Essays Against Capital Punishment

Essay Against Capital Punishment
"At 8:00 p.m. it was nearing the end of John Evans' last day on death row. He had spent most of
the day with his minister and family, praying and talking of what was to come. At 8:20 he was
walked from his cell down to the long hall to the execution room and strapped in the electric chair.
At 8:30 p.m. the first jolt of 1900 volts passed through Mr. Evans' body. It lasted 30 seconds. Sparks
and flames erupted from the electrode tied to Mr. Evans' leg. His body slammed against the straps
holding him in the chair and his fist clenched permanently. The electrode then burst from the strap
holding it in place. A large puff of gray smoke and sparks pored out from under the hood that
covered his face. An overpowering stench of burnt flesh and...show more content...
The truth of the matter is, the United States should cease the use of capital punishment in both
federal and state prisons. Capital punishment is immoral and unethical; it degrades society, and
lowers the value of a human life. It does not deter murder, it is not economically efficient, and its
effects are irreversible. There is not one good reason to keep executing wrongdoers in the United
States or anywhere else.
Capital punishment goes against the morals and standards that our country is based upon. A
punishment that inflicts harm on a person can hardly be good or moral if it is purposeless. A
punishment may be given to a wrongdoer for one or a combination of the following reasons: (1) to
protect the community from the criminal returning to previous activity, (2) to rehabilitate the
offender; and (3) to restore the moral order breached by the violation. Capital punishment is not
required to accomplish any of these purposes. Other alternatives work better or at least as well
(Robinson, 1999, October 7). Killing is not the answer (Bender& Leone, 1987 p. 63). Recently
some states have been implementing life without parole as an alternative to death. This has proven
just a successful as the death penalty for punishment. It prevents criminals from returning to society,
and is less expensive than capital punishment (Vila & Morris, 1997, p.255). Another study
shows that over 80% of those serving life sentences will never commit another crime, and well
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Persuasive Essay On Capital Punishment
Capital punishment has been a basic piece of human culture and its lawful framework for a
considerable length of time. It is often viewed as a vital sanction to the most heinous of crimes as
well as an approach to stop future lawbreakers by fear of death. In many cases, this sort of
punishment came to be viewed as an immoral act against humanity, and its legitimacy in a plethora
of legal systems has been addressed. As of recently, the civil argument persists. This brought about a
wide disparity of laws on this issue. A few countries including China, the US, Iran, Belarus, and
others protect capital punishment as a choice, while others like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and
every European country have canceled the death penalty. Despite the obvious negatives, others chose
to keep the practice in their laws. The death penalty is an overzealous "eye for an eye" tactic, that is
and has been damaging the fabric of our society. The expense, the immorality and the control over
another life to such degree, should be cause enough for any country to not just rethink this heinous
and inhumane punishment but to abolish it. The United States inheritance of slavery and racial
corruption proceeded with offense, in our utilization of capital punishment, where nearly three times
the general population on death row is of black decent. Capital punishment, has been supported and
upheld for so long as a retribution for the most heinous of crimes, but who knew being black was
included in that

Against Capital Punishment Essay
Against Capital Punishment
What is the true value of a human life and how can one trade it for another? Isn't it said repetitively
in religion and government that each life should be treated equally? Then, how are we allowed to
condemn a person to death? How can we make abortion illegal but capital punishment legal in certain
circumstances? No matter what way you look at it capital punishment is murder. If each year there is
about 250 people added to death row and 35 executed imagine how many of those people are
actually innocent?
Whenever the government decides to sentence a criminal to death they always seem to forget that
the death affects other people related to the person. Families can be ripped apart with siblings or
parents...show more content...
The pope said on January 23, 1999 at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, "This
is our cry: life with dignity for all! For all who have been conceived in their mother's womb, for
street children, for indigenous peoples and African–Americans, for immigrants and refugees, for the
young deprived of opportunity, for the old, for those who suffer any kind of poverty or
marginalization. Dear brothers and sisters, the time has come to banish once and for all from the
continent every attack against life. No more violence, terrorism and drug trafficking! No more
torture or other forms of abuse! There must be an end to the unnecessary recourse to the death
penalty! No more exploitation of the weak, racial discrimination or ghettoes of poverty! Never
again!"
Capital Punishment is unfair in its administration because statistics show that the poor and
minorities are more likely to receive the death penalty than the wealthy. The wealthy are more
likely to get off then the poor because they are wealthy or famous. Throughout history the courts
have been biased with people who are wealthy and people who aren't. For example, O.J. Simpson
got off free when everyone knew he was guilty. What the media does not show is that the court was
most likely bias towards the fact that he was well known even though all of the evidence proved he
was guilty to the public. If the court system is improved then capital

