Death Penalty
Death Penalty: Yes or No?
Amanda Nichole Hester
ENG 2001
Instructor Gary Henry
September 28, 2013
The debate over the death penalty has been looming over the United States of America for numerous years. The death penalty/ sentence has been around since 5th century B.C. The practice of sentencing someone to death dates back to when the colonists settled in the New World. The controversy that the death penalty has caused in the United States is startling within itself. The death penalty is in place for punishment among hard criminals and at one time was considered to be cruel and unusual punishment brought down by the Supreme Court in 1972. That is not the case in today’s society because in 1976 the Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty did not violate any constitutional amendments as long asit is carried out in a careful and judicious manner”(ProQuest Staff, 2013). The issues surrounding the death penalty involves wrongful convictions, cost of a death sentence, and is it still effective and moral. Some say the sentence of death is not as effective as it once was, mainly because of the cost, while others still believe it serves as a deterrent for other criminals. The following questions will be reviewed concerning the death penalty:
1. Are the costs associated with the death penalty worth holding on to the death sentence?
2. What about wrongful convictions?
3. Does the death penalty still serve as a deterrent?
4. Is the death penalty moral?
Understanding the complex nature of the death penalty issues in today’s society might help the people of America decide whether or not to keep the death penalty or repeal it.
Are the Costs Associated with the Death Penalty Worth Holding onto the Death Sentence? The costs that applies to death penalty cases are enormous. A death penalty case requires more pre-trial time, more attorneys, more trials, and then all the appeals that will follow a conviction. In 2011,
Amanda Nichole Hester
ENG 2001
Instructor Gary Henry
September 28, 2013
The debate over the death penalty has been looming over the United States of America for numerous years. The death penalty/ sentence has been around since 5th century B.C. The practice of sentencing someone to death dates back to when the colonists settled in the New World. The controversy that the death penalty has caused in the United States is startling within itself. The death penalty is in place for punishment among hard criminals and at one time was considered to be cruel and unusual punishment brought down by the Supreme Court in 1972. That is not the case in today’s society because in 1976 the Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty did not violate any constitutional amendments as long asit is carried out in a careful and judicious manner”(ProQuest Staff, 2013). The issues surrounding the death penalty involves wrongful convictions, cost of a death sentence, and is it still effective and moral. Some say the sentence of death is not as effective as it once was, mainly because of the cost, while others still believe it serves as a deterrent for other criminals. The following questions will be reviewed concerning the death penalty:
1. Are the costs associated with the death penalty worth holding on to the death sentence?
2. What about wrongful convictions?
3. Does the death penalty still serve as a deterrent?
4. Is the death penalty moral?
Understanding the complex nature of the death penalty issues in today’s society might help the people of America decide whether or not to keep the death penalty or repeal it.
Are the Costs Associated with the Death Penalty Worth Holding onto the Death Sentence? The costs that applies to death penalty cases are enormous. A death penalty case requires more pre-trial time, more attorneys, more trials, and then all the appeals that will follow a conviction. In 2011,
References: Ardaiz, J.A. (2012, Oct 28). Retribution is not only a need of society; it is a right to those…Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://sks.sirs.com Bloodsworth, K. (2013, Jul 05). My case shows the need to abolish the death penalty. McClatchy-Tribune News Service. Retrieved from http://sks.sirs.com Bronner, E. (2012, Dec 21). Use of death sentences continues to fall in U.S. New York Times. Retrieved from http://sks.sirs.com Carter, J. (2012, Oct 28). Voters should replace a wasteful, immoral and discriminatory process. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://sks.sirs.com Hsu, S.S. (2013, Jul 18). At least 27 death penalty convictions may be faulty. Washington Post. Retrieved from http://sks.sirs.com Jealous, Benjamin Todd and O’Malley, Martin. (2013, Apr 24). Death penalty: A pragmatic case for repeal. Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved from http://sks.sirs.com Jonsson, P. (2011, Dec 15). Why the death penalty is at historic low in the U.S. Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved from http://sks.sirs.com Staff, P. (2013). Capital Punishment timeline. Leading Issues Timelines. Retrieved from http://sks.sirs.com Turow, S. (2011, Oct 03). The death of the death penalty. Newsweek, n. p. Retrieved from http://sks.sirs.com Williams, R. (2011, Jul/Aug). The cost of punishment. States Legislatures, p. 55-56. Retrieved from http://sks.sirs.com