Field
LNG 406
25 January 2011
Capital Punishment – Just: An Annotated Bibliography
Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood: A True Account of A Multiple Murder and Its Consequences. New York: Vintage, 1994. Print.
Crowe, Robert E. "Should Capital Punishment be Retained? Pro." Congressional Digest Aug. 1927: 228+. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 26 Jan. 2011.
Crowe believes the primary benefit of capital punishment is its usefulness in deterring any future criminal acts, particularly murders. He asserts the death penalty is the only punishment equal in value to the murders or other crimes for which capital punishment is sentenced. While attacking the United States government for its lack of criminal regulation, Crowe suggests capital punishment will instill fear in criminals and make them think twice before committing a violent crime. He states this fear of punishment is what protects citizens from the wrath of brutal murderers who, without the death penalty, would believe they have nothing to fear. Crowe proclaims someone who tries to nullify the death penalty in court is hampering the progress of the American government and is keeping the rest of society in danger. As the article continues, Crowe concurs that the feeling of being on the jury of a murder trial is one of the most difficult as you hold the life of a person in your hands. However, he believes people have the best interest of their society in mind. Crowe uses Chicago as an example of how capital punishment as resulted in the decrease in murders and other crimes. Throughout the rest of the article, Crowe discusses how the life of the victim is forever lost and the punishment should be proportionate to the crime, how even those who are deemed irresponsible should be sentenced to the death penalty for the better of society, and how there is proof of capital punishment deterring further crime.
Crowe’s analysis of capital punishment and its justification is