Capital punishment is executing someone who have done a severe crime to the point of taking
someone's life. Death penalty is the reason why United States is divided. There are numerous
supporters, as well as opposers. As of 2015, thirty–three states legalized death penalty and seventeen
abolished it. I believed that death penalty should not be abolished or kept it if already had. I will
refute that the idea death penalty do not prevent crime, irreversible and mistakes happen, and cost.
In 2003, Joanna M. Shepherd; Murders of Passion, study that at least three lives has been saved
because of executing murders. He found this by collecting monthly murder and execution data using
least squares and negative binomial estimations. Capital punishment effect on murders is by a
crimes of passion.He also notice that death penalty has reduced because criminals have to wait a
long time to receive their punishment. As a result of this murdering has reduced every 2.75 years. I
am please with Mr.Shepherd study even though it is not enough reason to prove the large amount
of opposition. Fearing death is a part of human nature, performing such an action will be less likely
to happen. Ernest Van Den Haag, a professor at Fordham University argue that death penalty is the
strongest discouragement society has against murder, he has proven his point in many studies. He
claim that since society is interested in preventing murder,therefore they will be willing to use the
strongest punishments for their welfare . Those who opposed capital punishment believe it's
unethical for government to take a life of someone. However, Immanuel Kant argues that a
unethical society is one that's not willing to demand a life of a murderer. I believe that it's wicked
for a person who commit a crime to be in jail and still breathe as if he/she haven't killed anyone,
instead of them being properly punish. Unlike them, criminals are punished humanely. The
government is kind enough to lethal injection instead of hanging them or punishing them with
electric chair which were gone a long time ago. Although the lethal injection may have cost a lot we
are helping preventing crime because we know now that murder rate will be high if capital
punishment is not

Essay about Speech Against Capital Punishment
Speech Against Capital Punishment
Good Afternoon, I am honored to be here, and I thank you for having me.
Today I would like to speak to you about a very controversial issue– capital punishment. What do
those two words mean to you? To most people they mean a murder victims family receiving
justice for their deceased. Let me see a show of hands. How many people in the audience believe
in the death penalty? I conducted a weeklong survey of two hundred people of all ages. The
purpose was to see how many people believed in the death penalty and how many opposed it. My
results are shown on this overhead.
As you can clearly see, 98% believe in the death penalty. 57% believe that the death penalty is a
deterrent for murder....show more content...
Jeremy Charron leaves behind his parents, two sets of grandparents, two sisters, two brothers, a
wide circle of friends, and a girlfriend whose engagement ring he had begun to shop for. Maybe the
Reverend Miller would advise those grieving for Charron to look at pictures of Gordon
Perry, the robber accused of pumping the bullets into Charrons heart, and 18 year old Kevin Paul,
the accomplice, and forgive. The state of New Hampshire has opted not to forgive, but to prosecute.
Perry has been charged with capital murder. If he is convicted, the state will seek the death penalty
for the first time since 1939.
Jeanne Shepard, the democratic governor, says a capital murder prosecution will put criminals On
notice that if they kill a police officer in New Hampshire, they will face the death penalty.What if
they kill someone other than a cop? Should criminals not be put on notice that they will face the
death penalty if they kill a cashier in cold blood? A farmer, or a schoolteacher? They should– but the
law says otherwise. In New Hampshire as in all states with the death penalty, murder can be
punished with execution only in specific circumstances. The murder of an officer in the line of duty
is one of them. Among others are murder combined with rape, murder for higher, and murder in the
course of kidnapping. First degree murder is not punishable by death. One who willfully murders a
cashier is no less evil then

