Thesis Statement For Death Penalty Research Paper
The Demise Of The Death Penalty
Mandy Szwedko
Western Governors University
WGU Student ID # 000383758
Thesis Statement: Research suggests that capital punishment should be abolished to obviate mishandled executions, prevent wrongfully convicted citizens from being put to death and to lower taxpayer dollars for incurred expenses for inmates on death row.
Annotated Bibliography
Capital punishment, known as the death penalty is punishment by death and is reserved for the most heinous of crimes. The first known death penalty execution in what would later become the United States, was in 1608, when Captain George Kendell was executed by firing squad for being a spy for Spain (Waksman, 2012).
This article discusses how recent …show more content…
botched executions have brought attention to the capital punishment debate. The death penalty is currently legal in 32 states but has become less favorable within the last 40 years as it is seen as a more barbaric form of punishment. Those who challenge the death penalty believe executing prisoners has not proven to form safer areas in the community or prevent less crime. The main focus of this article is that the death penalty should be disbanded, due to the 146 prisoners on death row that have been vindicated. Executions are also emotionally taxing on everyone, from families involved to prison employees.
Diane Rust-Tierney is the Executive Director of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Prior to her current position at the NCADP, Rust-Tierney was appointed as Director of the American Civil Liberties Union Capital Punishment Project and has educated society about issues with the death penalty through television and radio, furthering the validity of this article.
This article is pertinent to the thesis because it examines how permanent capital punishment is and reality that people have been unjustly executed.
Milligan, S. (2014, May 9). The Price of a Penalty. U.S. News Digital Weekly 6 ed., 19 sec.: p. 4.
This article addresses how the death penalty is becoming less popular over time.
Although 60 percent of Americans say they still support the death penalty according to the Gallup Poll, it has dropped from 80 percent in 1994. Six states have also done away with the death penalty and in other states, governors have put a temporary ban on capital punishment. The article points out that 700 people, have been put to death in California before 1976, however the state has 741 currently on death row and has only executed 13 people since 1976. The death penalty has even caught President Obama’s attention and has requested a review of capital punishment in 2014, due to the botched execution of Clayton Lockett. When Lockett was given the needle, he was supposed to be sedated and then his breathing would eventually stop. The medication did not work and instead the prisoner felt that his entire body was burning until a vein ruptured and he died of a massive heart attack. Lockett suffered a horrible death for 40 minutes, before it was over and made many question if it was worth it.
This article provides applicable information from many sources such as a Governors, Political Science Professors, the Executive Director of the Death Penalty Information Center as well as the President of the United States, providing legitimacy to the
article.
This article will be used to explore data that has been gathered on whether or not the death penalty should remain imposed as a form of capital punishment.
Muhlhausen, D. (2014, September 29). How the Death Penalty Saves Lives. In www.usnews.com. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2014/09/29/the-death-penalty-saves-lives-by-deterring-crime.
This article reveals how judicial murder does save lives by deterring crime. Examinations of the death penalty have found an association between executions and lower murder percentages. A study from 1978 to 1998 has found that with each execution, 14 less murders occurred in each state per year. Another study from 1994 to 2005 examined how executions in Texas decreased homicides by 2.5%. Also, in 2009 states that allowed defendants to be eligible for the death penalty in child murder cases saw a 20% decrease in these types of murder cases.
David B. Muhlhausen is the leading professional on criminal justice from The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis. He is also a Research Fellow in Empirical Policy Analysis at the think tank, and has testified before Congress on many instances, regarding law enforcement grants administered by the U.S. Justice Department, making him a reliable source.
This article is suitable for the thesis because it provides data on how the death penalty has lowered crime and prevent more deaths that may have occurred otherwise.
Guengerich, G. (2104, May 22). The Death Penalty 's Underlying Problem. In www.time.com. Retrieved from http://time.com/106523/the-death-penaltys-underlying-problem/
This piece addresses how prisoners on death row are viewed differently than the rest of society. They are seen as horrible villains who have done the unthinkable, but they may have been molded this way due to circumstance. If these monsters had been raised in difference situations or circumstances, they may have made different decisions all together. The author states that those who have committed crimes should be punished, but reasons of how they became who they are, should also be taken into account.
Galen Guengerich is the Senior Minister of All Souls Unitarian Church and is a valid source for the research paper, as he writes a regular column on “The Search for Meaning” for psychologytoday.com, as well as occasionally writing for Huffington Post and for FaithStreet.
This piece relates to the thesis because it provides a different perspective as to why prisoners on death row should serve a life sentence instead of facing execution.
