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Christian Perspective On Capital Punishment
The Evolution of the Christian Perspective on Capital Punishment
One of the most controversial issues in modern society involves the implementation of Capital
Punishment in criminal justice. Capital Punishment has been heavily debated in the realm of politics
due to the many conflicting religious opinions over the issue; some of the most prevalent voices in
this debate have been the Christian churches and their members. This paper explores the evolution of
the modern Christian perspective towards capital punishment, the presently declared or undeclared
attitudes of major Christian denominations, and the incompatibility between faith and personal
values that capital punishment forces Christians to reconcile.
Christianity's attitude towards capital...show more content...
The largest Christian denomination; The Roman Catholic Church, reversed its opinion on capital
punishment. Prompted by the international outcry for human rights, they declared their opposition
to the death penalty at the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1974. Pope John Paul II
reinforced these ideals in his encyclical letter, Evangelium Vitae in which he addressed the
"problem of the death penalty" (Megivern 11). The opposition to the death penalty in the Roman
Catholic Church still holds true today, as Pope Francis has spoken out against the death penalty as
well, considering it inhumane and akin to unethical treatment of prisoners. In his words, "All
Christians and people of good will are thus called today to struggle not only for abolition of the
death penalty, whether it be legal or illegal and in all its forms, but also to improve prison
conditions, out of respect for the human dignity of persons deprived of their liberty" (Leavitt). In the
perception of Francis and the Catholic Church, support for the death penalty is not representative of
the compassion Christians should express and espouse. Similarly, the United Methodist Church
declared their objection to the death penalty in 1956, and has continued to reaffirm their position in
attempts to encourage its eradication ("Book of Discipline" 152). On the contrary, the Southern
Baptist Convention
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The Case Against Capital Punishment Essays
This country is determined to prove that killing someone under certain circumstances is acceptable,
when in all reality there can be no rationalization for the taking of another human life. Killing is
murder. It is as simple as that. There have been so many different controversies surrounding this
debate that often, the issues become clouded in false statistics and slewed arguments. The basic fact
remains that killing is morally and ethically wrong. This fact does not disappear by simply changing
the term "murder" to "capital punishment". The act is still the taking of a life. On these grounds, the
death penalty should be abolished.
Proponents of capital punishment believe that killing criminals is a moral and ethical way...show
more content...
As a result, life without parole sentences are most often given to the more affluent defendants
(Issues...). Wealth, or the lack thereof, should not be a factor in whether some one lives or dies. Until
equal representation is guaranteed, the death penalty should not be a choice.
There are five methods by which the death penalty is carried out. These methods are electrocution,
hanging, firing squad, gas chamber, and lethal injection (ACLU Briefing...). They all have one thing
in common – they cause death, final and irreversible death. Most people would agree that
electrocution, hanging, and the firing squad are violent; when in reality all of these "approved"
methods of murder are violent and cruel. There are many documented cases where flames erupted
from the sites of electrodes and blood poured from victims of electrocution. The gas chamber is no
better – one case noted involved a convict in Mississippi that had a violent reaction to the lethal gas.
The actual cause of his death was by banging his head against a metal post in the room. Numerous
cases of lethal injection executions are on file that could be classified as nothing other than cruel and
unusual punishment. These incidents included lengthy probing of the arms and legs for suitable
veins, needles that flew out of the veins, and violent convulsive
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The second argument against capital punishment would be their unfair justice system. People that
are less fortunate and don't have money are the ones that are more likely to get the death penalty.
These people sometime get wrongly convicted and by not having much money they can't defend
themselves. The rich people in the other hand can contact the best lawyer and get out with a lesser
sentence. There are many cases where money and race play a big part in their cases. For example: A
white male would do a much severe crime than an african american male and the african american
male would end up with a much severe sentence. According to a 1994 report from the American Bar
Association's Criminal Justice section, "minorities who are arrested
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Speech: Against Capital Punishment Essay
Speech: Against Capital Punishment
MOTION: " We believe that capital punishment is not needed in a civilised community."
Imagine yourself in a small, isolated cabin waiting to be led to your execution. A small, scrawny
man comes to collect you. Your whole life rushes past you as you take your few, final footsteps to
the execution chamber.
This is the thought 7,000 people have experienced in the last 18 months. These people were
executed cruelly by capital punishment in countries all over the globe. 970 of these people were
women and children. The countries allowing this barbaric method of punishment to happen have
probably never thought about whether this scheme of punishment is...show more content...
Many of the accused, which are sentenced to death, are hanged. This method often does not kill the
criminal straight away, but lets them dangle on the rope tied around their neck, until they die of
strangulation, slowly and painfully. Some criminals are stoned by the public. This is when the
criminal is tied to a wooden post, in the centre of the town, and is stoned by people living in the
town. In some countries the size of the stones used is regulated so that pain is maximised and the
person does not die quickly. This shows just how savage we have become. There are not many other
things in this world as inhumane as this punishment– capital punishment. There are alternative
punishments, though. These can be from life imprisonment for major crimes such as murder, to
community service and education programs for minor crimes such as shoplifting.
There may be a brutalizing effect upon society by the carrying out of executions. The killings are
organised as a public event where even children attend and are even sometimes encouraged to take
part in the murder of the criminal. It is no surprise that these children grow up to become violent and
savage–like. Their minds are fed with evilness from these executions and sooner or later they end up
thinking that there is nothing
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Against The Death Penalty Essay
Against the Death Penalty "Murder is wrong" ("Capital Punishment"). We've been taught this
indisputable truth since childhood. The death penalty is defined as one human taking the life of
another. Coincidentally, that is a classification of murder. There are as many as thirty
–six states with
the death penalty, and it's essential that they change it. The United States needs the death penalty
abolished because it is filled with flaws, cruel and immoral, and is an ineffective means of deterrent
for crime. I understand why you would want to have the death penalty in effect. You probably think
that it will be cheaper to execute people instead of paying taxes for them in jail. There is also a
probability that you think that you will...show more content...
Another flaw is it is morally wrong. No matter how people sugar–coat it, murder is murder, in the
name of justice or in vengeance it is morally wrong. Everyone deserves to live, no matter their
circumstances are. Federal states should not be allowed to decide who lives and who dies,
especially in a country such as the United States, which prides its self on freedom ("Top Ten").
Moreover, the death penalty is applied at random ("Facts"). "The death penalty is a lethal lottery: of
the 15,000 to 17,000 homicides committed every year in the United States, approximately 120
people are sentenced to death, less than 1%" ("Facts"). Many criminals have committed the same
crimes, but few have been sentenced to death for their crimes. In Addition, there is a chance
mentally ill citizens could be convicted to death ("Facts"). According to Amnesty International and
the National Association on Mental Illness, One out of every ten persons who has been executed in
the United States since 1977 is mentally ill. "Many mentally ill defendants are unable to participate
in their trials in any meaningful way and appear unengaged, cold, and unfeeling before the jury"
("Facts"). Many mentally ill defendants have been drugged against their will in order for them to be
competent enough to be executed ("Facts"). Some states still haven't put a ban on executing
mentally ill people such as Organ, although the United States Supreme Court has declared that
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Essay about Against Capital Punishment
The Death Penalty is, undeniably, one of the most controversial issues of our day. Emotional
tensions are high between those who hold human life above justice and those who hold justice
above all human life. The Death Penalty, along with all other forms of criminal punishment, is
barbaric. This form of punishment, indeed all forms of criminal justice, truly shows the level to
which society has sunk. When people stand outside prisons and cheer as prisoners are murdered,
there is a problem. When personal bloodlust is held above moral ideologies, there is a problem.