As a final point, on capital punishment the discussion turns to John Stuart Mill and his utilitarian
view point that supports capital punishment. In Mill's speech, "In Support of Capital Punishment"
(1868), he contends that capital punishment is actually a better way to treat individuals rather than
being confined to prison for a life sentence (Van Camp, 2014). It is viewed that Mill's does
successfully present this argument by suggesting that execution is essentially a quick end to
suffering as opposed to suffering for the remainder of one's life. One who is sentenced to a life in
prison is subjected to an environment that will only offer cruel mental and physical punishment and
unhappiness ultimately leading to death (McBrien, 2010). Although...show more content...
Not everyone will think alike or even be persuaded to think differently about issues within society
such as, euthanasia or capital punishment for the insane. However, it is viewed that there is a
possibility that an agreement can be made that all of these situations present ethical dilemmas that
are not easy to simply make a decision of yes or no and right or wrong. In all honestly, it is of the
belief that as much as one would love to quickly dismiss the fact that an individual is insane or
automatically believe that euthanasia and making someone comfortable is wrong, it is just not that
easy. There is truly multiple things that have to be considered, true there is an ethical standard, but
there is also an ethical obligation to do what is fair and right with regard to the rights and privileges
of all individuals, even if it is not

Kant and Mills on Capital Punishment Essay
Kant and Mills on Capital Punishment
Capital punishment has raised debate in America since 1608. Both the "pro–" and "anti–" sides of
the issue have strong arguments. Some believe killing is simply wrong, and violates universal
human rights, others seek the only justice they deem appropriate, equal justice. I will examine the
philosophies of Immanuel Kant, and John Stuart Mill, with regards to their stance on the death
penalty.
John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806– 8 May 1873) was born in London, England. He was a renowned
philosopher best known for his interpretation of utilitarianism, an ethical theory developed by
Jeremy Bentham. Utilitarianism is based on the concept that an actions morality should be judged
solely upon its resulting...show more content...
Mill focuses more on the second of the two as the most effective justification of the death penalty.
Mill states in his address "There is not, I should think, any human infliction which makes an
impression on the imagination so entirely out of proportion to its real severity as the punishment of
death." Crime in itself causes suffering, to reduce crime by creating a fear of penalty is a utilitarian
practice.
Mills judges the balance of suffering for the offender too; interestingly he deems death as a
favorable alternative to life in prison. Regarding the criminal he says, "the most that human laws can
do to anyone in the matter of death is to hasten it; the man would have died at any rate; not so very
much later, and on the average, I fear, with a considerably greater amount of bodily suffering."
Although determining his stance on the matter today you must take into consideration the fact that
prisons in the mid–1800 were far less accomodable then they are presently. This brings me to
another point, in today's society prisons are comparably luxurious, prisoners enjoy televisions, three
meals daily, libraries, education, and recreational equipment, these expenses are all funded by the
greater portion of society, the tax payers. According to the North Carolinas department of corrections
website it costs just over

