The Death Penalty
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Should the Death Penalty be abolished in the U.S?
The death penalty was introduced to put capital offenses, many centuries ago, even before the unification of the United States. Different regimes have used various methods of executing the death penalty. Some range from inhuman to brutal. One particular brutal example involves a Frenchman named Robert-François Damien accused of attempted assassination of the king (Haines 6). His gruesome public execution involved tying four of his limbs to horse carriages. The horses began to pull in opposing directions until his body disintegrated into four pieces. Some regimes used the guillotine. Presently, the most common forms of execution include firing squad, hanging, lethal injection and the electric chair.
The majority of the people in the past were pro-execution. However, with the rising concern regarding human rights, more people are beginning to question this practice. In the past, this form of punishment was usually done in public as a way of instilling fear among prospective wrong doers (Hans and Alec 286). Of course, some rulers used it to serve their interest while in some instances, the wrong suspects fell victim. One thing remains for sure- it did not stop people from committing crimes. There was always someone daring enough to try it.
Nowadays, human rights activists are pressuring the government to do away with the death penalty. Their argument is that two wrongs do not make a right. A person that takes the life of another because they killed is not better than the murderer. They also argue that it contravenes a basic human right- right to life (Hans and Alec 288). On the opposing side, groups that support the death penalty claim that some offenders do not deserve to live. Murderers, robbers, pedophiles and other capital offenders need not enjoy the taxpayer’s money in prison. This issue forms the basis of my research question whether the death penalty should be abolished in the United States.
I developed the interested in this issue in 2006, when I watched the footage of Saddam Hussein’s hanging penalty. I felt pity for him. The memory of that footage still causes goose bumps on my body. It made me realize that human life is quickly dispensable. I am still interested in the issue because I am aware that many inmates are still facing a Saddam Hussein’s fate. The government is still executing death- row inmates in total disregard of the chants from the human rights activists. The recent acts of denouncement by various lobby groups have also renewed my interest in this issue. All over the media houses there are debates regarding this issue.
The fact that people are still debating on the morality of the death sentence implies that the issue requires more exploration. If the government puts a stop to it, there will be a public outcry from the supporters of the death penalty. If the present status prevails, then the anti-death penalty groups will keep pestering the government (Lu and Miethe 34). There is a need to find an amicable solution that will satisfy both parties and the rights of the convicts. The solution is only accessible through further exploration of the issue.
People hold different perspectives with regard about the issue of the death penalty. The first alternative to tackle this issue is from the perspective of the inmate’s human rights. Even though they are offenders, does the death penalty encroach on their right to life? It is also important to look from the victim’s perspective. Does the penalty serve justice or vengeance? Other perspectives include those of the civil society, the legislature, correctional facilities, the public and supporters of the death penalty.
Annotated Bibliography on the Death Penalty Topic
Haines H. Against Capital Punishment: The Anti-Death Penalty Movement in America, 1972-1994. New York: Oxford University Press; 1996. Print
Haines writes the struggles that death penalty abolitionists have gone through since 1972 when the pro-death movement started gaining momentum. Initially, it had been the death penalty abolitionists again government agencies. The increasing popularity of the pro- death movement hardened the quest for the abolishment of the death penalty.
The author begins by condemning the justice system. He terms is as racist, ineffective, expensive and cruel. The source is credible because the author draws references from past work, government statistics, and personal interviews. The author also takes a neutral stand regarding the issue of the death penalty. His main argument is about the struggles that abolitionist movements have had to face.
This book is useful for this research question because it explains the contempt of the death penalty from the perspective of anti- death penalty activist groups. The book also highlights the reason why anti- death penalty groups have not been able to influence the masses to speak against the death penalty.
Hans Zeisel, Alec M. Gallup. Death penalty sentiment in the United States. Journal of Quantitative Criminology. September 1989: 5(3): 285-296
This journal article by the duo is a research project aimed at finding out the public opinion regarding the death penalty. They did the social experiment in the US. The target respondents were people from all socio- economic backgrounds. Results showed that the average percentage of Americans supporting the death penalty were 73% in 1989. The proportion varied from one group to another based on political affiliation, sex, and ethnic background.
The findings of this research are credible because the researchers used the appropriate tools. They created a questionnaire that offered alternative positions to the correspondents. For instance, if a correspondent answered in the affirmative, a follow up question would inquire whether they would change their position if the government denied death row inmates’ parole.
I will use this source in the research paper find out how many are in support and those that oppose. However, the percentages for and against the death penalty will not affect this research.
Hong Lu, Miethe Terrance. China’s death penalty: History, Law and contemporary practices. New York: Routledge: 2007. Print.
The book is about death penalty China. The authors demystify numerous misconceptions that the Western media hold regarding executions in China. The western media portrays the death penalty in China as a means used by the government to mitigate the opposition. The authors give examples of death row convicts that were pardoned because of good behavior. They also cite some offenders that deserved the penalty.
The book is a credible source because it is built on actual research. Unlike the biased reports that we see in the western media, the authors of this book take a neutral stand regarding the issue in china.
I will use this source to compare the United States case and Chinese case, with regard to the death penalty. This source is useful because it provides the perspective of a different country in regard to the death penalty. Just like in the USA, China started using the lethal injection in 1979. It also talks about the public perception of the death penalty in China, which can be used to reflect about the American case.
Works Cited
Haines H. Against Capital Punishment: The Anti-Death Penalty Movement in America, 1972-1994. New York: Oxford University Press; 1996. Print
Hans Zeisel, Alec M. Gallup. Death penalty sentiment in the United States. Journal of Quantitative Criminology. September 1989: 5(3): 285-296
Hong Lu, Miethe Terrance. China’s death penalty: History, Law and contemporary practices. New York: Routledge: 2007. Print.