When human life is assigned a value and weighed against other alternatives, there is a problem. The
state speaks of Justice, but this word is only a reflection of the confusion,...show more content...
There is a large majority of Christians in this country, yet such a small number of them actually
come up in opposition to the Death Penalty; oftentimes, in fact, they are its most avid supporters.
How can this be? All the teachings of Christ, save for those which have been horribly twisted by his
followers, are opposed to any form of criminal justice. It seems that the modern Christian has begun
to accept only those teachings which feel convenient. It is, indeed, sickening to see mock–Christians
and self–styled "christian conservatives" speak in support of something that their religion expressly
opposes. They speak of Justice, but what of morality? They speak of punishment, but what of
forgiveness? They speak hatred, but what of love? How can they appoint themselves judges of
another human being when they, themselves, are the ones who should be, supposedly, judged; how
are they qualified to determine the fate of another man's life when their fate is still in question and
their status undetermined? There is one stunning question that must be asked of these people: If you
were standing before Jesus Christ himself, could you possibly tell him how and why you support the
death penalty; do you think you could make Christ believe and support such ideals? Unfortunately
religion is too often devoid of reason; that, though, is more often the fault of those who follow the
religion than with
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Arguments Against Capital Punishment Essay
"Over 500,000 murderers, convicted and undetected, are living in America today" (Death Penalty
55). Keeping the death penalty upheld and established in all states would greatly decrease that
number. Something must be done to keep citizens safe and to keep the murder rates low. Capital
Punishment is a rightly justified penalty because it is moral retribution, constitutional, and it deters
crime. One reason that Capital Punishment is just is the idea that it is moral retribution to the
murderer. According to David Gelernter, the death penalty supporter's view is that the main goal in
executing murderers is to make a point that murder is completely intolerable in today's society. The
purpose is not to avenge or else the victim's...show more content...
Urban states are more likely to have higher crime rates than those of rural states that might not have
capital punishment (Deterrent Effects). Therefore, all evidence and moral logicality points to the
death penalty as a deterrence of crime. Abolitionists make a case that the death penalty is
unconstitutional based on the 8th amendment that prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.
According to Antonin Scalia, the Constitution is enduring and means what it meant when it was
adopted. It was obviously permitted when the 8th amendment was created so it should be allowed
today (Opposing Viewpoints 17) The U.S. still uses the Constitution to govern this nation with all
types of social issues though the death penalty is wrong according to some. The death penalty was
permitted in the constitution, so Capital Punishment is constitutional. Pojman makes a statement
that some abolitionists argue that the death penalty goes against the Bill Of Rights because death in
the electric chair is "immoral and unconscionable" but this seems too good to be true for someone
who unashamedly ignored the harmless victims blood that was shed(Debating Death 52). The
electric chair is a justifiable punishment for someone who blatantly murdered the victim and left
family with huge emotional and financial problems so it is not unconstitutional but completely
justified. One source states " The US Supreme Court has long held that a penalty
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Arguments Against Capital Punishment In Canada
Capital Punishment is a sensitive topic that seems to constantly generate controversy amongst many
individuals. To give a little background, capital punishment involves executing a person deemed
guilty of a severe crime. Various countries, including America, accept the use of this method.
However, other countries such as Canada are strictly against the act due to many reasons. Although
some argue that they are the best form of punishment, life imprisonment is the better alternative. It is
more humane, improves the financial and social state of the country, and finally is safer. To begin
with, life imprisonment is a more humane option. When given a death penalty, the prisoner is left
with no other options but to die. As a result, the person...show more content...
As hard as it may be to choose, life imprisonment is the crowning victor. It promotes the basic right
to live, contributes to the financial and social growth of the nation, and finally is a safer decision
to choose. When it all comes down to it, everyone deserves to get another chance to redeem
themselves. Whether it's redoing a test, or making up to a person that has been hurt, if having an
option to fix mistakes are possible, granting imprisonment for eternity should be one of them. After
all, no one would want to die on a bad note if they can manage it; everyone desires to mark a
positive impact not only on society, but within
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Argument Against Capital Punishment Essay
Welcome to America, the land of the free, of the prosperous, of the opulent. America the Beautiful,
one of the only places in the world where all citizens regardless of race, background, or social class
are constitutionally guaranteed life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness–that is unless you're on
death row. In modern day America we are still faced with the antiquated ritual ofcapital punishment,
a practice that interferes directly with the law of the land. The same forms of punishment used
during the middle ages are still in effect today, the same ideas that should have been abolished had
the U.S. government revised it's penology. Capital punishment is cruel as well as unusual and
inadequate for our advanced society. The United...show more content...
What happened to our right to life? Is that suddenly compromised once condemned by a jury? The
Founding Fathers wrote the Amendments to protect the people of the United States from any and all
"cruel and unusual punishments inflicted," yet we have the death penalty as an active retribution in
our country.
The death penalty is faulty in its age and obsolete in its usage, and frankly should be put out of its
misery. Capital punishment began its time in the Middle Ages, as people were executed for
simply thinking differently from the rest of society. Even now, as we look back on history we find
their ways of execution purely barbaric and malicious in all its forms. However, we continue to
practice these forms of butchery; the traditional method of execution, hanging, is still an option
available in certain states. In addition, couple of states also still allow firing squads, and the
electrocution chairs has been readily used throughout the last century. The United States stands as
one of the few developed nations with a death penalty still in place. There's a reason most of the
European countries have banned the usage of death as punishment, it's cruel, unusual and barbaric!
Is that the image the U.S. wants to portray the alling regions, one of intolerance and unforgiveness?
The United States surpasses those barbaric ways, with its exceedingly advanced ways and
state–of–the–art technology, yet it's one of the only countries left of the Western world that still has
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Capital Punishment: for and Against
Capital Punishment: For and Against
Thesis One: In principle a case can be made on moral grounds both supporting and opposing capital
punishment. Thesis two: Concretely and in practice, compelling arguments against capital
punishment can be made on the basis of its actual administration in our society.
Two different cases can be made. One is based on justice and the nature of a moral community. This
leads to a defense of capital punishment. The second is based on love and the nature of an ideal
spiritual community. This leads to a rejection of capital punishment. A central principle of a just
society is that every person has an equal right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Within
that framework, an argument for capital...show more content...
All this is indefensible on moral grounds. To make sense of this, it is helpful to distinguish
between an ethical dimension of love and an ecstatic dimension. Love as an ethical ideal seeks a
community based on mutuality and reciprocity in which there is an equality of giving and
receiving. Mutual love has a justice element in which every person has an equal claim to
fulfillment and an equal duty to be responsible. Ethical love is unconditional and will reach out to
others even when they lack merit. But it will resist encroachment upon its own equal claim to
fulfillment and will repel if possible any denial of ones own right to be fully human in every
respect. Against the pacifist, ethical love would justify killing in self–defense and killing enemies in
a just war when non–lethal alternatives are unavailable. They are necessary and tragic emergency
means here and now to stop present and ongoing violence. Capital punishment is opposed since the
crime has already been committed, and isolation can protect society against future violence.
