Week 1 Assignment Crt 205
Should They Die
CRT/205
November, 14 2009
Axia College
Should They Die
Capital punishment has long been on the chopping block within many forums in America. Most in favor will argue, when considering the most heinous and wicked of crimes, criminals committing these crimes should be put to death. Those opposed will always take the stance that capital punishment is unacceptable in a civilized society in that it is a cruel form of punishment. My stance is one of support for capital punishment in the capacity that it is a necessity in respect to the basic premise of the severity of punishment being weighed against the circumstances of the crime.
The eighth amendment of the Constitution clearly states that individuals will not have cruel or unusual punishment inflicted on them (U.S. Constitution). However, today many of those opposed consider capital punishment to be the cruelest form of punishment. Unfortunately, for it to be unconstitutional it would need to be cruel and also unusual. The founders, undoubtedly, did not consider capital punishment unusual as it was commonplace in the day for crimes of treason and murder. When given as a sentence in regard to vicious crime, capital punishment is a guarantee that the criminal will not escape and again commit these acts.
That was then and this is now; the times have changed and so have people’s views, are likely the next points those opposed will make. Have they really changed though? According to an October, 2009 Gallup Crime Survey, “65% of Americans continue to support the use of the death penalty for persons convicted of murder, while 31% oppose it” (Newport, 2009). The simple fact that America is a democratic republic makes any topic, in which a two-thirds majority favor said topic, substantial. As mentioned above, the fact that capital punishment can guarantee a criminal will not commit vicious crime in the future, leads Americans continually to remain in favor of it.
The opposition makes the argument
CRT/205
November, 14 2009
Axia College
Should They Die
Capital punishment has long been on the chopping block within many forums in America. Most in favor will argue, when considering the most heinous and wicked of crimes, criminals committing these crimes should be put to death. Those opposed will always take the stance that capital punishment is unacceptable in a civilized society in that it is a cruel form of punishment. My stance is one of support for capital punishment in the capacity that it is a necessity in respect to the basic premise of the severity of punishment being weighed against the circumstances of the crime.
The eighth amendment of the Constitution clearly states that individuals will not have cruel or unusual punishment inflicted on them (U.S. Constitution). However, today many of those opposed consider capital punishment to be the cruelest form of punishment. Unfortunately, for it to be unconstitutional it would need to be cruel and also unusual. The founders, undoubtedly, did not consider capital punishment unusual as it was commonplace in the day for crimes of treason and murder. When given as a sentence in regard to vicious crime, capital punishment is a guarantee that the criminal will not escape and again commit these acts.
That was then and this is now; the times have changed and so have people’s views, are likely the next points those opposed will make. Have they really changed though? According to an October, 2009 Gallup Crime Survey, “65% of Americans continue to support the use of the death penalty for persons convicted of murder, while 31% oppose it” (Newport, 2009). The simple fact that America is a democratic republic makes any topic, in which a two-thirds majority favor said topic, substantial. As mentioned above, the fact that capital punishment can guarantee a criminal will not commit vicious crime in the future, leads Americans continually to remain in favor of it.
The opposition makes the argument
References: Department of Justice. (2009). Capital punishment statistics. Retrieved November 13, 2009, from http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/cp.htm Newport, F. (2009). In U.S., two-thirds continue to support death penalty. Gallup. Retrieved November 14, 2009, from http://www.gallup.com/poll/123638/In-U.S.-Two-Thirds-Continue-Support-Death-Penalty.aspx U.S. Constitution. Amendment VIII.