Cary, M. (2011, March 30). The Conservative Case Against the Death Penalty. In www.usnews.com. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2011/03/30/the-conservative-case-against-the-death-penalty.
This article argues that due to the criminal justice system being flawed, the death penalty should not be used a form of punishment. More than 135 people have been removed from death row in the last 35 years because DNA proved them to be innocent. DNA evidence has freed 250 people from prison since the late 1980’s and 17 of those exonerated, were from death row according to the Innocence Project. The death penalty also costs more financially then does life in prison due to the cost of litigation, appeals and extra security measures that are taken with a death row inmate.
Mary Kate Cary is an editor and columnist at U.S. News & World Report, writing a column on politics, and is a political commentator on National Public Radio, making her a valid news source.
The article relates to the thesis that the death penalty should be changed to save innocent lives as well as taxpayer dollars.
Balko, R. (2011, July). Wrongful Convictions. In www.reason.com. Retrieved from http://reason.com/archives/2011/06/07/wrongful-convictions.
This article opposes the death penalty due to innocent people who are on death row. Prisoners have spent an average of 13 years in prison before being exonerated. Seventeen of those prisoners, were on death row waiting execution. 67 percent of those exonerated, were found to be innocent after 2000 due to DNA testing. However, there are still cases where no DNA evidence was available and innocence is more difficult to prove. Convictions can also occur from false accusations from eye witness testimony or a false confession from minors or mentally handicapped individuals.
Radley Balko blogs about criminal justice issues for The Washington Post. He was previously a senior writer and investigative reporter at the Huffington Post, which adds credibility to the article. The article is relevant to the article because it points out that more innocent people may be on death row that were not able to be exonerated by DNA evidence.
Berman, M. (2015, April 17). Most Americans Support the Death Penalty. They also agree that an innocent person might get put to death. In www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2015/04/17/most-americans-support-the-death-penalty-they-also-agree-that-an-innocent-person-might-get-put-to-death/.
This article addresses reasons as to why society is torn over the death penalty. There is always the lingering fear that an innocent person will be executed, a mistake that cannot be undone. Since the 1970’s, more than 150 prisoners who were sent to death row were later found to be innocent. In the last year alone, 125 people were found to be innocent and six of them, had been sentenced to death. However, 6 in 10 people are still in support of capital punishment because they believe it is justified for a heinous crime.
Mark Berman is a reporter on the National staff and received information for the article from the Pew survey, making this article relevant to the research paper. This article relates to the thesis because it lists reasons as to why society is both for and against the death penalty.
Jones, A., & Eder, S. (2012, October 5). Costs Test Backing for Death Penalty. In www.thewallstreetjournal.com. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443493304578036792267666794.
This article addresses how the death penalty may not be worth the taxpayer money that is spent on lawyers, litigations and appeals for death row inmates. A study has found that California has spent more than $4 billion on capital punishment since 1978 and about $308 million for 13 executions since 1978. The cost for an inmate on death-row is 100,000 more than the average prisoner a year and can cost 20 times as much as a life in prison case, due to the inmate being in a single cell and requiring higher security measures. California also provides two layers to every inmate who is facing execution and are allowed two trials to determine whether they are guilty or not and what punishment is appropriate for the crime. Ashby Jones is a reporter at The Wall Street Journal and covers national legal affairs. He was the lead writer of the Law Blog from 2009-2011, which shows that the article is from a legal and reputable source. The article relates to the research paper as it further corroborates why the death penalty has not proven to be cost effective.
Koch, E. (2012, May 1). The Death Penalty Option: I Support It. In www.huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ed-koch/the-death-penalty-option-_b_1467270.html.
This article supports discusses why capital punishment should remain intact because it was originally put in place as punishment for the worst of crimes. There is no risk of innocent people being judicially murdered as only one in six people have been executed in the last 35 years. Many of those who have been wrongfully convicted and put on death row, but have been exonerated before the execution occurred. It is believed that racism goes hand and hand with the death penalty, but studies show that white people commit fewer murders than other races, however more receive capital punishment.
Ed Koch was an American lawyer and politician. He served in the United States House of Representatives and was the mayor of New York City, which leads to the credibility of this article. The article relates to the thesis by explaining why it is unlikely that an innocent person will be executed and that the death penalty should remain in effect.`
Kolodny, C. (2014, February 26). The Truth About The Death Penalty ... And What You Can Do About It. In www.huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/26/death-penalty-myths-debunk_n_4849901.html.