Love in the ecstatic dimension becomes superethical. In ecstasy one is delirious with impetuous joy
in the presence of the other and totally devoted to that person's happiness and well– being. In ecstasy
we do not count the cost to ourselves but are totally self–giving, heedless of our own needs. In this
mood sacrifice for the other is not an ethical act of self–denial but the superethical expression of
what we most want to do.
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Argumentative Essay on Capital Punishment in Australia
Capital punishment is barbaric and inhumane and should not be re–introduced into Australia.
Although capital punishment has been abolished, the debate on this topic has never abated. When a
particularly heinous crime is committed, this debate arouses strong passions on both sides. Many
who advocate the abolition of capital punishment consider the death penalty to be cruel and inhuman,
while those who favor of punishment by death see it as a form of just retribution for the gravest of
crimes. Determining whether Queensland should re–introduce capital punishment as a sentence will
be the focus of this assignment.
Capital punishment, also...show more content...
The last person to be executed in Australia was Ronald Ryan at Pentridge Prison, Victoria in
1967.These figures are valid until 1985 when the death penalty was officially abolished by all states
in Australia.
The abolition of the death penalty occurred at a different time in each state, with Queensland being
the first state to abolish capital punishment in 1922. This was followed by New South Wales in
1955, Tasmania in 1968, Northern Territory and Australia Capital Territory in 1973, Victoria in
1975, South Australia in 1976, and finally Western Australia was the last state to abolish capital
punishment in 1984. Under Commonwealth law, the death penalty was abolished in 1973 by s.4 of
the Death Penalty Abolition Act, 1973, which states "A person is not liable for the punishment of
death for any offence". New South Wales and Western Australia carried on with the death penalty
after 1973 for a few offences including piracy and treason but however eventually these anomalies
were swept away with the passing of the Crimes Amendment Act, 1985. Now the sentence of life
imprisonment has become the most severe sanction authorized in any state by Australian law.
There are many controversies and problems which lead to the abolishment of the death penalty in
Australia. Capital punishment
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Persuasive Essay Against Capital Punishment
This position paper will attempt to challenge previous opinions regarding capital punishment. The
objective is to persuade the audience to oppose capital punishment by revealing biblical, political,
and moral perspectives, as well as supplying effective counters to traditional thinking. This paper
seeks to balance each rationale in order to appeal to several mindsets, and beliefs in regard to capital
punishment.
Main Body The legally authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime is defined as
capital punishment. In regard to capital punishment, commonly known as the death penalty, there is
more rationality in the decision to oppose capital punishment than there is to support it. Such
rationalities include biblical, political, and moral perspectives. In the light of a biblical approach,
there is no authority given to decide who deserves to die. This is reiterated in the New Testament
(KJV) Romans 12:19, in which the Bible states, "...avenge not yourselves...Vengeance is mine; I
will repay, saith the Lord." In Romans 12:17, specific instruction is also given in regard to evil,
such as that of capital punishment: "Recompense [compensate] to no man evil for evil...." Once
more, in Romans 12:9, evil is addressed in the form of instruction: "...Abhor that which is evil..." In
contrast, it is understandable that one may counter with the fact that Exodus 21:24 states, "Eye for
eye, tooth for tooth..." While this may be true, there is no biblical account for which this Mosaic
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Against Capital Punishment Essay
Against Capital Punishment
What is the true value of a human life and how can one trade it for another? Isn't it said repetitively
in religion and government that each life should be treated equally? Then, how are we allowed to
condemn a person to death? How can we make abortion illegal but capital punishment legal in certain
circumstances? No matter what way you look at it capital punishment is murder. If each year there is
about 250 people added to death row and 35 executed imagine how many of those people are
actually innocent?
Whenever the government decides to sentence a criminal to death they always seem to forget that
the death affects other people related to the person. Families can be ripped apart with siblings or
parents...show more content...
The pope said on January 23, 1999 at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, "This
is our cry: life with dignity for all! For all who have been conceived in their mother's womb, for
street children, for indigenous peoples and African–Americans, for immigrants and refugees, for the
young deprived of opportunity, for the old, for those who suffer any kind of poverty or
marginalization. Dear brothers and sisters, the time has come to banish once and for all from the
continent every attack against life. No more violence, terrorism and drug trafficking! No more
torture or other forms of abuse! There must be an end to the unnecessary recourse to the death
penalty! No more exploitation of the weak, racial discrimination or ghettoes of poverty! Never
again!"
Capital Punishment is unfair in its administration because statistics show that the poor and
minorities are more likely to receive the death penalty than the wealthy. The wealthy are more
likely to get off then the poor because they are wealthy or famous. Throughout history the courts
have been biased with people who are wealthy and people who aren't. For example, O.J. Simpson
got off free when everyone knew he was guilty. What the media does not show is that the court was
most likely bias towards the fact that he was well known even though all of the evidence proved he
was guilty to the public. If the court system is improved then capital
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Albert Camus Arguments Against Capital Punishment
Capital punishment is the legally authorised punishment of being killed. It has long been a debate
about the cruelty of this. In most countries, this has been disbanded but in countries that are in
America or the Middle–East there is still this punishment. Some believe that this punishment is
inhumane whilst others believe that this punishment is a value of justice.
Capital Punishment is viewed positively because the criminals will no longer be a danger to society.
Many people believe that when a criminal is given a life sentence imprisonment there is still the
possibility of release .Thus letting them back to society where they can choose to be a criminal
again. Whilst Capital Punishment will ensure that the criminal can never commit any...show more
content...
It is frankly impossible to bring a member back from the dead and if the capital punishment is
given to an innocent then that means that the innocent was murdered. For no reason. This mistake
cannot be rectified in any way because that life won't return. As Albert Camus has said before 'No
cause justifies the deaths of innocent people'. In the play of 12 Angry Men, the guilty was falsely
charged because people assumed and gave false evidence.
Imprisonment is useless because even though the criminal has had treatment for their mental
disorders or reflection time; they will not be given the chance to use what they have learnt in real
society. This means that it is pointless to imprison them especially if they have committed murders
or etc. They will learn about how to restrict themselves but will never be trusted to use that
knowledge in society.
Most important of them all, the victim and his/her family will be the most affected. Especially if
the victim was murdered and the criminal doesn't get capital punishment. Not any sum of money
will replace the lost family and friend. For the sake of the victim's families, capital punishment will
have to take place so the families will be able to move on from the victim's death more
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As a final point, on capital punishment the discussion turns to John Stuart Mill and his utilitarian
view point that supports capital punishment. In Mill's speech, "In Support of Capital Punishment"
(1868), he contends that capital punishment is actually a better way to treat individuals rather than
being confined to prison for a life sentence (Van Camp, 2014). It is viewed that Mill's does
successfully present this argument by suggesting that execution is essentially a quick end to
suffering as opposed to suffering for the remainder of one's life. One who is sentenced to a life in
prison is subjected to an environment that will only offer cruel mental and physical punishment and
unhappiness ultimately leading to death (McBrien, 2010). Although...show more content...
Not everyone will think alike or even be persuaded to think differently about issues within society
such as, euthanasia or capital punishment for the insane. However, it is viewed that there is a
possibility that an agreement can be made that all of these situations present ethical dilemmas that
are not easy to simply make a decision of yes or no and right or wrong. In all honestly, it is of the
belief that as much as one would love to quickly dismiss the fact that an individual is insane or
automatically believe that euthanasia and making someone comfortable is wrong, it is just not that
easy. There is truly multiple things that have to be considered, true there is an ethical standard, but
there is also an ethical obligation to do what is fair and right with regard to the rights and privileges
of all individuals, even if it is not
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Persuasive Essay Against Capital Punishment
Persuasive Essay Against Capital Punishment
"Kill. (Verb) To make someone or something die."
