Capital Punishment

475 Words1 Page

Capital Punishment is the legal infliction of death as a penalty for violating criminal law. It has been around for thousands of years and still continues to execute people today. Capital Punishment is inhumane and in some cases sentences the innocent to death. It is obviously the most severe form of criminal punishment. Being morally unjust, the purpose of it has no significance. Killing a person for their wrongdoings does not in anyway help our society. Capital Punishment must be abolished.
Capital Punishment originated in Ancient Times. The first evidence of capital punishment is from Hammurabi’s Code, a book of Babylonian Law, from 1700 B.C. Hammurabi himself suggested: “an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth.” Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. This is one form of capital punishment. The bible talks about capital punishment. One example of capital punishment in the bible is “Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death” (Exodus 21:12). It also suggest stoning a woman is she has unmarried sex. By the end of the 15th century, England had recognized 7 major crimes that deserved the death penalty. Throughout the 1800’s more than 200 crimes were recognized as punishable by death. Many countries in our present day world applied the death penalty throughout the past. Some reasons for the death penalty include betraying the King or Queen, going against ones religion, cheating on your spouse, theft, murder, burglary, rape, and arson. Also, in early Egypt one could be put to death for disclosing the location of sacred burial sites. Some methods of capital punishment include crucifixion, stoning, drowning, burning at the stake, impaling, beheading, and the electric chair. Today, capital punishment is accomplished by lethal gas or injection, electrocution, hanging, or shooting. As of 2000, 72 countries no longer used the death penalty for any crimes. Another 13 countries authorized it only for exceptional crimes. It is reserved for individuals who commit the most violent or serious crimes, such as murder or treason. None of the countries in Western Europe utilize the trend of capital punishment, nor do most countries in South America. Asian and Islamic nations tend to practice capital punishment. The majority of countries in Africa, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo also make use of it.