Argumentative Essay On Capital Punishment
Capital punishment is beneficial to the community. It provides the society with a sense of security.
The death penalty contains a positive influence on the future. A heavily debated topic is, "Does
capital punishment deter people more than a life sentence to prison?" An explanation on why will be
covered later. An issues many people have withcapital punishment, is when it is just or not just. This
is a topic many stray away from, because it is difficult to decide. Finding the right consequence for
an action is difficult. While this paper is for the use of capital punishment, it is clearly not needed
for every crime, or even every murder. Overusing capital punishment, such as using it for every
murder, will negatively impact the country, and not using it has the same effect.
Allowing people who have committed mass murder to live in prison is not just. It does not seem
correct to force the families who have lost loved ones to the murderer, pay for his stay in prison.
Although, if the murderers are sentenced to death, it will give some a sense of security, knowing the
government is protecting the citizens. Martin Perlmutter has a good article on capital punishment
and explains the utilitarian view. Perlmutter argues that although the utilitarian view is not perfect,
since it focuses on the future without looking at the past, it does contain some valid points. The
focus will be on how Utilitarians believes punishment should be based, which is on the future.
Capital punishment usually creates positive outcomes for the future. The following paragraph will
cover deterrence in depth, but Utilitarianism believes this is when capital punishment is beneficial to
the society. If capital punishment did not have any benefits over a life sentence to prison,
Utilitarianism would not support it. Criticism of Utilitarianism is made by Perlmutter here, and it is
agreeable to look back as well as forward. Citizens need to understand what and why the criminal
committed in the past. Perlmutter believes our moral concepts look backwards, explaining why
focusing on the future is harmful.
Deterrence has played a sizeable role in the capital punishment argument for both sides. Author of
"The Ultimate Punishment"

Arguments Against Capital Punishment In Canada
Capital Punishment is a sensitive topic that seems to constantly generate controversy amongst many
individuals. To give a little background, capital punishment involves executing a person deemed
guilty of a severe crime. Various countries, including America, accept the use of this method.
However, other countries such as Canada are strictly against the act due to many reasons. Although
some argue that they are the best form of punishment, life imprisonment is the better alternative. It is
more humane, improves the financial and social state of the country, and finally is safer. To begin
with, life imprisonment is a more humane option. When given a death penalty, the prisoner is left
with no other options but to die. As a result, the person...show more content...
As hard as it may be to choose, life imprisonment is the crowning victor. It promotes the basic right
to live, contributes to the financial and social growth of the nation, and finally is a safer decision
to choose. When it all comes down to it, everyone deserves to get another chance to redeem
themselves. Whether it's redoing a test, or making up to a person that has been hurt, if having an
option to fix mistakes are possible, granting imprisonment for eternity should be one of them. After
all, no one would want to die on a bad note if they can manage it; everyone desires to mark a
positive impact not only on society, but within

Speech: Against Capital Punishment Essay
Speech: Against Capital Punishment
MOTION: " We believe that capital punishment is not needed in a civilised community."
Imagine yourself in a small, isolated cabin waiting to be led to your execution. A small, scrawny
man comes to collect you. Your whole life rushes past you as you take your few, final footsteps to
the execution chamber.
This is the thought 7,000 people have experienced in the last 18 months. These people were
executed cruelly by capital punishment in countries all over the globe. 970 of these people were
women and children. The countries allowing this barbaric method of punishment to happen have
probably never thought about whether this scheme of punishment is...show more content...
Many of the accused, which are sentenced to death, are hanged. This method often does not kill the
criminal straight away, but lets them dangle on the rope tied around their neck, until they die of
strangulation, slowly and painfully. Some criminals are stoned by the public. This is when the
criminal is tied to a wooden post, in the centre of the town, and is stoned by people living in the
town. In some countries the size of the stones used is regulated so that pain is maximised and the
person does not die quickly. This shows just how savage we have become. There are not many other
things in this world as inhumane as this punishment– capital punishment. There are alternative
punishments, though. These can be from life imprisonment for major crimes such as murder, to
community service and education programs for minor crimes such as shoplifting.
There may be a brutalizing effect upon society by the carrying out of executions. The killings are
organised as a public event where even children attend and are even sometimes encouraged to take
part in the murder of the criminal. It is no surprise that these children grow up to become violent and
savage–like. Their minds are fed with evilness from these executions and sooner or later they end up
thinking that there is nothing

