History
Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is a state-sanctioned practice of killing a person as punishment for a crime. It originated as early as the 18th century B.C and was used with all crimes. All Offenses would result in death by crucifixion, hanging, beating to death, impalement, or drowning. Britain is one of the main countries responsible for death punishments coming to the U.S. Originally when European settlers came to the new world in Jamestown Virginia, they brought with them Capital punishment. In 1608 Captain George Kendall was one of the first executed in the US for being thought to be a spy. It continued to be used throughout history until 1976 when the Supreme Court declared capital punishment unconstitutional after Gregg vs Georgia.
What it's like today
Today the death penalty is legal in 27 American states. It can only be enforced in cases that result in death. For example, it can't be used in situations like rape if the victim lives. Most states use lethal injections to execute criminals. This is when they inject 3 lethal drugs. The first is typically a sedative, the second is a drug to paralyze the person, and the third is something like potassium chloride to stop the prisoner's heart. Other states use other methods such as electrocution, gas chambers, fire squad, etc.
Some believe that the death penalty is an act of justice while others believe it is unhuman. I do not believe in the death penalty because I think it is an easier way out than criminals deserve. Sitting in a jail cell alone and having to live the rest of your life locked up is a much better option than death.
Do you think the death penalty should be used today?
If not, what punishment do you see fit?
Do you think one person's death is justified by killing another?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_the_United_States
https://www.crf-usa.org/images/pdf/HistoryoftheDeathPenaltyinAmerica.pdf
Replies
Awesomwe topic and awesome job Mylee! Should have been in top five imo.
I think that the death penalty is very viscious and cruel but, some people need to go. A full on physcopathic cereal killer needs the death penalty so they can't kill anyone else. Now if someone only murdered one person it wouldn't be justified to give them the death penalty.
I personally dont think the death penalty should be used. I think for a lot of criminals, its the easy way out. I think they need to serve there time and be treated poorly honestly. I dont think one persons death is justified by killing another. I think a very long time away would be better.
I do not think that the death penalty should be used anymore. I also see it as an easy way out for criminals. Also if the person is possobly innocent but seen guilty then they died for no reason. I think a long time in prison or a lifetime should be the punishment . I do not think that the death penalty justifies what they did to the other person/persons family. Tbh I don't think anything would justify that type of crime.
I do believe that the death penalty should be used today in some cases if the crime is bad enough they do deserve to pay for it somehow. I agree with a lot of what 3Maria said: “They set them free and then they go and commit the same crime again, and yes some people can change but to stop someone from committing the same crime again killing that one person can justify killing another. If it’s going to make one more person feel safer in this world then I think it's worth it.
I don't think that the death penalty should be used today. In my opinion, it is unhuman and violates the right to life. Furthermore, you don't know if the victim would have wanted their murderer to get killed. Death penalty has such a big impact, also on the murderer's family.
i agree we dont know what the victim would have wanted.
I don't believe in death penalty. I think letting a prisnor die after they commit a crime is like letting them get away without much punishment. I think that a better punishment would be to let the prisnor sit in jail and live with what they've done. I would hope this might make them change.
In my opinion death penalty should be used in some circumstances. There has been some cases in which after 20 years of jail, they set free the criminal and they do the exact same things. However, there is people that change a lot and never do it again. I think that if one person's death it can justify killing another for the reason that killing the criminal could save more lives in the future.
When I hear about the death penalty in jails, it makes me wonder how someone could possibly be put to death like that, under any circumstance. While it is unfortunate, sometimes that form of punishment may be the best form of justice to recieve. However, I believe thatthe decision of the course of action, death penalty or not, should be left up to the family of the victim/s.
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