11/30/14
Farrar
Capital Punishment
Capital punishment is the death penalty. It is used today and was used in ancient times to punish a variety of offenses. Even the bible advocates death for murder and other crimes like kidnapping and witchcraft. One side may say do it, while the other side may say, but you may execute an innocent man. Today, one of the most debated issues in the Criminal Justice System is the issue of capital punishment or the death penalty. Capital punishment was legal until 1972, when the Supreme Court declared it unconstitutional stating that it violated the Eight and Fourteen Amendments citing cruel and unusual punishment. In 1976, the Supreme Court reversed itself with Gregg v. Georgia and reinstated the death penalty but not all states have the death penalty. Thirteen states do not have the death penalty: Alaska, District of Colombia, Hawaii, Iowa, Main, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
When the assailant is apprehended and charged, he has the power of the judicial process who protects his constitutional rights. The assailant may have compassion from investigating officers, families and friends. The criminal may have organized campaigns of propaganda to build sympathy for him as if he is the one who has been sinned against. These false claims are publicized, for no reason, hence, protecting the criminal. A criminal on death row has a chance to prepare his death, make a will, and make his last statements, etc. While some victims can never do it. There are many other crimes where people are injured by stabbing, rape, theft, etc. To some degree at least, the victim’s right to freedom and pursuit of happiness is violated. That is a right, a privilege. That shouldn’t be given to such a criminal.
Death is one penalty which makes error irreversible and the chance of error is inescapable when based on human judgment. On the other hand,