Against Capital Punishment
Against Capital Punishment If we look at the law, it says that murder is illegal. So is it right to be
able to kill people because of a crime or because someone took another person's life in the name of
justice? Capital Punishment is not only morally wrong, but it is the ultimate inhuman punishment.
Bryan Stevenson, an attorney for death row inmates states, "The reality is that capital punishment in
America is a lottery. It is a punishment that is shaped by the constraints of poverty, race, geography
and local politics" (Rutherford.org). Capital punishment is not just looked at by the crime someone
has committed; it looks at how much money one has, where one lives and one's ethnicity. Capital
punishment is not only morally wrong, but it is the ultimate inhuman punishment. People believe
that states that have allowed the death penalty have lower crime and violence rates. That is no true.
Over the past years the death penalty has been dropped off in North Carolina, and according to the
Department of Justice, the murder rates for North Carolina have dropped increasingly since the
state had decided to stop pushing for the death penalty (nccadp.org). People often do a crime when
they are under the influence of items like dugs, or alcohol. When people are under drugs or alcohol
they do not fear or understand the consequences that will follow once the crime is finished.
Therefore the death penalty is not a warning to criminals and the death penalty does not give the
people

Essay on Capital Punishment
Capital Punishment
The definition of capital punishment is the legal punishment of death for violating criminal law. The
person who gets capital punishment is the ones who committed serious crimes. Methods of capital
punishment throughout the world are by stoning, beheading, hanging, electrocution, lethal injection
and shooting. The two most common methods capital punishment use in the United States are lethal
injection and electrocution.
The lethal injection is the most used form of capital punishment. It's an intravenous shot that kills the
criminal quick and painless. When capital punishment is done by electrocution the criminal is
strapped to a chair that a volts of electricity is pass through.
In America if all people agree...show more content...
The first pros of capital punishment are that it works as deterrence against major crimes. The death
penalty is a punishment that creates fear in the mind of any sane person. Most criminals would think
twice if they knew their own lives were at stake. Although there is no statistical evidence that death
penalty deters crime, we have to agree that most of us fear death.
The most conclusive evidence that criminals fear the death penalty more than life without parole is
provided by convicted capital murderers and their attorneys. 99.9% of all convicted capital murderers
and their attorneys argue for life, not death, in the punishment phase of their trial. (prodeathpenalty)
A Second pro is that a criminal that is executed can't another crime or escape. A dead criminal can
no longer commit a crime, and therefore the danger to the public is permanently removed.
A third pro of capital punishment is that it's more economical. Why should money be spent on a
criminal when it could be spent on education, the sick, or the needy? The only reason why it is so
expensive to execute an individual, is because of the numerous appeal processes. (~ab2166)
Another pro is that the retribution to the family and loves ones of the victims is payed. Endless
stress and anxiety plague the families of the victims and executions puts all those stresses to rest
better than life–long imprisonment or

Argument Against Capital Punishment Essay
Welcome to America, the land of the free, of the prosperous, of the opulent. America the Beautiful,
one of the only places in the world where all citizens regardless of race, background, or social class
are constitutionally guaranteed life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness–that is unless you're on
death row. In modern day America we are still faced with the antiquated ritual ofcapital punishment,
a practice that interferes directly with the law of the land. The same forms of punishment used
during the middle ages are still in effect today, the same ideas that should have been abolished had
the U.S. government revised it's penology. Capital punishment is cruel as well as unusual and
inadequate for our advanced society. The United...show more content...
What happened to our right to life? Is that suddenly compromised once condemned by a jury? The
Founding Fathers wrote the Amendments to protect the people of the United States from any and all
"cruel and unusual punishments inflicted," yet we have the death penalty as an active retribution in
our country.
The death penalty is faulty in its age and obsolete in its usage, and frankly should be put out of its
misery. Capital punishment began its time in the Middle Ages, as people were executed for
simply thinking differently from the rest of society. Even now, as we look back on history we find
their ways of execution purely barbaric and malicious in all its forms. However, we continue to
practice these forms of butchery; the traditional method of execution, hanging, is still an option
available in certain states. In addition, couple of states also still allow firing squads, and the
electrocution chairs has been readily used throughout the last century. The United States stands as
one of the few developed nations with a death penalty still in place. There's a reason most of the
European countries have banned the usage of death as punishment, it's cruel, unusual and barbaric!
Is that the image the U.S. wants to portray the alling regions, one of intolerance and unforgiveness?
The United States surpasses those barbaric ways, with its exceedingly advanced ways and
state–of–the–art technology, yet it's one of the only countries left of the Western world that still has

