capital punishment
Weigh the pros, cons and controversies surrounding the grave issue of capital punishment; should the death penalty be allowed?
Criminals & Society
Historically, society has attempted to discourage crime by making the punishment so horrible that nobody would want to take the risk of committing a crime. In an age where people aren’t afraid of death what can be done to scare them? What can we do in America where inmates consider lumpy potatoes to be "cruel and unusual punishment?"
By Joseline Burns5 years ago in Criminal
Waiting to Die
Dear Love, I’m not dead yet. It seems I’ve been waiting here forever just to die. I’m not all that surprised though; it doesn’t seem like anyone ever dies around here unless its from old age or a prison brawl. I heard one guy died here, after waiting forty years, from natural causes (“Nation’s Longest Serving Death Row Inmate Dies 40 Years After Conviction”). I hope I don’t do that. The anxiety of waiting would probably kill me first. I also heard that in the last forty years only thirteen people have been executed (Ron Briggs con 3). Thirteen! Can you believe that? Why bother putting us on death row if they aren’t even going to kill us? They might as well lock us up for life; it’s pretty much what they are doing anyways. Why do they want to kill us anyways? Do they find justice from it? Is killing me the only way they can feel at peace? Do they worry that I'll escape and cause more trouble? I don't want to live my life on the run. At least here I have food and shelter. There's no guarantee that I would get that out of here. Let me tell you, I thought killing that man who hurt me would give me peace, but it didn’t. It made everything worse. Do they think it will stop others? They obviously don’t know deterrence theory. I doubt they have even heard the term swiftness of punishment or certainty of punishment. It means that for a punishment to be a deterrence it has to happen soon after the sentencing and has to happen with certainty (Schram and Tibbetts 70 -71). Well, I’m still not dead and I’m not sure I ever will be killed. And if I hear one more time that killing me is the only way to keep me from killing again, I swear (George W. Bush pro 11). What about all the murders not on death row? The murders in prison are allowed to murder? What’s the point of regular prison if you really believe it won’t hold? Don’t even get me started on the brutalization effect. I still don’t understand how the death penalty isn’t just someone seeking revenge. Killing is killing, whether someone decides it's legal or not. Might as well let vigilantes do the work and save the police some time. Anyway, how are you? Did you fix your financial problem? You know it would be less of a problem if taxes weren’t so high. It costs you $384 million an execution to do it the ‘right way’ (con 3). Makes you wonder what a bullet would cost. But then again, it’s easier to say it’s not murder when nobody’s pulling the trigger. Plus, someone could miss with a bullet and fail the execution. Not that that ever happens with lethal injections or electrocutions. Oh wait, yeah it does. So who knows, maybe when they finally call my number I won’t die. I’ll just be a vegetable. There’s one guy in here that keeps getting his number called but keeps getting rescheduled (“Upcoming Executions”). Honestly, it seems like more people are getting rescheduled than executed. Anyways, I hope you’re doing well. I miss you, I love you. Hopefully this will all be over soon.
By Medea Walker6 years ago in Criminal
Why the Death Penalty Is 100% Justified, Forty-Nine Years After One of the Most Infamous Acts of Domestic Terrorism
When we think of the death penalty, there are only two types of opinions. The first type views capital punishment as hypocritical and inhumane, which is understandable. The second viewpoint is that punishment by death is justified and fair in cases of murder and terrorism. One case that got people talking about the death penalty was the infamous Manson Family case; this case is now considered an act of domestic terrorism. Do mass murder and domestic terrorism warrant capital punishment? Yes they do, as this can be seen as a justified punishment for crimes that are horrific beyond belief. Human life cannot be compensated for with money or other materialistic items. Nor will it ever be.