This article provides misconceptions about the death penalty. California could save 125.5 million each year if the death penalty was disbanded. Many inmates that have been put on death row were not able to afford proper counsel and may have had a different sentence if they had specialized representation. Since 1973, 143 people have been found to be innocent and were exonerated. The death penalty has not been found to deter homicides as rates are still consistent in states that have abolished the death penalty.
Carina Kolodny is the Sr. Editor for Special Projects at The Huffington Post, which was ranked #1 on the 15 Most Popular Political Sites list by eBizMBA Rank which makes her a relevant source.
This article relates to the thesis by providing information on common misconceptions of the death penalty and why it should be abolished.
References
Balko, R. (2011, July). Wrongful Convictions. In www.reason.com. Retrieved from http://reason.com/archives/2011/06/07/wrongful-convictions.
Berman, M. (2015, April 17). Most Americans Support the Death Penalty. They also agree that an innocent person might get put to death. In www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2015/04/17/most-americans-support-the-death-penalty-they-also-agree-that-an-innocent-person-might-get-put-to-death/.
Cary, M. (2011, March 30). The Conservative Case Against the Death Penalty. In www.usnews.com. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2011/03/30/the-conservative-case-against-the-death-penalty.
Guengerich, G. (2104, May 22). The Death Penalty 's Underlying Problem. In www.time.com. Retrieved from http://time.com/106523/the-death-penaltys-underlying-problem/
Jones, A., & Eder, S. (2012, October 5). Costs Test Backing For Death Penalty. In www.thewallstreetjournal.com. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443493304578036792267666794.
Koch, E. (2012, May 1). The Death Penalty Option: I Support It. In www.huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ed-koch/the-death-penalty-option-_b_1467270.html.
Kolodny, C. (2014, February 26). The Truth About The Death Penalty ... And What You Can Do About It. In www.huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/26/death-penalty-myths-debunk_n_4849901.html.
Milligan, S. (2014, May 9). The Price of a Penalty. U.S. News Digital Weekly 6 ed., 19 sec.: p. 4.
Muhlhausen, D. (2014, September 29). How the Death Penalty Saves Lives. In www.usnews.com. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2014/09/29/the-death-penalty-saves-lives-by-deterring-crime.
Rust-Tierney, D. (2014, September 19). Is It Time to Abolish the Death Penalty?. U.S. News Digital Weekly 6 ed., 38 sec.: p. 16.
Mandy Szwedko
Western Governors University
WGU Student ID # 000383758
Thesis Statement: Research suggests that capital punishment should be abolished to obviate mishandled executions, prevent wrongfully convicted citizens from being put to death and to lower taxpayer dollars for incurred expenses for inmates on death row.
Annotated Bibliography
Capital punishment, known as the death penalty is punishment by death and is reserved for the most heinous of crimes. The first known death penalty execution in what would later become the United States, was in 1608, when Captain George Kendell was executed by firing squad for being a spy for Spain (Waksman, 2012).
This article discusses how recent …show more content…
botched executions have brought attention to the capital punishment debate. The death penalty is currently legal in 32 states but has become less favorable within the last 40 years as it is seen as a more barbaric form of punishment. Those who challenge the death penalty believe executing prisoners has not proven to form safer areas in the community or prevent less crime. The main focus of this article is that the death penalty should be disbanded, due to the 146 prisoners on death row that have been vindicated. Executions are also emotionally taxing on everyone, from families involved to prison employees.
Diane Rust-Tierney is the Executive Director of the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Prior to her current position at the NCADP, Rust-Tierney was appointed as Director of the American Civil Liberties Union Capital Punishment Project and has educated society about issues with the death penalty through television and radio, furthering the validity of this article.
This article is pertinent to the thesis because it examines how permanent capital punishment is and reality that people have been unjustly executed.
Milligan, S. (2014, May 9). The Price of a Penalty. U.S. News Digital Weekly 6 ed., 19 sec.: p. 4.
This article addresses how the death penalty is becoming less popular over time.
Although 60 percent of Americans say they still support the death penalty according to the Gallup Poll, it has dropped from 80 percent in 1994. Six states have also done away with the death penalty and in other states, governors have put a temporary ban on capital punishment. The article points out that 700 people, have been put to death in California before 1976, however the state has 741 currently on death row and has only executed 13 people since 1976. The death penalty has even caught President Obama’s attention and has requested a review of capital punishment in 2014, due to the botched execution of Clayton Lockett. When Lockett was given the needle, he was supposed to be sedated and then his breathing would eventually stop. The medication did not work and instead the prisoner felt that his entire body was burning until a vein ruptured and he died of a massive heart attack. Lockett suffered a horrible death for 40 minutes, before it was over and made many question if it was worth it.