The History of the Death Penalty
2054 Words | 5 Pages
A brief history of the death penalty is in order so that one can be aware of this laws nature since that is how one would start to understand how it can be applied most virtuously and to understand its morality. The death penalty can be traced as far back as the Eighteenth Century, B.C.E. where the Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon applied the death penalty to be instated as a punishment for 25 different crimes. Also it has been seen in the Fourteenth Century B.C.E in the Hittite Code; in the Seventeenth Century B.C.E’s Draconian Code of Athens (a code which made the only punishment for all crimes death); and in the Fifth Century B.C.E.’s Roman Law of the Twelve Tablets(this law was the start of a formal law which carried out death sentences by means such as crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burring alive, and impalement)
Read More
Argument Against Capital Punishment in Australia
2208 Words | 5 Pages
Capital punishment, also referred to as the death penalty, is the judicially ordered execution of a prisoner as a punishment for a serious crime, often called a capital offence or a capital crime. In those jurisdictions that practice capital punishment, its use is usually restricted to a small number of criminal offences, principally, treason and murder, that is, the deliberate premeditated killing of another person. In the early 18th and 19th century the death penalty was inflicted in many ways. Some ways were, crucifixion, boiling in oil, drawing and quartering, impalement, beheading, burning alive, crushing, tearing asunder, stoning and drowning. In the late 19th century the types of punishments were limited and only a few of them remained permissible by law.
Read More
Capital Punishment For A Crime By Death
1827 Words | 4 Pages
Capital punishment is punishment for a crime by death, which is frequently referred to as the death penalty. Today, most countries have abolished the death penalty. America is one of the few countries that has kept this form cruel and inhumane form of punishment. In American history, the death penalty was abolished, but it was brought back not long afterwards. Not only is capital punishment inhumane and pricey but it also voids our rights as a citizen and is unconstitutional. Capital punishment is an improper form of punishment that needs to be abolished in all states.
Read More
Informative Essay On Capital Punishment
492 Words | 1 Pages
Capital punishment is a type of punishment that involves execution or death. It is sentenced to anyone who commits capital offences or capital crimes such as rape, murder, corruption and human trafficking. Until today, 36 out of 195 countries worldwide still actively practice capital punishment. Some of the examples are Saudi Arabia, Yemen, North Korea, Iran and Somalia. Public executions have known to be carried out in these countries.
Read More
Pros Of Capital Punishment
1138 Words | 3 Pages
What is capital punishment? For those who don’t know or have never heard of the word, capital punishment is a decision ruled by the court to execute someone because of his or her actions. The death penalty has been around for a very long time and is still practiced today throughout the world and in the United States. The earliest and most well known account of capital punishment can be recalled during the times of Jesus Christ. The Romans and the natives of Jerusalem believed Jesus had committed a serious crime and that he should be punished. Through consensus they agreed to crucify him ruthlessly. England, in the past, would torture the convicted criminal until they were pronounced dead. During the Middle Ages in Europe they would kill convicts for minor offenses such as stealing. Also in the past, the Massachusetts colony, would consider it a capital crime if one cursed at one’s parents and further action would take place against you. These are just some examples of capital punishment methods throughout history.
Read More
Capital Punishment
1112 Words | 3 Pages
Murder, a common occurrence in American society, is thought of as a horrible, reprehensible atrocity. Why then, is it thought of differently when the state government arranges and executes a human being, the very definition of premeditated murder? Capital punishment has been reviewed and studied for many years, exposing several inequities and weaknesses, showing the need for the death penalty to be abolished.
Read More
capital punishment
950 Words | 2 Pages
murder rates in given areas both before and after an execution. Clear and cole(2000) have
Read More
Capital Punishment
1067 Words | 3 Pages
In 1997, 80% of Americans favored the death penalty. A recent national poll found that, that number has significantly dropped to an all time low of 63%percent. In addition, those favoring the death penalty dropped to fifty percent when those polled were asked to assume that the alternative to the death penalty was life in prison with no chance of parole. And, the amount of death sentences imposed in the United States during the recent years has dropped to the lowest level since capital punishment was reinstated. Hence, it would seem that our society’s attitude toward capital punishment is changing as well. What was once ordinary is now abnormal, and what was once essentially unquestioned is now questioned.The debate over the legitimacy or morality of the death penalty may be almost as old as the death penalty itself and, in the view of the increasing trend towards its complete abolition, perhaps as outdated. Capital punishment is horribly flawed, ineffective at deterring crime, completely unethical, outrageously expensive, and has no place in a civilized society.
Read More
The Ethics of Capital Punishment
1503 Words | 4 Pages
While we may all want murders off the street, the problem we come to face is that capital punishment is being used for vengeance or as a deterrent. Capital punishment has been used worldwide, not only by the governments to instill fear, but to show that there are repercussions to ones actions. From the time we are born, we are taught to learn the difference between right and wrong. It is ingrained in our brains, what happens to people that do bad things? Capital punishment is renowned for being the worst thing that could be brought amongst ones life.
Read More
History of the Death Penalty and Why It Is Not Wrong
3309 Words | 7 Pages
The death penalty has been promoted for thousands of years, for countless crimes committed by humans. The first established death penalty laws date as far back as the Eighteenth Century B.C. in the Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon, which codified the death penalty for 25 different crimes. The death penalty was also part of the Fourteenth Century B.C.'s Hittite Code; in the Seventh Century B.C.'s Draconian Code of Athens, which made death the only punishment for all crimes; and in the Fifth Century B.C.'s Roman law of the Twelve Tablets. Death sentences were carried out by such means as crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burning alive, and impalement. Now in today’s society the most common methods of execution are; firing squad, hanging, and in recent years: lethal injection which is undeniably more humane than any other form of execution throughout history. The death penalty has been used to protect society from the iniquities that mankind has presented itself. The criminals, rapists, murderers, and sadists, who harm innocent people, should undeniably forfeit their own right to live as Margaret Thatcher has stated. The use of capital punishment is essential to the security of our nation and the justice in which those who are innocent and those who are the victims deserve.
Read More
Capital Punishment
983 Words | 2 Pages
The death penalty has been around for centuries. It dates back to when Hammurabi had his laws codified; it was “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”. Capital punishment in America started when spies were caught, put on trial and hung. In the past and still today people argue that, the death penalty is cruel, unusual punishment and should be illegal. Yet many people argue that it is in fact justifiable and it is not cruel and unusual. Capital punishment is not cruel and unusual; the death penalty is fair and there is evidence that the death penalty deters crime.
Read More
Speech In Favor Capital Punishment
1293 Words | 3 Pages
Capital Punishment is the lawful infliction of death and has been used in Britain since the 5the century. It was not until 1964 that capital punishment was abolished and this has been described by many historians as Britain's worst decision in over 500 years.
Read More
An Eye for an Eye: The Death Penalty
1563 Words | 4 Pages
Crimes whose outcome is the death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. In the past, many countries have practiced capital punishment. According to Amnesty International, over two-thirds of the countries in the world – 139 – have now abolished the death penalty in law or practice. 58 nations continue to practice it while eight have eradicated it for ordinary crimes, only maintaining it for special circumstances. The death penalty has also been imposed for other serious crimes such as armed robbery, rape, treason, and kidnapping....
Read More
Capital Punishment: The Best Solution
2375 Words | 5 Pages
Capital Punishment is defined as the legal infliction of the death penalty. The death penalty is corporal punishment in its most severe form and is used instead of life long imprisonment. Putting people to death that have committed extremely terrible crimes is an ancient practice, but it has become a very controversial issue in today's society. Capital punishment has been used for centuries, even the Bible contains over thirty stories or incidents about a person put to death for a crime they committed. Public executions stopped after 1936. The death penalty has been inflicted in many different ways. Today in the United States, there are five ways that the death penalty is performed. These criminals are put to death by a lethal injection, electrocution, lynching, a firing squad, or the gas chamber. These punishments are much less severe than the forms of execution in the past. In the past, people were executed by crucifixion, boiling in oil, drawing and quartering, impalement, beheading, burning alive, crushing, tearing, stoning, and even drowning. The methods used today compared to those of history are not meant for torture but instead for punishment for heinous crimes and to rid the earth of these dangerous people. The majority of America supports the death penalty.
Read More
Capital Punishment Should be Abolished
869 Words | 2 Pages
Capital punishment is the punishment of death for a crime given by the state. It is used for a variety of crimes such as murder, drug trafficking and treason. Many countries also have the death penalty for sexual crimes such as rape, incest and adultery. Lethal injection, the electric chair, hanging and stoning are all methods of execution used throughout the world. Capital punishment has been around since ancient times; it was used in ancient Rome, and one of the most famous people to be crucified was Jesus Christ.
Read More

Open Document

Wait a second!

Capital Punishment

The History of the Death Penalty

Argument Against Capital Punishment in Australia