Argument for Capital Punishment Essay
Argument for Capital Punishment
If it were up to me, every murderer in this country would be put behind bars on death row and have
their life taken from them just as they took the life of another. The guidelines of " an eye for an
eye" go back thousands of years. Many countries still hold true to these guidelines. Although America
doesn't follow the same as these countries, I believe when it comes to murder, they should. Putting
people to death for committing murder makes other potential murderers think twice about killing
someone. Capital punishment deters many murders every day. If all that had to be done was spend
life in jail, getting free meals, having a roof over their head, and place to sleep at night, then killing
...show more content...
We have to step up and show we mean business, and that we intend to rid our country of
murderers. Another thing the anti capital punishment people say is that we should value all
human life. My faith in God tells me that human life isn't just a functioning body, and we have
spirits given to us by him. Our spirits define who and what we are, and having this means we
have love for other humans beings. Murderers don't have this spiritual aspect of human life, so
therefore if they don't have it in the first place, it can not be taken away. Some people appose the
death penalty because they believe it cost more to kill the person than to keep them in prison for
life. If you put any thought into this at all, you will see that it is entirely wrong. If you put
someone in jail for life, you have to feed them every single day, keep them sheltered, and take up
the space in the jails. If you put someone to death, you don't have to worry about any of that. The
cost of executions is far less than life in jail. Death penalty cases have alot of appeals, that cost alot
of money, but life without parole cases have just about the same amount of appeals and cost just the
same. When it comes down to it, putting the murderers in our country to death saves money, time,
and space in our jails. Others say that the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment. However in
most states, the person convicted has a choice between the electric chair or lethal injection. When a
person is

Christian Perspective On Capital Punishment
The Evolution of the Christian Perspective on Capital Punishment
One of the most controversial issues in modern society involves the implementation of Capital
Punishment in criminal justice. Capital Punishment has been heavily debated in the realm of politics
due to the many conflicting religious opinions over the issue; some of the most prevalent voices in
this debate have been the Christian churches and their members. This paper explores the evolution of
the modern Christian perspective towards capital punishment, the presently declared or undeclared
attitudes of major Christian denominations, and the incompatibility between faith and personal
values that capital punishment forces Christians to reconcile.
Christianity's attitude towards capital...show more content...
The largest Christian denomination; The Roman Catholic Church, reversed its opinion on capital
punishment. Prompted by the international outcry for human rights, they declared their opposition
to the death penalty at the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1974. Pope John Paul II
reinforced these ideals in his encyclical letter, Evangelium Vitae in which he addressed the
"problem of the death penalty" (Megivern 11). The opposition to the death penalty in the Roman
Catholic Church still holds true today, as Pope Francis has spoken out against the death penalty as
well, considering it inhumane and akin to unethical treatment of prisoners. In his words, "All
Christians and people of good will are thus called today to struggle not only for abolition of the
death penalty, whether it be legal or illegal and in all its forms, but also to improve prison
conditions, out of respect for the human dignity of persons deprived of their liberty" (Leavitt). In the
perception of Francis and the Catholic Church, support for the death penalty is not representative of
the compassion Christians should express and espouse. Similarly, the United Methodist Church
declared their objection to the death penalty in 1956, and has continued to reaffirm their position in
attempts to encourage its eradication ("Book of Discipline" 152). On the contrary, the Southern
Baptist Convention

