Adrianna Coffee
Dr. Huck
GSTR 110
Capital Punishment
The death penalty should never be applied as a punishment to a person convicted of intentionally killing another person because the death penalty is a costly, unfair punishment that does not benefit society as a whole.
What is the death penalty? The death penalty is defined as “the punishment of execution, administered to someone legally convicted of a capital crime.” (Definition of Death Penalty in English) Since 1976 there have been over fourteen hundred executions in the United States. Currently there are thirty one states that uses the death penalty as a means of punishment for a crime. (Facts about the Death Penalty) The death penalty is a retributivist method of punishment, and does …show more content…
William Blackstone once said “It is better that ten guilty escape than one innocent suffer.” (William Blackstone) Since 1973 over one hundred and fifty people on death row have been exonerated. (Facts about the Death Penalty) One of the major causes for wrongful conviction is poor defense. In relation to that, race and class play a major part in who gets the death penalty, those who have less money, are more likely to receive an inadequate defense team. Those who are wealthier can afford good legal counsel, and therefore have a better chance of being acquitted or receiving a lesser sentence, than someone with a public defender. Sixty-eight percent of all death penalty cases that have been overturned, were found guilty because they had inadequate defense. (Facts about the Death Penalty) The death penalty is permanent, once you execute someone there is nothing that can be done if it is found they are actually …show more content…
An execution can cause a media circus. When it comes time for the execution is because a very talked about topic and is often all over the news. For the families of victims, seeing their loved ones killer on the news can be painful because it dredges up old wounds, and causes the families to have to go through the trauma of losing a loved one all over again. For other families they do not feel that the death penalty is justice. After Marietta Jaeger’s daughter was kidnapped and murdered, she joined a group known as MVFR, or Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation. It was a group that worked to end the ‘eye for an eye’ justice system because it only appeared to create more ‘blind people’. Marietta Jaeger believes “It is an insult to her memory to suggest she is worth only one life. To kill someone in her name is to violate her.” (Unsworth, Tim)
There are many useful, utilitarian methods of punishment other than the death penalty. For many people a life of crime is the only one they have ever known. They are not given other opportunities so they turn to crime as a way to make a living and with that often comes murder. In these cases it would be beneficial to teach them life skills and tools needed to succeed in life while they are in prison. This is so if they ever get out of prison they have the option to do something other than participate
Dr. Huck
GSTR 110
Capital Punishment
The death penalty should never be applied as a punishment to a person convicted of intentionally killing another person because the death penalty is a costly, unfair punishment that does not benefit society as a whole.
What is the death penalty? The death penalty is defined as “the punishment of execution, administered to someone legally convicted of a capital crime.” (Definition of Death Penalty in English) Since 1976 there have been over fourteen hundred executions in the United States. Currently there are thirty one states that uses the death penalty as a means of punishment for a crime. (Facts about the Death Penalty) The death penalty is a retributivist method of punishment, and does …show more content…
William Blackstone once said “It is better that ten guilty escape than one innocent suffer.” (William Blackstone) Since 1973 over one hundred and fifty people on death row have been exonerated. (Facts about the Death Penalty) One of the major causes for wrongful conviction is poor defense. In relation to that, race and class play a major part in who gets the death penalty, those who have less money, are more likely to receive an inadequate defense team. Those who are wealthier can afford good legal counsel, and therefore have a better chance of being acquitted or receiving a lesser sentence, than someone with a public defender. Sixty-eight percent of all death penalty cases that have been overturned, were found guilty because they had inadequate defense. (Facts about the Death Penalty) The death penalty is permanent, once you execute someone there is nothing that can be done if it is found they are actually …show more content…
An execution can cause a media circus. When it comes time for the execution is because a very talked about topic and is often all over the news. For the families of victims, seeing their loved ones killer on the news can be painful because it dredges up old wounds, and causes the families to have to go through the trauma of losing a loved one all over again. For other families they do not feel that the death penalty is justice. After Marietta Jaeger’s daughter was kidnapped and murdered, she joined a group known as MVFR, or Murder Victims Families for Reconciliation. It was a group that worked to end the ‘eye for an eye’ justice system because it only appeared to create more ‘blind people’. Marietta Jaeger believes “It is an insult to her memory to suggest she is worth only one life. To kill someone in her name is to violate her.” (Unsworth, Tim)
There are many useful, utilitarian methods of punishment other than the death penalty. For many people a life of crime is the only one they have ever known. They are not given other opportunities so they turn to crime as a way to make a living and with that often comes murder. In these cases it would be beneficial to teach them life skills and tools needed to succeed in life while they are in prison. This is so if they ever get out of prison they have the option to do something other than participate