This article provides applicable information from many sources such as a Governors, Political Science Professors, the Executive Director of the Death Penalty Information Center as well as the President of the United States, providing legitimacy to the
article.
This article will be used to explore data that has been gathered on whether or not the death penalty should remain imposed as a form of capital punishment.
Muhlhausen, D. (2014, September 29). How the Death Penalty Saves Lives. In www.usnews.com. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2014/09/29/the-death-penalty-saves-lives-by-deterring-crime.
This article reveals how judicial murder does save lives by deterring crime. Examinations of the death penalty have found an association between executions and lower murder percentages. A study from 1978 to 1998 has found that with each execution, 14 less murders occurred in each state per year. Another study from 1994 to 2005 examined how executions in Texas decreased homicides by 2.5%. Also, in 2009 states that allowed defendants to be eligible for the death penalty in child murder cases saw a 20% decrease in these types of murder cases.
David B. Muhlhausen is the leading professional on criminal justice from The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis. He is also a Research Fellow in Empirical Policy Analysis at the think tank, and has testified before Congress on many instances, regarding law enforcement grants administered by the U.S. Justice Department, making him a reliable source.
This article is suitable for the thesis because it provides data on how the death penalty has lowered crime and prevent more deaths that may have occurred otherwise.
Guengerich, G. (2104, May 22). The Death Penalty 's Underlying Problem. In www.time.com. Retrieved from http://time.com/106523/the-death-penaltys-underlying-problem/
This piece addresses how prisoners on death row are viewed differently than the rest of society. They are seen as horrible villains who have done the unthinkable, but they may have been molded this way due to circumstance. If these monsters had been raised in difference situations or circumstances, they may have made different decisions all together. The author states that those who have committed crimes should be punished, but reasons of how they became who they are, should also be taken into account.
Galen Guengerich is the Senior Minister of All Souls Unitarian Church and is a valid source for the research paper, as he writes a regular column on “The Search for Meaning” for psychologytoday.com, as well as occasionally writing for Huffington Post and for FaithStreet.
This piece relates to the thesis because it provides a different perspective as to why prisoners on death row should serve a life sentence instead of facing execution.
Cary, M. (2011, March 30). The Conservative Case Against the Death Penalty. In www.usnews.com. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2011/03/30/the-conservative-case-against-the-death-penalty.
This article argues that due to the criminal justice system being flawed, the death penalty should not be used a form of punishment. More than 135 people have been removed from death row in the last 35 years because DNA proved them to be innocent. DNA evidence has freed 250 people from prison since the late 1980’s and 17 of those exonerated, were from death row according to the Innocence Project. The death penalty also costs more financially then does life in prison due to the cost of litigation, appeals and extra security measures that are taken with a death row inmate.
Mary Kate Cary is an editor and columnist at U.S. News & World Report, writing a column on politics, and is a political commentator on National Public Radio, making her a valid news source.
The article relates to the thesis that the death penalty should be changed to save innocent lives as well as taxpayer dollars.
Balko, R. (2011, July). Wrongful Convictions. In www.reason.com. Retrieved from http://reason.com/archives/2011/06/07/wrongful-convictions.
This article opposes the death penalty due to innocent people who are on death row. Prisoners have spent an average of 13 years in prison before being exonerated. Seventeen of those prisoners, were on death row waiting execution. 67 percent of those exonerated, were found to be innocent after 2000 due to DNA testing. However, there are still cases where no DNA evidence was available and innocence is more difficult to prove. Convictions can also occur from false accusations from eye witness testimony or a false confession from minors or mentally handicapped individuals.
Radley Balko blogs about criminal justice issues for The Washington Post. He was previously a senior writer and investigative reporter at the Huffington Post, which adds credibility to the article. The article is relevant to the article because it points out that more innocent people may be on death row that were not able to be exonerated by DNA evidence.
Berman, M. (2015, April 17). Most Americans Support the Death Penalty. They also agree that an innocent person might get put to death. In www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2015/04/17/most-americans-support-the-death-penalty-they-also-agree-that-an-innocent-person-might-get-put-to-death/.
This article addresses reasons as to why society is torn over the death penalty. There is always the lingering fear that an innocent person will be executed, a mistake that cannot be undone. Since the 1970’s, more than 150 prisoners who were sent to death row were later found to be innocent. In the last year alone, 125 people were found to be innocent and six of them, had been sentenced to death. However, 6 in 10 people are still in support of capital punishment because they believe it is justified for a heinous crime.