Does anyone really think they have the right to take another person's life? Apparently yes.
Perhaps we should give the judge a knife and tell her that if she has decided that the accused is
guilty, she should stab him herself. Perhaps then she would hesitate. But if many people (hundreds
or thousands who operate the judicial system) are involved, it spreads, or even divides the feeling
of culpability among many. They may feel less guilty, especially if they believe that they are
representing the whole society of their country. What makes it seem more "humane" is the official
perspective of it....show more content...
Another reason which people give in support of capital punishment is that with a life sentence you
have to feed the criminals for years and years, but if you "terminate" their life earlier, then the
government will be saving on the costs of having to support them for ever. This is actually not true
at all. The court appeals involved in the death penalty turn into a long, drawn–out and very expensive
process. A quote I found states, "Add up criminal justice process expenses, trial court costs, appellate
and
Melanie AZ Morales Robson
Summer Examinations 2004
English Coursework
post–conviction costs, and prison costs, including years served on death row in awaiting execution.
Altogether, the extra costs per death penalty imposed is over a quarter million dollars, and per
execution exceeds $2 million." This can be compared to the average cost for a twenty–year prison
term for first–degree murder, which is approximately $330 thousand.
Even if it were more economical to apply capital punishment to a prisoner, this would hardly make it
justifiable in a humane society.
I think therefore that a life sentence is always ultimately better than the death penalty. If, in later
appeals or retrials, the executed person is found to be innocent, they cannot be
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Essay on Capital Punishment
Capital Punishment
The definition of capital punishment is the legal punishment of death for violating criminal law. The
person who gets capital punishment is the ones who committed serious crimes. Methods of capital
punishment throughout the world are by stoning, beheading, hanging, electrocution, lethal injection
and shooting. The two most common methods capital punishment use in the United States are lethal
injection and electrocution.
The lethal injection is the most used form of capital punishment. It's an intravenous shot that kills the
criminal quick and painless. When capital punishment is done by electrocution the criminal is
strapped to a chair that a volts of electricity is pass through.
In America if all people agree...show more content...
The first pros of capital punishment are that it works as deterrence against major crimes. The death
penalty is a punishment that creates fear in the mind of any sane person. Most criminals would think
twice if they knew their own lives were at stake. Although there is no statistical evidence that death
penalty deters crime, we have to agree that most of us fear death.
The most conclusive evidence that criminals fear the death penalty more than life without parole is
provided by convicted capital murderers and their attorneys. 99.9% of all convicted capital murderers
and their attorneys argue for life, not death, in the punishment phase of their trial. (prodeathpenalty)
A Second pro is that a criminal that is executed can't another crime or escape. A dead criminal can
no longer commit a crime, and therefore the danger to the public is permanently removed.
A third pro of capital punishment is that it's more economical. Why should money be spent on a
criminal when it could be spent on education, the sick, or the needy? The only reason why it is so
expensive to execute an individual, is because of the numerous appeal processes. (~ab2166)
Another pro is that the retribution to the family and loves ones of the victims is payed. Endless
stress and anxiety plague the families of the victims and executions puts all those stresses to rest
better than life–long imprisonment or
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Essay Against Capital Punishment
"At 8:00 p.m. it was nearing the end of John Evans' last day on death row. He had spent most of
the day with his minister and family, praying and talking of what was to come. At 8:20 he was
walked from his cell down to the long hall to the execution room and strapped in the electric chair.
At 8:30 p.m. the first jolt of 1900 volts passed through Mr. Evans' body. It lasted 30 seconds. Sparks
and flames erupted from the electrode tied to Mr. Evans' leg. His body slammed against the straps
holding him in the chair and his fist clenched permanently. The electrode then burst from the strap
holding it in place. A large puff of gray smoke and sparks pored out from under the hood that
covered his face. An overpowering stench of burnt flesh and...show more content...
The truth of the matter is, the United States should cease the use of capital punishment in both
federal and state prisons. Capital punishment is immoral and unethical; it degrades society, and
lowers the value of a human life. It does not deter murder, it is not economically efficient, and its
effects are irreversible. There is not one good reason to keep executing wrongdoers in the United
States or anywhere else.
Capital punishment goes against the morals and standards that our country is based upon. A
punishment that inflicts harm on a person can hardly be good or moral if it is purposeless. A
punishment may be given to a wrongdoer for one or a combination of the following reasons: (1) to
protect the community from the criminal returning to previous activity, (2) to rehabilitate the
offender; and (3) to restore the moral order breached by the violation. Capital punishment is not
required to accomplish any of these purposes. Other alternatives work better or at least as well
(Robinson, 1999, October 7). Killing is not the answer (Bender& Leone, 1987 p. 63). Recently
some states have been implementing life without parole as an alternative to death. This has proven
just a successful as the death penalty for punishment. It prevents criminals from returning to society,
and is less expensive than capital punishment (Vila & Morris, 1997, p.255). Another study
shows that over 80% of those serving life sentences will never commit another crime, and well
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Against Capital Punishment
Against Capital Punishment If we look at the law, it says that murder is illegal. So is it right to be
able to kill people because of a crime or because someone took another person's life in the name of
justice? Capital Punishment is not only morally wrong, but it is the ultimate inhuman punishment.
Bryan Stevenson, an attorney for death row inmates states, "The reality is that capital punishment in
America is a lottery. It is a punishment that is shaped by the constraints of poverty, race, geography
and local politics" (Rutherford.org). Capital punishment is not just looked at by the crime someone
has committed; it looks at how much money one has, where one lives and one's ethnicity. Capital
punishment is not only morally wrong, but it is the ultimate inhuman punishment. People believe
that states that have allowed the death penalty have lower crime and violence rates. That is no true.
Over the past years the death penalty has been dropped off in North Carolina, and according to the
Department of Justice, the murder rates for North Carolina have dropped increasingly since the
state had decided to stop pushing for the death penalty (nccadp.org). People often do a crime when
they are under the influence of items like dugs, or alcohol. When people are under drugs or alcohol
they do not fear or understand the consequences that will follow once the crime is finished.
Therefore the death penalty is not a warning to criminals and the death penalty does not give the
people
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Capital punishment
Capital punishment is one of the biggest issues in the world and many people agree and disagree
with it for many reasons. Moreover, our lives will be less secure and crimes of violence will
increase without capital punishment. Furthermore, I agree with the death penalty because it will
help to deterrence other people from doing crimes and they will think more about any thing they
will do because they know what will happen for them after doing crimes. Some murderers and
other criminals will suffer more in jail. So, the death penalty is the best choice for some of them. In
addition, in this essay I will talk about for and against capital punishment. Also, I will talk about
comparison and contrast between (for and against) death penalty....show more content...
