Argumentative Essay On Crime And Punishment

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Crime and punishment have been around before the discovery and inhabitation by the English of a new land called America. Christopher Columbus discovered the new world in 1492 and in 1607 English immigrants started a colony in Virginia. The first recorded execution was in 1608 a male named George Kendall was shot for espionage in Virginia a 168 a years before America become an independent country (Espy & Smylka 2007). Danial Frank`s execution in 1622 is considered to be the first legal death penalty. Frank`s execution is deemed legal according to the Divine, Moral and martial Laws that were implemented to ensure the colonists’ safety (Randa1997). The research done by (Espy & Smylka 2007) states that Moses Dunbar as the first male executed …show more content…
There is the possibility he may take a plea bargain or have some extenuating circumstances that can exclude him or her from being put to death. The conviction of a capital crime can leave an inmate on “Death Row” awaiting his execution for years and sometimes decades. The question that this research asks is "Does your age, gender, race, or year of sentence impact your likelihood of receiving the death penalty?" The first hypothesis that younger age is positively correlated with the chances of receiving the death penalty in a capital case. The younger generation may be considered more violent due to exposure to gruesome or explicit video games. In addition, the adolescents tend to make decisions rashly without considering consequences that have long lasting effects. The second hypothesis is that gender has a positive factor in that more males will receive the death sentence. Men tend to be more aggressive than women. The third hypothesis is that race is a positive attribute in receiving the death sentence. African-Americans are a minority race and comparing them proportionally to White Caucasians are tried less often for the death penalty. The fourth hypothesis is that the year of sentencing will be a negative factor in the chances of receiving the death sentence. The year should have no bearing on who receives the death sentence. With the completion of this study, a better understanding of the factors that contribute to a person’s chances of receiving the death sentence will allow the implementation to target specific programs designed to reduce criminal activity for any age, gender, and

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