The Death Penalty Debate Essay - 746 Words

The Death Penalty Debate To kill or not to kill. That is the question. Some people think it is wrong; however, a close look into the matter will show it is the right thing to do. The Bible states thou shall not kill but it also states an eye for eye. The death penalty is the worst and most deserved punishment for those who choose to take a life. There is no excuse for a life to be taken; therefore, the murderer should be punished to the full extent. Imagine a loved one of yours is brutally murdered; how would you feel? How much pain would your family have to go through? How would you be able to sleep at night knowing the murderer has not been given the death penalty, knowing he could walk out†¦show more content†¦It’s debateable whether or not the death penalty is cheaper than LWOP, but it’s not important to the victims of repeat offenders, even if it’s just another prisoner. In American society, the threat of capital punishment stands as the ultimate sentence for a criminal. The moral complications of the taking of another life, whether it is by murder or as legally accepted punishment, remains an unresolved conflict between Americans. Despite the fact that capital punishment, otherwise known as the death penalty, is legal in only a handful of countries in the world, the majority of Americans regard it as acceptable retribution. In the 1981 Gallup Poll, two-thirds of Americans voted general approval of capital punishment. By 1994, the same poll concluded that a tremendous 80% of Americans approved of capital punishment (Moore, 1994:5). It is no wonder that many of our countries leaders approve of the death penalty. The former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich, believes that mass executions of 27 or 30 or 35 people at a time would be effective in the reduction of the importation of illegal drugs in to America (Taylor, 1995). In 197 2, capital punishment was eradicated in the United States when the Supreme Court declared that under then existing laws impositionShow MoreRelatedThe Debate On Death Penalty1447 Words   |  6 PagesThe debate on death penalty In her book Last Words From Death Row: The Walls Unit, Norma Herrera writes about the tribulations she and her family went through while trying to free her brother, Leonel, from the death row. Despite showing glaring and overwhelming evidence claiming his innocence, Leonel was sentenced to death for a crime that he did not commit. His last words to the world were, â€Å"I am innocent, innocent, innocent. I am an innocent man, and something very wrong is taking place tonightRead MoreDeath Penalty Debate2037 Words   |  9 PagesDeath Penalty Debate Paper BCOM/275 The death penalty is an issue that has continually created conflict in today’s society. Many people arguing whether or not the death penalty should exist. Who’s to say whether the death penalty is a form of justice and therefore a valid and appropriate punishment or whether it is a â€Å"cruel and unusual† form of punishment. â€Å"The Arizona Supreme Court threw out the death sentences for a Tucson man who bludgeoned his girlfriend and her two childrenRead MoreThe Debate On The Death Penalty1597 Words   |  7 PagesThe debate on the death penalty has been the ongoing question for generations. There are plenty of different sides to take on this issue. You have the side where some people think that putting prisoners to death is inhumane and that no matter what they did putting a human to death is wrong. While others may think that if the crime is extreme enough that the prisoner who committed this crime should pay for it with their own life. Throughout history there have been several instances where prisonersRead MoreThe Debate On The Death Penalty1892 Words   |  8 PagesDeath Penalty The debate on if the death penalty is ethical is something that is a long-standing debate depending on what side of the issue you are on. Both sides of this issue have their points yet there are always things about the issue that kept it in the forefront. The right to life is taken for granted without thinking twice, however, due to the laws of this country the freedom we take for granted can be taken away with the mistakes we made. Looking at both sides of the issue gives insightRead MoreDeath Penalty Debate Essay1235 Words   |  5 Pagescontroversial debate over the death penalty has been going on for a very long time and still has no conclusive solution. In the United States that is, most of the rest of the civilized world has done away with the death penalty a long time ago. Many people have different views on this issue. Although, there is a consensus that heinous murders need to be severely punished, there is no consensus on the choice of that punished. The debate over the proper punishment lies between the death penalty and lifeRead MoreIntroduction Of The Death Penalty Debate1523 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction to the Death Penalty Debate It was said by an Iowa State Supreme Court justice in the 1840s, â€Å"Crime indicates a diseased mind in the same manner that sickness and pain do a diseased body. And as in the one case we provide hospitals for the treatment of severe and contagious diseases, so in the other, prisons and asylums should be provided for similar reasons† (Banner, 2002, p.118). Individuals who have committed crimes serve their sentences and punishments, or are â€Å"treated†, in prisonsRead More The Death Penalty Debate Essay1041 Words   |  5 PagesThe Death Penalty Debate The issue of the death penalty is widely disputed. So disputed that maybe I shouldn’t have picked this topic. But nevertheless, the death penalty is an issue that needs to be addressed. Should the death penalty be abolished from our criminal justice system? Well, that depends on whom you ask. If you ask me†¦ no. I personally don’t see anything wrong with the death penalty because there are a lot of criminals that are just too dangerous to society and death is the onlyRead MoreThe Debate Over Death Penalty1618 Words   |  7 PagesProfessor Reiner Writing 39C 7/20/16 Debates over Death Penalty in the United States The issue of death penalty today is a popular topic for numerous public and scholarly discussions. The death penalty has a long and distinguished history in the United States, as it has been around in some form—either official or otherwise—since the beginning of American society. America originally adopted the British justice system, with hundreds of crimes being punishable by death. Slowly but surely, states beganRead MoreThe Death Penalty Debate Essay978 Words   |  4 PagesThe death penalty seems to be a very debatable subject. There are arguments and support for both sides of the debate, but which side is right? That is a tough question to ask. After reading the article in the textbook, two other articles, and looking at statistics, I seem to feel that the death penalty may not be the right answer. The article in the textbook The Death Penalty in the United States and Worldwide was fairly informative. One of the points it brought up was the cost of life withoutRead MoreThe Debate Of Banning The Death Penalty877 Words   |  4 PagesPublic Executions The United States has been going through the debate of banning the death penalty for decades; however, it continues to remain at a standstill as crime rates continue to stay the same throughout the country. The people for continuing the death penalty happens to see their group split in to two groups. One for the private executions and the other for public. Public executions can do many things like deter crimes from happening, giving the victims closure, and finding the right kind