The first reason is that every one is going to die at the end so if he or she dies by the capital
punishments or diseases are the same and this is a weak reason to agree with the death penalty. The
second reason is that the criminals can do other crime inside the jail or after escaping or being
released from it. As a result. The execution is permanently removes the worst criminals from
society. In my opinion, execution is not a strong reason because they may not do any crimes in
the future. The third reason is that keep the criminal life in the jail for a long time cost a lot of
many for the country. So, death penalty save money for many countries and this is a strong reason
to agree with the execution. The fourth reason is retribution. We can say " an eye for an eye ", so
the criminal is made to suffer in proportion to the offence, and this is a strong reason for the capital
punishment. The last reason is that death penalty is deter for many people from doing crimes, so it
is become one of the strongest reason to execution the
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Against Capital Punishment Essay

  • 1. Christian Perspective On Capital Punishment The Evolution of the Christian Perspective on Capital Punishment One of the most controversial issues in modern society involves the implementation of Capital Punishment in criminal justice. Capital Punishment has been heavily debated in the realm of politics due to the many conflicting religious opinions over the issue; some of the most prevalent voices in this debate have been the Christian churches and their members. This paper explores the evolution of the modern Christian perspective towards capital punishment, the presently declared or undeclared attitudes of major Christian denominations, and the incompatibility between faith and personal values that capital punishment forces Christians to reconcile. Christianity's attitude towards capital...show more content... The largest Christian denomination; The Roman Catholic Church, reversed its opinion on capital punishment. Prompted by the international outcry for human rights, they declared their opposition to the death penalty at the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1974. Pope John Paul II reinforced these ideals in his encyclical letter, Evangelium Vitae in which he addressed the "problem of the death penalty" (Megivern 11). The opposition to the death penalty in the Roman Catholic Church still holds true today, as Pope Francis has spoken out against the death penalty as well, considering it inhumane and akin to unethical treatment of prisoners. In his words, "All Christians and people of good will are thus called today to struggle not only for abolition of the death penalty, whether it be legal or illegal and in all its forms, but also to improve prison conditions, out of respect for the human dignity of persons deprived of their liberty" (Leavitt). In the perception of Francis and the Catholic Church, support for the death penalty is not representative of the compassion Christians should express and espouse. Similarly, the United Methodist Church declared their objection to the death penalty in 1956, and has continued to reaffirm their position in attempts to encourage its eradication ("Book of Discipline" 152). On the contrary, the Southern Baptist Convention Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 2. The Case Against Capital Punishment Essays This country is determined to prove that killing someone under certain circumstances is acceptable, when in all reality there can be no rationalization for the taking of another human life. Killing is murder. It is as simple as that. There have been so many different controversies surrounding this debate that often, the issues become clouded in false statistics and slewed arguments. The basic fact remains that killing is morally and ethically wrong. This fact does not disappear by simply changing the term "murder" to "capital punishment". The act is still the taking of a life. On these grounds, the death penalty should be abolished. Proponents of capital punishment believe that killing criminals is a moral and ethical way...show more content... As a result, life without parole sentences are most often given to the more affluent defendants (Issues...). Wealth, or the lack thereof, should not be a factor in whether some one lives or dies. Until equal representation is guaranteed, the death penalty should not be a choice. There are five methods by which the death penalty is carried out. These methods are electrocution, hanging, firing squad, gas chamber, and lethal injection (ACLU Briefing...). They all have one thing in common – they cause death, final and irreversible death. Most people would agree that electrocution, hanging, and the firing squad are violent; when in reality all of these "approved" methods of murder are violent and cruel. There are many documented cases where flames erupted from the sites of electrodes and blood poured from victims of electrocution. The gas chamber is no better – one case noted involved a convict in Mississippi that had a violent reaction to the lethal gas. The actual cause of his death was by banging his head against a metal post in the room. Numerous cases of lethal injection executions are on file that could be classified as nothing other than cruel and unusual punishment. These incidents included lengthy probing of the arms and legs for suitable veins, needles that flew out of the veins, and violent convulsive Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 3. The second argument against capital punishment would be their unfair justice system. People that are less fortunate and don't have money are the ones that are more likely to get the death penalty. These people sometime get wrongly convicted and by not having much money they can't defend themselves. The rich people in the other hand can contact the best lawyer and get out with a lesser sentence. There are many cases where money and race play a big part in their cases. For example: A white male would do a much severe crime than an african american male and the african american male would end up with a much severe sentence. According to a 1994 report from the American Bar Association's Criminal Justice section, "minorities who are arrested Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 4. Speech: Against Capital Punishment Essay Speech: Against Capital Punishment MOTION: " We believe that capital punishment is not needed in a civilised community." Imagine yourself in a small, isolated cabin waiting to be led to your execution. A small, scrawny man comes to collect you. Your whole life rushes past you as you take your few, final footsteps to the execution chamber. This is the thought 7,000 people have experienced in the last 18 months. These people were executed cruelly by capital punishment in countries all over the globe. 970 of these people were women and children. The countries allowing this barbaric method of punishment to happen have probably never thought about whether this scheme of punishment is...show more content... Many of the accused, which are sentenced to death, are hanged. This method often does not kill the criminal straight away, but lets them dangle on the rope tied around their neck, until they die of strangulation, slowly and painfully. Some criminals are stoned by the public. This is when the criminal is tied to a wooden post, in the centre of the town, and is stoned by people living in the town. In some countries the size of the stones used is regulated so that pain is maximised and the person does not die quickly. This shows just how savage we have become. There are not many other things in this world as inhumane as this punishment– capital punishment. There are alternative punishments, though. These can be from life imprisonment for major crimes such as murder, to community service and education programs for minor crimes such as shoplifting. There may be a brutalizing effect upon society by the carrying out of executions. The killings are organised as a public event where even children attend and are even sometimes encouraged to take part in the murder of the criminal. It is no surprise that these children grow up to become violent and savage–like. Their minds are fed with evilness from these executions and sooner or later they end up thinking that there is nothing Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 5. Against The Death Penalty Essay Against the Death Penalty "Murder is wrong" ("Capital Punishment"). We've been taught this indisputable truth since childhood. The death penalty is defined as one human taking the life of another. Coincidentally, that is a classification of murder. There are as many as thirty –six states with the death penalty, and it's essential that they change it. The United States needs the death penalty abolished because it is filled with flaws, cruel and immoral, and is an ineffective means of deterrent for crime. I understand why you would want to have the death penalty in effect. You probably think that it will be cheaper to execute people instead of paying taxes for them in jail. There is also a probability that you think that you will...show more content... Another flaw is it is morally wrong. No matter how people sugar–coat it, murder is murder, in the name of justice or in vengeance it is morally wrong. Everyone deserves to live, no matter their circumstances are. Federal states should not be allowed to decide who lives and who dies, especially in a country such as the United States, which prides its self on freedom ("Top Ten"). Moreover, the death penalty is applied at random ("Facts"). "The death penalty is a lethal lottery: of the 15,000 to 17,000 homicides committed every year in the United States, approximately 120 people are sentenced to death, less than 1%" ("Facts"). Many criminals have committed the same crimes, but few have been sentenced to death for their crimes. In Addition, there is a chance mentally ill citizens could be convicted to death ("Facts"). According to Amnesty International and the National Association on Mental Illness, One out of every ten persons who has been executed in the United States since 1977 is mentally ill. "Many mentally ill defendants are unable to participate in their trials