Capital punishment dates back to the 18th Century B.C. The use and practice of the death penalty was administered in different ways such as crucifixion. This method required the accused to be nailed to a wood cross for display, so members of society could witness the execution. Other early methods of capital punishment where performed by beheading, beating or burning the accused. During the 1600’s the preferred method of execution in America displayed for public viewing was by hanging. The current methods developed for execution in recent decades include death by the electric chair, gas chamber or lethal injection. The death penalty has been administered for various reasons ranging from petty crimes to murder and treason. Forms of capital punishment have been labeled as inhumane, and individual states have abolished capital punishment. Death penalty practices have moved towards becoming “more humane”; in addition, a number of states are looking to abolish the death penalty due to costs. The process of capital punishment has been an experiment of trial and error, punishment is punishment, and the punishment should fit the crime. Either society pays to keep people alive with no chance of rehabilitation, or society decides to cut their losses and put people to death. Either way a life is destroyed. Capital punishment should not be abolished it should be utilized.
The death penalty is a very debatable issue in many aspects. The main argument seems to revolve around religious organizations in our country, and the argument that a human has no right to take the life of another human holds some validly. Inga Floto states “You can say that the human life is so valuable that we do not have the right to take it away. But you can also say...
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Capital punishment is a declining institution as the twentieth century nears its end. At one time capital punishment was a common worldwide practice, but now it is only used for serious violation of laws in 100 of the world's 180 nations (Haines 3 ). It can be traced back to the earliest forms of civilization. The origins of the movement away from capital punishment are difficult to date precisely. The abolition movement can be heard as early as the religious sermons of the Quakers in the 1640's (Masur 4). In the seventeenth century, the Anglo-American world began to rely less on public executions and more in favor of private punishments. The possible decline in popularity of the capital punsihment system is directly related to the many controversial issues it entails such as: the questions of deterrence, morals and ethics, constitutionality, and economics.
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Narration: When it comes to the death penalty there are Opponents and Proponents and although both aim to defend and protect society from crime their beliefs differ in how to accomplish this.
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Murder, killing, fatality, and mortality: all words that are associated with the disgrace that is the death penalty. Debated for decades, the death penalty continues to be a prominent topic for discussion across the United States. In 1977, the Death Penalty was reinstated by the use of lethal injection. Now, each state has their own take on the death penalty and on how its rules should apply to the criminal, of whatever crime they have committed, in said state. Have you ever thought about what a death sentence is? If you sentence a man to death for committing a murder aren’t you just a murderer yourself? These questions are frequently argued over, and there is always going to be two sides arguing: pro or anti-death penalty. Although many American’s believe that the death penalty is necessary for people who have done terrible things, the pros of not having the death penalty surpass the cons with factors such as money, mental issues, cruel and unusual punishment, as well as the possibility of wrongful convictions.
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Capital punishment goes against almost every religion. Isolated passages of religious scripture have been quoted in support of the death penalty, almost all religious groups in the United States regard executions as immoral. There is no credible evidence that capital punishment deters crime from the streets in America. Scientific studies have consistently failed to demonstrate that executions deter people from committing crime anymore than long prison sentences. Moreover, states without the death penalty have much lower murder rates. Executions are carried out at staggering cost to taxpayer.The funds spent for execution should be used to target the issue of killing and find solutions to help communities unite to demonstrate a more peaceful environment. Recent CNN reported how studies done have found that the death penalty criminal litigation, costs taxpayers far more than seeking life without parole. (CNN, 2015) The states spends millions of dollars to put away death row inmates when the funds could be used to help channel society in tune with how to become more positive and getting help to those who need
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Costanzo, Mark. Just Revenge: Costs and Consequences of the Death Penalty. New York: St. Martin's, 2001. Print.