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 believe that the death penalty is wrong, instead of killing the person just make them stay in jail for the rest of their lives. I don't think the death penalty is good for the United States but it isn't necessarily bad, because if someone committed a terrorist attack on the United States then they probably shouldn't get to live.
My thoughts are they are bad. We should not be able to condem people to death no matter the consequece. As it is taking a humans life away which could of been the reason of there crime. Which would not make us any different from them. But there are some cases which are very horrible and not humanly forgiveable. In those cases maybe there could be a change in heart. But as if right now I believe that it should be taken away. Because are life is no different from someone ele's.
I aggree when you said it should only really be used when there is cases of rape, murder, or any kind of sex trafficing. I also agree that is it very hard to decide whether its a good thing like the family of the victim having the chance to get revenge but also wrong because you are basicly just murdering people. I think the death penalty should not be used because the criminal will most likely not live long in a prison if they have done things that are horible.
I don't believe that the family of the vicim gets to decide if the inmate gets the death pealty, so I wouldn't consider it revenge. many prisoners who are in prisons are not going to kill someone just because they commited murder so I don't think most of them will die.
My thoughts on the death penalty is not a good or bad response. I believe it should be in place for certain crimes, such as murder, kidnapping, etc. I don't think it should apply to crimes like speeding, driving without a seltbelt, or stealing. I also believe that it is good for the US because if it is place in all the states, that prevents criminals from flying to another state where the death penalty isnt in place.
I think this is too big of a question for a yes or no answer. I agree that the death penalty isn't a right or wrong punishment but you have to feel for the people's family when that person dies. I think that the death penalty is good and bad because it gets rid of people who have committed atrocious crimes. I believe that a person has the right to live unless they have committed many major crimes like murder.
I agree but I don't think that a inmates family should be considered because the inmate could have considered them before they commited the crime.
The Gallup Crime Survey has asked about the fairness of death penalty application in the United States since 2000. For the first time, Death-penalty states as a group do not have lower rates of criminal homicide than non-death-penalty states.The Supreme Court has ruled that the death penalty does not vioate the Eighth Amendment does shape certain procedural aspects regarding when a jury may use the death penalty and how it must be carried out.
I think the death pentaly is not a good idea, because when someone hurts you or your family. why should you have the right to dicided if a living breathing human being should die. I personaly think that evryone has a right to live no matter the curcomstances.
I disagree because the family is not who gets to decide a defendents sentence they have the right to a trial by their peers or a jury. So it is not the family getting revenge necessarilly but it is the jury deciding.
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
of 4 Next