in any meaningful way and appear unengaged, cold, and unfeeling before the jury" ("Facts"). Many mentally ill defendants have been drugged against their will in order for them to be competent enough to be executed ("Facts"). Some states still haven't put a ban on executing mentally ill people such as Organ, although the United States Supreme Court has declared that Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 6. Essay about Against Capital Punishment The Death Penalty is, undeniably, one of the most controversial issues of our day. Emotional tensions are high between those who hold human life above justice and those who hold justice above all human life. The Death Penalty, along with all other forms of criminal punishment, is barbaric. This form of punishment, indeed all forms of criminal justice, truly shows the level to which society has sunk. When people stand outside prisons and cheer as prisoners are murdered, there is a problem. When personal bloodlust is held above moral ideologies, there is a problem. When human life is assigned a value and weighed against other alternatives, there is a problem. The state speaks of Justice, but this word is only a reflection of the confusion,...show more content... There is a large majority of Christians in this country, yet such a small number of them actually come up in opposition to the Death Penalty; oftentimes, in fact, they are its most avid supporters. How can this be? All the teachings of Christ, save for those which have been horribly twisted by his followers, are opposed to any form of criminal justice. It seems that the modern Christian has begun to accept only those teachings which feel convenient. It is, indeed, sickening to see mock–Christians and self–styled "christian conservatives" speak in support of something that their religion expressly opposes. They speak of Justice, but what of morality? They speak of punishment, but what of forgiveness? They speak hatred, but what of love? How can they appoint themselves judges of another human being when they, themselves, are the ones who should be, supposedly, judged; how are they qualified to determine the fate of another man's life when their fate is still in question and their status undetermined? There is one stunning question that must be asked of these people: If you were standing before Jesus Christ himself, could you possibly tell him how and why you support the death penalty; do you think you could make Christ believe and support such ideals? Unfortunately religion is too often devoid of reason; that, though, is more often the fault of those who follow the religion than with Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 7. Arguments Against Capital Punishment Essay "Over 500,000 murderers, convicted and undetected, are living in America today" (Death Penalty 55). Keeping the death penalty upheld and established in all states would greatly decrease that number. Something must be done to keep citizens safe and to keep the murder rates low. Capital Punishment is a rightly justified penalty because it is moral retribution, constitutional, and it deters crime. One reason that Capital Punishment is just is the idea that it is moral retribution to the murderer. According to David Gelernter, the death penalty supporter's view is that the main goal in executing murderers is to make a point that murder is completely intolerable in today's society. The purpose is not to avenge or else the victim's...show more content... Urban states are more likely to have higher crime rates than those of rural states that might not have capital punishment (Deterrent Effects). Therefore, all evidence and moral logicality points to the death penalty as a deterrence of crime. Abolitionists make a case that the death penalty is unconstitutional based on the 8th amendment that prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. According to Antonin Scalia, the Constitution is enduring and means what it meant when it was adopted. It was obviously permitted when the 8th amendment was created so it should be allowed today (Opposing Viewpoints 17) The U.S. still uses the Constitution to govern this nation with all types of social issues though the death penalty is wrong according to some. The death penalty was permitted in the constitution, so Capital Punishment is constitutional. Pojman makes a statement that some abolitionists argue that the death penalty goes against the Bill Of Rights because death in the electric chair is "immoral and unconscionable" but this seems too good to be true for someone who unashamedly ignored the harmless victims blood that was shed(Debating Death 52). The electric chair is a justifiable punishment for someone who blatantly murdered the victim and left family with huge emotional and financial problems so it is not unconstitutional but completely justified. One source states " The US Supreme Court has long held that a penalty Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 8. Arguments Against Capital Punishment In Canada Capital Punishment is a sensitive topic that seems to constantly generate controversy amongst many individuals. To give a little background, capital punishment involves executing a person deemed guilty of a severe crime. Various countries, including America, accept the use of this method. However, other countries such as Canada are strictly against the act due to many reasons. Although some argue that they are the best form of punishment, life imprisonment is the better alternative. It is more humane, improves the financial and social state of the country, and finally is safer. To begin with, life imprisonment is a more humane option. When given a death penalty, the prisoner is left with no other options but to die. As a result, the person...show more content... As hard as it may be to choose, life imprisonment is the crowning victor. It promotes the basic right to live, contributes to the financial and social growth of the nation, and finally is a safer decision to choose. When it all comes down to it, everyone deserves to get another chance to redeem themselves. Whether it's redoing a test, or making up to a person that has been hurt, if having an option to fix mistakes are possible, granting imprisonment for eternity should be one of them. After all, no one would want to die on a bad note if they can manage it; everyone desires to mark a positive impact not only on society, but within Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 9. Argument Against Capital Punishment Essay Welcome to America, the land of the free, of the prosperous, of the opulent. America the Beautiful, one of the only places in the world where all citizens regardless of race, background, or social class are constitutionally guaranteed life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness–that is unless you're on death row. In modern day America we are still faced with the antiquated ritual ofcapital punishment, a practice that interferes directly with the law of the land. The same forms of punishment used during the middle ages are still in effect today, the same ideas that should have been abolished had the U.S. government revised it's penology. Capital punishment is cruel as well as unusual and inadequate for our advanced society. The United...show more content... What happened to our right to life? Is that suddenly compromised once condemned by a jury? The Founding Fathers wrote the Amendments to protect the people of the United States from any and all "cruel and unusual punishments inflicted," yet we have the death penalty as an active retribution in our country. The death penalty is faulty in its age and obsolete in its usage, and frankly should be put out of its misery. Capital punishment began its time in the Middle Ages, as people were executed for simply thinking differently from the rest of society. Even now, as we look back on history we find their ways of execution purely barbaric and malicious in all its forms. However, we continue to practice these forms of butchery; the traditional method of execution, hanging, is still an option available in certain states. In addition, couple of states also still allow firing squads, and the electrocution chairs has been readily used throughout the last century. The United States stands as one of the few developed nations with a death penalty still in place. There's a reason most of the European countries have banned the usage of death as punishment, it's cruel, unusual and barbaric! Is that the image the U.S. wants to portray the alling regions, one of intolerance and unforgiveness? The United States surpasses those barbaric ways, with its exceedingly advanced ways and state–of–the–art technology, yet it's one of the only countries left of the Western world that still has Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 10. Capital Punishment: for and Against Capital Punishment: For and Against Thesis One: In principle a case can be made on moral grounds both supporting and opposing capital punishment. Thesis two: Concretely and in practice, compelling arguments against capital punishment can be made on the basis of its actual administration in our society. Two different cases can be made. One is based on justice and the nature of a moral community. This leads to a defense of capital punishment. The second is based on love and the nature of an ideal spiritual community. This leads to a rejection of capital punishment. A central principle of a just society is that every person has an equal right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Within that framework, an argument for capital...show more content... All this is indefensible on moral grounds. To make sense of this, it is helpful to distinguish between an ethical dimension of love and an ecstatic dimension. Love as an ethical ideal seeks a community based on mutuality and reciprocity in which there is an equality of giving and receiving. Mutual love has a justice element in which every person has an equal claim to fulfillment and an equal duty to be responsible. Ethical love is unconditional and will reach out to others even when they lack merit. But it will resist encroachment upon its own equal claim to fulfillment and will repel if possible any denial of ones own right to be fully human in every respect. Against the pacifist, ethical love would justify killing in self–defense and killing enemies in a just war when non–lethal alternatives are unavailable. They are necessary and tragic emergency means here and now to stop present and ongoing violence. Capital punishment is opposed since the crime has already been committed, and isolation can protect society against future violence. Love in the ecstatic dimension becomes superethical. In ecstasy one is delirious with impetuous joy in the presence of the other and totally devoted to that person's happiness and well– being. In ecstasy we do not count the cost to ourselves but are totally self–giving, heedless of our own needs. In this mood sacrifice for the other is not an ethical act of self–denial but the superethical expression of what we most want to do. Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 11. Argumentative Essay on Capital Punishment in Australia Capital punishment is barbaric and inhumane and should not be re–introduced into Australia. Although capital punishment has been abolished, the debate on this topic has never abated. When a particularly heinous crime is committed, this debate arouses strong passions on both sides. Many who advocate the abolition of capital punishment consider the death penalty to be cruel and inhuman, while those who favor of punishment by death see it as a form of just retribution for the gravest of crimes. Determining whether Queensland should re–introduce capital punishment as a sentence will be the focus of this assignment. Capital punishment, also...show more content... The last person to be executed in Australia was Ronald Ryan at Pentridge Prison, Victoria in 1967.These figures are valid until 1985 when the death penalty was officially abolished by all states in Australia. The abolition of the death penalty occurred at a different time in each state, with Queensland being the first state to abolish capital punishment in 1922. This was followed by New South Wales in 1955, Tasmania in 1968, Northern Territory and Australia Capital Territory in 1973, Victoria in 1975, South Australia in 1976, and finally Western Australia was the last state to abolish capital punishment in 1984. Under Commonwealth law, the death penalty was abolished in 1973 by s.4 of the Death Penalty Abolition Act, 1973, which states "A person is not liable for the punishment of death for any offence". New South Wales and Western Australia carried on with the death penalty after 1973 for a few offences including piracy and treason but however eventually these anomalies were swept away with the passing of the Crimes Amendment Act, 1985. Now the sentence of life imprisonment has become the most severe sanction authorized in any state by Australian law. There are many controversies and problems which lead to the abolishment of the death penalty in Australia. Capital punishment Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 12. Persuasive Essay Against Capital Punishment This position paper will attempt to challenge previous opinions regarding capital punishment. The objective is to persuade the audience to oppose capital punishment by revealing biblical, political, and moral perspectives, as well as supplying effective counters to traditional thinking. This paper seeks to balance each rationale in order to appeal to several mindsets, and beliefs in regard to capital punishment. Main Body The legally authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime is defined as capital punishment. In regard to capital punishment, commonly known as the death penalty, there is more rationality in the decision to oppose capital punishment than there is to support it. Such rationalities include biblical, political, and moral perspectives. In the light of a biblical approach, there is no authority given to decide who deserves to die. This is reiterated in the New Testament (KJV) Romans 12:19, in which the Bible states, "...avenge not yourselves...Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord." In Romans 12:17, specific instruction is also given in regard to evil, such as that of capital punishment: "Recompense [compensate] to no man evil for evil...." Once more, in Romans 12:9, evil is addressed in the form of instruction: "...Abhor that which is evil..." In contrast, it is understandable that one may counter with the fact that Exodus 21:24 states, "Eye for eye, tooth for tooth..." While this may be true, there is no biblical account for which this Mosaic Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 13. Against Capital Punishment Essay Against Capital Punishment What is the true value of a human life and how can one trade it for another? Isn't it said repetitively in religion and government that each life should be treated equally? Then, how are we allowed to condemn a person to death? How can we make abortion illegal but capital punishment legal in certain circumstances? No matter what way you look at it capital punishment is murder. If each year there is about 250 people added to death row and 35 executed imagine how many of those people are actually innocent? Whenever the government decides to sentence a criminal to death they always seem to forget that the death affects other people related to the person. Families can be ripped apart with siblings or parents...show more content... The pope said on January 23, 1999 at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, "This is our cry: life with dignity for all! For all who have been conceived in their mother's womb, for street children, for indigenous peoples and African–Americans, for immigrants and refugees, for the young deprived of opportunity, for the old, for those who suffer any kind of poverty or marginalization. Dear brothers and sisters, the time has come to banish once and for all from the continent every attack against life. No more violence, terrorism and drug trafficking! No more torture or other forms of abuse! There must be an end to the unnecessary recourse to the death penalty! No more exploitation of the weak, racial discrimination or ghettoes of poverty! Never again!" Capital Punishment is unfair in its administration because statistics show that the poor and minorities are more likely to receive the death penalty than the wealthy. The wealthy are more likely to get off then the poor because they are wealthy or famous. Throughout history the courts have been biased with people who are wealthy and people who aren't. For example, O.J. Simpson got off free when everyone knew he was guilty. What the media does not show is that the court was most likely bias towards the fact that he was well known even though all of the evidence proved he was guilty to the public. If the court system is improved then capital Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 14. Albert Camus Arguments Against Capital Punishment Capital punishment is the legally authorised punishment of being killed. It has long been a debate about the cruelty of this. In most countries, this has been disbanded but in countries that are in America or the Middle–East there is still this punishment. Some believe that this punishment is inhumane whilst others believe that this punishment is a value of justice. Capital Punishment is viewed positively because the criminals will no longer be a danger to society. Many people believe that when a criminal is given a life sentence imprisonment there is still the possibility of release .Thus letting them back to society where they can choose to be a criminal again. Whilst Capital Punishment will ensure that the criminal can never commit any...show more content... It is frankly impossible to bring a member back from the dead and if the capital punishment is given to an innocent then that means that the innocent was murdered. For no reason. This mistake cannot be rectified in any way because that life won't return. As Albert Camus has said before 'No cause justifies the deaths of innocent people'. In the play of 12 Angry Men, the guilty was falsely charged because people assumed and gave false evidence. Imprisonment is useless because even though the criminal has had treatment for their mental disorders or reflection time; they will not be given the chance to use what they have learnt in real society. This means that it is pointless to imprison them especially if they have committed murders or etc. They will learn about how to restrict themselves but will never be trusted to use that knowledge in society. Most important of them all, the victim and his/her family will be the most affected. Especially if the victim was murdered and the criminal doesn't get capital punishment. Not any sum of money will replace the lost family and friend. For the sake of the victim's families, capital punishment will have to take place so the families will be able to move on from the victim's death more Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 15. As a final point, on capital punishment the discussion turns to John Stuart Mill and his utilitarian view point that supports capital punishment. In Mill's speech, "In Support of Capital Punishment" (1868), he contends that capital punishment is actually a better way to treat individuals rather than being confined to prison for a life sentence (Van Camp, 2014). It is viewed that Mill's does successfully present this argument by suggesting that execution is essentially a quick end to suffering as opposed to suffering for the remainder of one's life. One who is sentenced to a life in prison is subjected to an environment that will only offer cruel mental and physical punishment and unhappiness ultimately leading to death (McBrien, 2010). Although...show more content... Not everyone will think alike or even be persuaded to think differently about issues within society such as, euthanasia or capital punishment for the insane. However, it is viewed that there is a possibility that an agreement can be made that all of these situations present ethical dilemmas that are not easy to simply make a decision of yes or no and right or wrong. In all honestly, it is of the belief that as much as one would love to quickly dismiss the fact that an individual is insane or automatically believe that euthanasia and making someone comfortable is wrong, it is just not that easy. There is truly multiple