By Devin Louise6 years ago in Criminal
Make It Efficient, Practical, and Humane (**Essay**)
It was scheduled that inmate Ricky Gray is expected to be executed on March 16, 2016. But, what would happen to his conviction if the lethal injection was no longer an option? The theory of the electric chair is an open discussion, but some Congressmen will argue that it is in violation of the Constitution for being deemed a cruel and unusual of punishment. How can that be when even some of the most well-known states (such as, Arizona, California, and Oklahoma) still legalize demeaning gas chambers? The State of Virginia challenges that notion by proposing a death row bill that will promote the opportunity to explore other choices on how to bring justice when the court system convicts a person to die. The state is trying to get previous techniques re-approved for death row inmates in response to the now crisis of the insufficient stock of deadly chemicals. If the bill provides too much of a controversy, then the Virginian Correctional Facilities will be forced to look for alternative sedatives in order to create a completely new lethal drug formula. One problem still remains as a prominent factor with the passing of this bill is that humanity as a whole does not entirely agree with the Capital Punishment Law. The people would rather see the law be terminated permanently. Even though it may not be the most humane method, the State of Virginia proposes that electrocution can be more efficient and practical than the reliability of obtaining the drugs used for lethal injections.
By Robyn Welborne6 years ago in Criminal
Case Brief: ‘A Life for a Life?’
For money or for virtue? This is a question that many lawyers and politicians must make. For people in jobs like these, they are put in a position in which they are forced to decide either to do what they believe is right, or do what will guarantee them another paycheck. The case brief "A Life for a Life?" is about a House Member named Manny who needs to make a decision to vote for or against a bill that will get the death-penalty statute off the books in Florida (A Life for a Life). With second term elections coming up, and outside opinions clashing, Manny needs to make a firm decision. According to Virtue Ethics and Aristotle’s Philosophy, it would be unethical and, therefore, wrong for Manny to approve the bill that will get the death-penalty statute off the books in Florida because it would be going against key virtues in Manny’s life.
By Valerie Holt6 years ago in Criminal
A Search for Kinder Executions
Continuing the Search for Kinder Executions Mark Essig, in his essay, "Continuing the Search for Kinder Executions," explains the impossible search for a simple way to handle judicial murder. Judicial murder, also known as the capital punishment, uses pancuronium bromide to "humanely" execute those who have a conviction for a capital crime. Pancuronium bromide is a drug that paralyzes muscles but does not affect the nerves. Leaving its victims wide awake, but immobilized, as they painfully suffocate. Although many find the death penalty a better way to dispose of criminals, the author's stance on capital punishment disagrees entirely.
By Ariana Seanor6 years ago in Criminal
Chad Alan Lee
When I moved to Phoenix Arizona in 1985 I never thought, in my wildest dreams, I would meet some of the people in which I did. The wide array of personalities was captivating to say the least. Many of the people who eventually became friends and acquaintances kept me on my toes when at varies social events. Two of the "social events;" I was in my teens at the time, we were at Great Skate and the Break Cue Club (Pool Hall) off of 43rd ave and Peoria. I remember great times and great people. However, what I never imagined, in a million years is what was going to happen in the early 1990s by an acquaintance I met at The Break.
By Kate Adams6 years ago in Criminal
The Death Penalty
The death penalty was something we all learned about in school and the responses regarding its legality have never just been black or white. Some agree it serves a purpose of justice and others find it inhumane and believe it serves no justice but in fact contradicts itself. I found it fascinating that so many people believed so many different things and decided I wanted to dive into this and see if anybody could convince me that my own opinions were wrong.
By Rebecca Massey6 years ago in Criminal
The Economic Values of Capital Punishment. Top Story - January 2018.
There is a plethora of controversy surrounding the use of capital punishment. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, capital punishment is defined as “punishment by death for a serious crime.” Many factors play a role in deciding if capital punishment should or should not be used in the United States: religion, money, and politics. This paper will mainly be focused on the economic effects that the death penalty has in the United States, essentially asking the question, “does the economic impact of the death penalty justify or nullify capital punishment?”
By Harmony Bates6 years ago in Criminal
On Death Row
It was my second year of college and I was in a lecture about homicide and serial killers. My professor was extremely passionate about all things morbid so this was probably my favourite class that I attended that year. She shared with us the letters she actively wrote to prisoners, recommended great documentaries, and provided us resources that not a lot of the general public would know about. These included websites containing every last detail of inmates who were executed on death row.
By Jenny Reed6 years ago in Criminal
Governor Greitens' Stay of Execution Regarding the Marcellus Williams Death Penalty Case
The Death Penalty The death penalty is a very permanent punishment for a crime committed. So what happens if you are innocent? What if no-one will listen? It appears Marcellus Williams is the perfect person to ask about this.
By Sherrie Pogue7 years ago in Criminal
