower the rates. Even if it is putting them in solitary confinement or limiting outside contact. It also gets into some sticky water dealing with the government being able to put one to death after one offending the same crime the government is committing. The cost of capital punishment is another factor. The amount of money being put into the trials are outrageous. In a few short years, the price has risen thousands and thousands of dollars. Does that mean our resources are getting better so the cost must improve as well? We can also note the various offenses one has to make before he/ or she is sentenced to death row. We need to see more effective ways of punishment instead of death row. It almost seems if it would be called the easy way out for these criminals. Others can argue that this is an effective way because why should they have a life of their own if they had already taken someone else’s life. But, in a study that we saw, half of the interviewees thought that wasn’t an effective method to use. In conclusion, our actions speak louder than

    Read More

  • Capital Punishment is Not Moral

    1309 Words  | 3 Pages

    One issue that continues to divide America is the death penalty. In the United States today, 32 states allow the death penalty as the maximum form of punishment and 18 states have since abolished it and have replaced it with Life without parole. As of July 1, 2013 there are a total of 3,095 inmates currently incarcerated on Death Row. Since 1976, 1,370 death row inmates have been executed (“Facts on the Death Penalty”). Overall, it is a very controversial topic with many different views. Many supporters of the death penalty believe that it is more ethical to carry out capital punishment since those who are receiving it have committed the most heinous and unforgivable crimes. The evidence and research shows that capital punishment is not morally permissible. Many studies show that the death penalty costs much more than life without parole for the max punishment (Dieter 6). There is also a lack of evidence on the deterrent effect that retribution and the death penalty has on would-be murderers. The criminal justice system is not perfect and is bound to make mistakes. Innocent beings have been placed on death row later being exonerated, some even after execution. States should abolish capital punishment and replace it with a life sentence without the possibility for parole and include restitution.

    Read More

  • Death Penalty: Injustice Not Deterrence

    704 Words  | 2 Pages

    The death penalty isn’t effective in reducing crime; it just continues to grow. Thirteen states do not have the death penalty: Alaska, District of Colombia, Hawaii, Iowa, Main, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. "DEATH PENALTY ARGUMENTS." DEATH PENALTY ARGUMENTS. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2016. There may be crimes going on over there, we can’t stop the crimes, but we can help reduce it and make the world a peaceful place. Prisoners may be given parole depending on what conditions to place on their release. Parole gives a criminal an option to repent and to have a good behavior. Sometimes parole goes too far. Some criminals tend to take advantage of this opportunity and end up back into prison. Instead of the death penalty, there is life imprisonment; to stay in jail all your life and repent for the bad deeds. This way the criminal may be ashamed of his or her actions. By killing them, they won’t learn anything from this. However, in most cases many people favor the death penalty because they want reparation for the wrongdoing in the victim’s family. In Edward Koch’s, it states “If we create a society in which injustice is not tolerated, incidents of murder- the most flagrant form of injustice- will diminish” (484). Murder is a major issue, but it can be solved from many others options. The

    Read More

  • Capital Punishment Retribution And Punishment

    1135 Words  | 3 Pages

    The first is a reminder of the basic argument behind retribution and punishment that guilty person deserve to be punished. Most American citizens argue that it should not matter if you are rich or poor; one should suffer for their crime, and to suffer in a way suitable for the crime. Every criminal should get punish for the crime that they commit and in the case of a homicide the defendant deserves the capital punishment.

    Read More

  • Incarceration In Prison Essay

    2262 Words  | 5 Pages

    While other countries use different methods of incarceration-deterrence, incapacitation, and retribution-the United States uses the prison system of rehabilitation. This system of rehabilitation treats every prisoner as an equal that is meant to get the exact...

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Capital Punishment

    1695 Words  | 4 Pages

    Capital Punishment has been a controversial issue in society for centuries. It stands as a significant topic in our community due to its ambiguity in creating and maintaining a less vulnerable society. Skeptics of Capital Punishment are against it in the case of supposedly moral grounds such as wrongfully accusing the subject of the crime as well as the suggestion that human life should be a right for everyone and no one should have the capability to deprive anyone of it. Others argue that it is a highly justifiable method of punishment in serious criminal cases and that society would become a more guarded place if it were more prominently enforced. As a result of the controversy revolving around Capital Punishment, it has been abolished in many countries but remains intact in some. In regards to the positive effects of Capital Punishment, it should be the preferred method of penalizing murderers compared to a lifetime jail sentence, as it protects society, is the most justifiable manner of punishment and warns potential murderers.

    Read More

  • Rehabilitation, Not Capital Punishment

    773 Words  | 2 Pages

    Rehabilitation, Not Capital Punishment. & nbsp; The death penalty is the punishment used in 38 states, and many. other countries, as a way of disposing of the people in society who are mentally or emotionally disturbed, love their families very much, have a bad temper, or just plain made a mistake.  These reasons account for many homicides that take place each year.  Capitol Punishment is just not humane. and should not be legal. & nbsp;         &nbsp

    Read More

  • The Effectiveness of Capital Punishment

    1624 Words  | 4 Pages

    They say it is only given to the minorities. It is not fair to say

    Read More

  • The Role of the Death Penalty on Preventing Future Crime

    8145 Words  | 17 Pages

    We are scared. Surveys find that the fear of crime is high and perhaps rising. So the question of prevention is important.

    Read More

More about Capital Punishment Removes Rehabilitation from Incarceration

Open Document