things that have to be considered, true there is an ethical standard, but there is also an ethical obligation to do what is fair and right with regard to the rights and privileges of all individuals, even if it is not Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 16. Persuasive Essay Against Capital Punishment Persuasive Essay Against Capital Punishment "Kill. (Verb) To make someone or something die." Does anyone really think they have the right to take another person's life? Apparently yes. Perhaps we should give the judge a knife and tell her that if she has decided that the accused is guilty, she should stab him herself. Perhaps then she would hesitate. But if many people (hundreds or thousands who operate the judicial system) are involved, it spreads, or even divides the feeling of culpability among many. They may feel less guilty, especially if they believe that they are representing the whole society of their country. What makes it seem more "humane" is the official perspective of it....show more content... Another reason which people give in support of capital punishment is that with a life sentence you have to feed the criminals for years and years, but if you "terminate" their life earlier, then the government will be saving on the costs of having to support them for ever. This is actually not true at all. The court appeals involved in the death penalty turn into a long, drawn–out and very expensive process. A quote I found states, "Add up criminal justice process expenses, trial court costs, appellate and Melanie AZ Morales Robson Summer Examinations 2004 English Coursework post–conviction costs, and prison costs, including years served on death row in awaiting execution. Altogether, the extra costs per death penalty imposed is over a quarter million dollars, and per execution exceeds $2 million." This can be compared to the average cost for a twenty–year prison term for first–degree murder, which is approximately $330 thousand. Even if it were more economical to apply capital punishment to a prisoner, this would hardly make it justifiable in a humane society. I think therefore that a life sentence is always ultimately better than the death penalty. If, in later appeals or retrials, the executed person is found to be innocent, they cannot be Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 17. Essay on Capital Punishment Capital Punishment The definition of capital punishment is the legal punishment of death for violating criminal law. The person who gets capital punishment is the ones who committed serious crimes. Methods of capital punishment throughout the world are by stoning, beheading, hanging, electrocution, lethal injection and shooting. The two most common methods capital punishment use in the United States are lethal injection and electrocution. The lethal injection is the most used form of capital punishment. It's an intravenous shot that kills the criminal quick and painless. When capital punishment is done by electrocution the criminal is strapped to a chair that a volts of electricity is pass through. In America if all people agree...show more content... The first pros of capital punishment are that it works as deterrence against major crimes. The death penalty is a punishment that creates fear in the mind of any sane person. Most criminals would think twice if they knew their own lives were at stake. Although there is no statistical evidence that death penalty deters crime, we have to agree that most of us fear death. The most conclusive evidence that criminals fear the death penalty more than life without parole is provided by convicted capital murderers and their attorneys. 99.9% of all convicted capital murderers and their attorneys argue for life, not death, in the punishment phase of their trial. (prodeathpenalty) A Second pro is that a criminal that is executed can't another crime or escape. A dead criminal can no longer commit a crime, and therefore the danger to the public is permanently removed. A third pro of capital punishment is that it's more economical. Why should money be spent on a criminal when it could be spent on education, the sick, or the needy? The only reason why it is so expensive to execute an individual, is because of the numerous appeal processes. (~ab2166) Another pro is that the retribution to the family and loves ones of the victims is payed. Endless stress and anxiety plague the families of the victims and executions puts all those stresses to rest better than life–long imprisonment or Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 18. Essay Against Capital Punishment "At 8:00 p.m. it was nearing the end of John Evans' last day on death row. He had spent most of the day with his minister and family, praying and talking of what was to come. At 8:20 he was walked from his cell down to the long hall to the execution room and strapped in the electric chair. At 8:30 p.m. the first jolt of 1900 volts passed through Mr. Evans' body. It lasted 30 seconds. Sparks and flames erupted from the electrode tied to Mr. Evans' leg. His body slammed against the straps holding him in the chair and his fist clenched permanently. The electrode then burst from the strap holding it in place. A large puff of gray smoke and sparks pored out from under the hood that covered his face. An overpowering stench of burnt flesh and...show more content... The truth of the matter is, the United States should cease the use of capital punishment in both federal and state prisons. Capital punishment is immoral and unethical; it degrades society, and lowers the value of a human life. It does not deter murder, it is not economically efficient, and its effects are irreversible. There is not one good reason to keep executing wrongdoers in the United States or anywhere else. Capital punishment goes against the morals and standards that our country is based upon. A punishment that inflicts harm on a person can hardly be good or moral if it is purposeless. A punishment may be given to a wrongdoer for one or a combination of the following reasons: (1) to protect the community from the criminal returning to previous activity, (2) to rehabilitate the offender; and (3) to restore the moral order breached by the violation. Capital punishment is not required to accomplish any of these purposes. Other alternatives work better or at least as well (Robinson, 1999, October 7). Killing is not the answer (Bender& Leone, 1987 p. 63). Recently some states have been implementing life without parole as an alternative to death. This has proven just a successful as the death penalty for punishment. It prevents criminals from returning to society, and is less expensive than capital punishment (Vila & Morris, 1997, p.255). Another study shows that over 80% of those serving life sentences will never commit another crime, and well Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 19. Against Capital Punishment Against Capital Punishment If we look at the law, it says that murder is illegal. So is it right to be able to kill people because of a crime or because someone took another person's life in the name of justice? Capital Punishment is not only morally wrong, but it is the ultimate inhuman punishment. Bryan Stevenson, an attorney for death row inmates states, "The reality is that capital punishment in America is a lottery. It is a punishment that is shaped by the constraints of poverty, race, geography and local politics" (Rutherford.org). Capital punishment is not just looked at by the crime someone has committed; it looks at how much money one has, where one lives and one's ethnicity. Capital punishment is not only morally wrong, but it is the ultimate inhuman punishment. People believe that states that have allowed the death penalty have lower crime and violence rates. That is no true. Over the past years the death penalty has been dropped off in North Carolina, and according to the Department of Justice, the murder rates for North Carolina have dropped increasingly since the state had decided to stop pushing for the death penalty (nccadp.org). People often do a crime when they are under the influence of items like dugs, or alcohol. When people are under drugs or alcohol they do not fear or understand the consequences that will follow once the crime is finished. Therefore the death penalty is not a warning to criminals and the death penalty does not give the people Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 20. Capital punishment Capital punishment is one of the biggest issues in the world and many people agree and disagree with it for many reasons. Moreover, our lives will be less secure and crimes of violence will increase without capital punishment. Furthermore, I agree with the death penalty because it will help to deterrence other people from doing crimes and they will think more about any thing they will do because they know what will happen for them after doing crimes. Some murderers and other criminals will suffer more in jail. So, the death penalty is the best choice for some of them. In addition, in this essay I will talk about for and against capital punishment. Also, I will talk about comparison and contrast between (for and against) death penalty....show more content... The first reason is that every one is going to die at the end so if he or she dies by the capital punishments or diseases are the same and this is a weak reason to agree with the death penalty. The second reason is that the criminals can do other crime inside the jail or after escaping or being released from it. As a result. The execution is permanently removes the worst criminals from society. In my opinion, execution is not a strong reason because they may not do any crimes in the future. The third reason is that keep the criminal life in the jail for a long time cost a lot of many for the country. So, death penalty save money for many countries and this is a strong reason to agree with the execution. The fourth reason is retribution. We can say " an eye for an eye ", so the criminal is made to suffer in proportion to the offence, and this is a strong reason for the capital punishment. The last reason is that death penalty is deter for many people from doing crimes, so it is become one of the strongest reason to execution the Get more content on HelpWriting.net