Douglas J. Pettiford
Stanley “Tookie” Williams
CRIMINOLOGY
July, 6 2015
The life of a gang member is a harsh one that often leads to imprisonment or death. Many who embrace gang life do so to fill emptiness or void in their life. Gang leadership frequently offers to fill that void, under the pretense of fellowship and family. Those who do accept the call gain a sense of power and belonging. The life of most in gangs follow a path that is riddles with violence, crime, mistakes and regrets, but rarely redemption. It is not often they will get a chance to reevaluate their perspective on life and make a change for the better. Incarceration is the normal path for many gang members; in fact prison is a sort of rite of …show more content…
Legal executions were authorized under the Criminal Practice Act of 1851, and on February 14, 1872 it was revised to include the penal code which basically stated that the implementation of the death penalty must take place in the presence of law enforcement personnel, a doctor must be provided, the district attorney, a minimum of 12 citizens and at the request of the prisoner no more than two minister can be present to administer last rites (History of Capital Punishment in California n.d). In the case of Stanley “Tookie “Williams the law was clear. He met the criteria for execution for his crimes, and punishment should have been without controversy. Yet, Williams’s situation challenged to moral and ethical responsibility of society. He was indeed a murderer, and his past was riddled with violation of the law, but he forced California to reevaluate its death penalty policy. William’s made the state of California, and it fact the nation ask the question, can a person change? And if that change occurs should such harsh penalties as death be …show more content…
In his memoirs “Blue Rage, Black Redemption” Williams spoke about the changes he experienced on his road to redemption. He was catapulted into a position where he could simply fade away into nonexistence or reevaluate his current situation and make a change for the better. The former would have been the easiest, but he began to have an awakening internally and was beginning to sees the errors of his ways, and how his choices affected others. The word redemption in itself means to atone for mistakes and a deliverance from those
Stanley “Tookie” Williams
CRIMINOLOGY
July, 6 2015
The life of a gang member is a harsh one that often leads to imprisonment or death. Many who embrace gang life do so to fill emptiness or void in their life. Gang leadership frequently offers to fill that void, under the pretense of fellowship and family. Those who do accept the call gain a sense of power and belonging. The life of most in gangs follow a path that is riddles with violence, crime, mistakes and regrets, but rarely redemption. It is not often they will get a chance to reevaluate their perspective on life and make a change for the better. Incarceration is the normal path for many gang members; in fact prison is a sort of rite of …show more content…
Legal executions were authorized under the Criminal Practice Act of 1851, and on February 14, 1872 it was revised to include the penal code which basically stated that the implementation of the death penalty must take place in the presence of law enforcement personnel, a doctor must be provided, the district attorney, a minimum of 12 citizens and at the request of the prisoner no more than two minister can be present to administer last rites (History of Capital Punishment in California n.d). In the case of Stanley “Tookie “Williams the law was clear. He met the criteria for execution for his crimes, and punishment should have been without controversy. Yet, Williams’s situation challenged to moral and ethical responsibility of society. He was indeed a murderer, and his past was riddled with violation of the law, but he forced California to reevaluate its death penalty policy. William’s made the state of California, and it fact the nation ask the question, can a person change? And if that change occurs should such harsh penalties as death be …show more content…
In his memoirs “Blue Rage, Black Redemption” Williams spoke about the changes he experienced on his road to redemption. He was catapulted into a position where he could simply fade away into nonexistence or reevaluate his current situation and make a change for the better. The former would have been the easiest, but he began to have an awakening internally and was beginning to sees the errors of his ways, and how his choices affected others. The word redemption in itself means to atone for mistakes and a deliverance from those