Did you know that as early as 1608 there was a death penalty in America? Yes, before the U.S. was created there was a death penalty here. It is one of, if not the most controversial and long lasting topics in America. Before there were prisons, most criminals or thieves were put to death for something as small as stealing grapes or killing chickens. In 1846 Michigan became the first state to abolish the death penalty for anything except treason. Later, Rhode Island and Wisconsin abolished the death penalty for all crimes. Until 1963 there were crimes that if you committed them you would have to be sentenced to death, By changing that it gave more power to the courts to decide on the death penalty. Then in 1972 the supreme court decided by a vote of 5 to 4 that the death penalty was in violation of the 8th amendment. When 3 different justices on the supreme court had disagreements the judgment went back to the states to decide. Florida was the first to bring back the death penalty and 34 followed. It has remained very similar since then but the public has steadily started to turn away from the death penalty.
In an unbiased point of view of the death penalty, it is very hard to decide if it is good or bad for society. On one side it gets rid of criminals who are terrible people and makes sure they can’t ever get back into civilization. But on the other hand it is pretty much murder, and even if someone did a terrible thing they can still get forgiveness from God if they are sincere and there is also a chance that they were wrongly convicted. A recent research study showed that 1/20 prisoners were wrongfully convicted, this means that if there are 100 people that are sentenced to death and it is carried out that there is a chance that 5 of them were innocent.
In my opinion, I don’t think that the death penalty is justifiable unless there are 2 conditions. First, if there is cold hard evidence of it being rape, murder, or any kind of sex trafficing. I believe that if you do those crimes you should not be able to live anymore. Next, I think that if you show remorse for murder that you should get the chance of prison but with life without parole. The reason I left out rape and sex trafficing is that if you are willing to torture and eventually most likely plan to kill them you should not be able to live even if you are in prison for the rest of your life. I'm not saying that the death penalty is good nor bad but I think that you need to have an open mind and that there isn’t just an easy yes or no answer. Just like many political views such as abortion there isn’t an easy yes or no, there are always circumstances that can change the way you would think so I believe that if the death penalty is active that it should be circumstantial and looked at unbiasedly and fairly.
What are your thoughts on the death penalty?
Do you think that the death penalty is good or bad for the United States?
Does the death penalty violate the 8th ammendment, and if it does why?
Replies
I agree, but who do you think should get to decide? I think that it should be the jury but maybe you have a different opinion.
I believe the death penalty is not nessisary, but believe it should be an opition. An option for people who have been incarcerated and have escaped prison. It might sound cruel, but it would keep people that escaped from escaping again. I want prisoners to know that if they escape they get the death penalty because it will stop them from escaping. The main reason it's not nessisary is because I feel that most criminals that have commited heinous crimes should get life in prison because its worse than the short way out.
I think that your idea is good, but I feel that it isn't a "quick way out" for them. Personally I don't think anything is more valuable than life, but I can't speak for prisoners. Also I think that some prisoners won't hate it there because they are with their peers and might rather live there than die. But based on your reasoning if a prisoner escapes they should be put back in prison and not given a "quick way out".
I think the death penalty should be used. Because if someone murdered, or did something so bad that they get life, 50 years, or they escape in prison they could harm many people after they get out or in jail. I think you should just give them the death penalty so they don't do anymore harm which would be good for our country.
My thoughts on the death penalty would change if something ever happened to me by them taking the life of like one of my family members. I think it's good for those that commit the most extreme crimes. It kind of violates the death penalty by taking the life of a different person.
My thoughts are that the ONLY crime desrving of the death penalty is murder. Now some people might think that some other crimes deserve the death penalty but I believe that any crime other than murder shouldent get the death penalty unless it is a very serious offence that happens more than once.
I think that the death penalty is a good thing to extent of the only punishable crimes is murder and other very serious crimes that happen more than once.
This really changed my view on the death penalty. I believe that it is okay in very few cases, but I can also see the side on why it shouldn't be in place. If it is a drastic crime that will be remembered forever, life in prison may not be enough, but the death penalty can also impact the persons family and friends. They may have gone through a lot of trauma, or have mental problems. Prisoners are usually not treated with much respect or get help if they need it. I think first they should try and get them mental help and understand why they committed the crime. If the person doesn't change and is still a threat, then the death penalty is really the only option to keep them from being harmful.
I agree that prisoners should be heard from and helped with what they need, many don't get the help they need but if they are not able to be helped than they should be put to death.
I believe the death penalty is fair, but only in certain casenarios. Such as brutal murders, and purposeful murders. I don't believe that people who accidentally kill someone should be executed by the death penalty. I believe that it is good to have because some people who are thrown in prison for life are able to escape and go out and go on mass killing sprees killing many more people. When they could've been executed right away. No it does not violate itself.
Considering that the death penalty gives people that extra mental to support for a horrible accident that could've impacted lives. Although maybe people who have done terrible things don't get the death penalty, they should definitely change how they terminate, because its technically tourture.
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