Essay about Against Capital Punishment
The Death Penalty is, undeniably, one of the most controversial issues of our day. Emotional
tensions are high between those who hold human life above justice and those who hold justice
above all human life. The Death Penalty, along with all other forms of criminal punishment, is
barbaric. This form of punishment, indeed all forms of criminal justice, truly shows the level to
which society has sunk. When people stand outside prisons and cheer as prisoners are murdered,
there is a problem. When personal bloodlust is held above moral ideologies, there is a problem.
When human life is assigned a value and weighed against other alternatives, there is a problem. The
state speaks of Justice, but this word is only a reflection of the confusion,...show more content...
There is a large majority of Christians in this country, yet such a small number of them actually
come up in opposition to the Death Penalty; oftentimes, in fact, they are its most avid supporters.
How can this be? All the teachings of Christ, save for those which have been horribly twisted by his
followers, are opposed to any form of criminal justice. It seems that the modern Christian has begun
to accept only those teachings which feel convenient. It is, indeed, sickening to see mock–Christians
and self–styled "christian conservatives" speak in support of something that their religion expressly
opposes. They speak of Justice, but what of morality? They speak of punishment, but what of
forgiveness? They speak hatred, but what of love? How can they appoint themselves judges of
another human being when they, themselves, are the ones who should be, supposedly, judged; how
are they qualified to determine the fate of another man's life when their fate is still in question and
their status undetermined? There is one stunning question that must be asked of these people: If you
were standing before Jesus Christ himself, could you possibly tell him how and why you support the
death penalty; do you think you could make Christ believe and support such ideals? Unfortunately
religion is too often devoid of reason; that, though, is more often the fault of those who follow the
religion than with

Persuasive Essay Against Capital Punishment
Persuasive Essay Against Capital Punishment
"Kill. (Verb) To make someone or something die."
Does anyone really think they have the right to take another person's life? Apparently yes.
Perhaps we should give the judge a knife and tell her that if she has decided that the accused is
guilty, she should stab him herself. Perhaps then she would hesitate. But if many people (hundreds
or thousands who operate the judicial system) are involved, it spreads, or even divides the feeling
of culpability among many. They may feel less guilty, especially if they believe that they are
representing the whole society of their country. What makes it seem more "humane" is the official
perspective of it....show more content...
Another reason which people give in support of capital punishment is that with a life sentence you
have to feed the criminals for years and years, but if you "terminate" their life earlier, then the
government will be saving on the costs of having to support them for ever. This is actually not true
at all. The court appeals involved in the death penalty turn into a long, drawn–out and very expensive
process. A quote I found states, "Add up criminal justice process expenses, trial court costs, appellate
and
Melanie AZ Morales Robson
Summer Examinations 2004
English Coursework
post–conviction costs, and prison costs, including years served on death row in awaiting execution.
Altogether, the extra costs per death penalty imposed is over a quarter million dollars, and per
execution exceeds $2 million." This can be compared to the average cost for a twenty–year prison
term for first–degree murder, which is approximately $330 thousand.
Even if it were more economical to apply capital punishment to a prisoner, this would hardly make it
justifiable in a humane society.
I think therefore that a life sentence is always ultimately better than the death penalty. If, in later
appeals or retrials, the executed person is found to be innocent, they cannot be