Mark Berman is a reporter on the National staff and received information for the article from the Pew survey, making this article relevant to the research paper. This article relates to the thesis because it lists reasons as to why society is both for and against the death penalty.
Jones, A., & Eder, S. (2012, October 5). Costs Test Backing for Death Penalty. In www.thewallstreetjournal.com. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443493304578036792267666794.
This article addresses how the death penalty may not be worth the taxpayer money that is spent on lawyers, litigations and appeals for death row inmates. A study has found that California has spent more than $4 billion on capital punishment since 1978 and about $308 million for 13 executions since 1978. The cost for an inmate on death-row is 100,000 more than the average prisoner a year and can cost 20 times as much as a life in prison case, due to the inmate being in a single cell and requiring higher security measures. California also provides two layers to every inmate who is facing execution and are allowed two trials to determine whether they are guilty or not and what punishment is appropriate for the crime. Ashby Jones is a reporter at The Wall Street Journal and covers national legal affairs. He was the lead writer of the Law Blog from 2009-2011, which shows that the article is from a legal and reputable source. The article relates to the research paper as it further corroborates why the death penalty has not proven to be cost effective.
Koch, E. (2012, May 1). The Death Penalty Option: I Support It. In www.huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ed-koch/the-death-penalty-option-_b_1467270.html.
This article supports discusses why capital punishment should remain intact because it was originally put in place as punishment for the worst of crimes. There is no risk of innocent people being judicially murdered as only one in six people have been executed in the last 35 years. Many of those who have been wrongfully convicted and put on death row, but have been exonerated before the execution occurred. It is believed that racism goes hand and hand with the death penalty, but studies show that white people commit fewer murders than other races, however more receive capital punishment.
Ed Koch was an American lawyer and politician. He served in the United States House of Representatives and was the mayor of New York City, which leads to the credibility of this article. The article relates to the thesis by explaining why it is unlikely that an innocent person will be executed and that the death penalty should remain in effect.`
Kolodny, C. (2014, February 26). The Truth About The Death Penalty ... And What You Can Do About It. In www.huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/26/death-penalty-myths-debunk_n_4849901.html.
This article provides misconceptions about the death penalty. California could save 125.5 million each year if the death penalty was disbanded. Many inmates that have been put on death row were not able to afford proper counsel and may have had a different sentence if they had specialized representation. Since 1973, 143 people have been found to be innocent and were exonerated. The death penalty has not been found to deter homicides as rates are still consistent in states that have abolished the death penalty.
Carina Kolodny is the Sr. Editor for Special Projects at The Huffington Post, which was ranked #1 on the 15 Most Popular Political Sites list by eBizMBA Rank which makes her a relevant source.
This article relates to the thesis by providing information on common misconceptions of the death penalty and why it should be abolished.
References
Balko, R. (2011, July). Wrongful Convictions. In www.reason.com. Retrieved from http://reason.com/archives/2011/06/07/wrongful-convictions.
Berman, M. (2015, April 17). Most Americans Support the Death Penalty. They also agree that an innocent person might get put to death. In www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2015/04/17/most-americans-support-the-death-penalty-they-also-agree-that-an-innocent-person-might-get-put-to-death/.
Cary, M. (2011, March 30). The Conservative Case Against the Death Penalty. In www.usnews.com. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2011/03/30/the-conservative-case-against-the-death-penalty.
Guengerich, G. (2104, May 22). The Death Penalty 's Underlying Problem. In www.time.com. Retrieved from http://time.com/106523/the-death-penaltys-underlying-problem/
Jones, A., & Eder, S. (2012, October 5). Costs Test Backing For Death Penalty. In www.thewallstreetjournal.com. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390443493304578036792267666794.
Koch, E. (2012, May 1). The Death Penalty Option: I Support It. In www.huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ed-koch/the-death-penalty-option-_b_1467270.html.
Kolodny, C. (2014, February 26). The Truth About The Death Penalty ... And What You Can Do About It. In www.huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/26/death-penalty-myths-debunk_n_4849901.html.
Milligan, S. (2014, May 9). The Price of a Penalty. U.S. News Digital Weekly 6 ed., 19 sec.: p. 4.
Muhlhausen, D. (2014, September 29). How the Death Penalty Saves Lives. In www.usnews.com. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2014/09/29/the-death-penalty-saves-lives-by-deterring-crime.
Rust-Tierney, D. (2014, September 19). Is It Time to Abolish the Death Penalty?. U.S. News Digital Weekly 6 ed., 38 sec.: p. 16.