Argumentative Essay On Capital Punishment
Is capital punishment a cruel and unusual fate or is it a necessary form of justice? Capital
punishment is also referred to as the death penalty, which is a form of action taken by the court of
law where a guilty conviction means you pay with your life. Being an American citizen, I believe
that we live in the freest country on earth and have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness. However, in our pledge of allegiance it states that we also have justice for all. So, is the
death penalty the ultimate justice or does it seek vengeance through bloodshed? Honestly, there are
many valid points on both sides of the argument which makes it is such a controversial topic. Our
country is one of 57 worldwide that still use the death...show more content...
I am not saying I blame people for wanting justice to be served when people commit unspeakable
crimes, but I do believe there are ways of punishing people for their wrong doings without adding to
the body count. Unfortunately, once someone passes on from this world there is no returning,
taking another life will not bring someone back from the dead. One of the most valid points in
arguing for the use of capital punishment is justice for the families. I could not imagine waking up
to a phone call or knock on the door saying that my one of my family members has been murdered
by someone and will not return. Even the thought of that makes me angry to begin with. I know
my first thoughts would be to end the life that took one that was innocent. Blind rage and anger
can cause you to have irrational feelings that demand action, and it is called "blind" rage because
it is unforeseeable and uncontrollable. I realize that people would argue my feelings would be
completely different if I was in their shoes, and I cannot say that it is false because I have never
been in that situation. Getting even by killing another human being will never bring your loved one
back. Death is the only thing that we are guaranteed in this life. I am not saying that justice should
not be served or that a murderer should not be punished for his crimes, but I do not believe that
killing someone else does

Capital Punishment: for and Against
Capital Punishment: For and Against
Thesis One: In principle a case can be made on moral grounds both supporting and opposing capital
punishment. Thesis two: Concretely and in practice, compelling arguments against capital
punishment can be made on the basis of its actual administration in our society.
Two different cases can be made. One is based on justice and the nature of a moral community. This
leads to a defense of capital punishment. The second is based on love and the nature of an ideal
spiritual community. This leads to a rejection of capital punishment. A central principle of a just
society is that every person has an equal right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Within
that framework, an argument for capital...show more content...
All this is indefensible on moral grounds. To make sense of this, it is helpful to distinguish
between an ethical dimension of love and an ecstatic dimension. Love as an ethical ideal seeks a
community based on mutuality and reciprocity in which there is an equality of giving and
receiving. Mutual love has a justice element in which every person has an equal claim to
fulfillment and an equal duty to be responsible. Ethical love is unconditional and will reach out to
others even when they lack merit. But it will resist encroachment upon its own equal claim to
fulfillment and will repel if possible any denial of ones own right to be fully human in every
respect. Against the pacifist, ethical love would justify killing in self–defense and killing enemies in
a just war when non–lethal alternatives are unavailable. They are necessary and tragic emergency
means here and now to stop present and ongoing violence. Capital punishment is opposed since the
crime has already been committed, and isolation can protect society against future violence.
Love in the ecstatic dimension becomes superethical. In ecstasy one is delirious with impetuous joy
in the presence of the other and totally devoted to that person's happiness and well– being. In ecstasy
we do not count the cost to ourselves but are totally self–giving, heedless of our own needs. In this
mood sacrifice for the other is not an ethical act of self–denial but the superethical expression of
what we most want to do.

Capital punishment is one of the most controversial topics in today's world. Many people believe
that it is morally wrong to have capital punishment as a sentence to a crime. People also do believe
that it is morally permissible for a severe crime. Capital punishment is also known as the death
penalty. It can be given as a sentence when somebody is convicted of an extremely violent crime.
The biggest issue that can be seen with this is that somebody could be innocent and sentenced with
the death penalty because of the nature of the crime that they have been accused of even if they
didn't commit it. I believe that there is a moral line between using the death penalty and using other
forms of punishment. Many people use the moral reasoning of an eye for an eye to justify capital
punishment. However this doesn't work because a murderer would be murdered, a robber would
be robbed, a thief would be stolen from, a drug dealer would be sold drugs and so on down the
line for the rest of the infinite number of possible offenses. This doesn't work because most of
them wouldn't care if it was done back to them because they think it morally acceptable to commit
these crimes and that they would just be having something that is morally acceptable done to them.
Many criminals don't have super serious offenses that deserve to have an eye for an eye. For
example, a drug dealer is probably addicted to drugs so to sell and make them use drugs would just
be feeding the, addiction

Essays Against Capital Punishment

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