FREE The Death Penalty Controversy Essay (original) (raw)

"The Universal Declaration of Human Rights", issued by the United Nations on December 10, 1948, states in part that "no one shall be subject to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment." Is it taking one life for another true justice, or legalized murder? The death penalty debate has long been part of our nation's history. And today, more than ever, we are inundated with crime and images of crime. The death penalty is the American legal systems most visible and dramatic criminal punishment - representing and fulfilling our society's desire for vengeance.
The Bible states in Exodus 21:12-17, "He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death. And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbor, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die. And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death. And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death." " .
This may be the earliest indication of the death penalty in the Bible and these verses are giving circumstances where the death penalty would have been required for the people who lived during this crucial time of the Old Testament as they lived under the law. It was unforgiving. Ironically, one of the Ten Commandments s, states "Thou shalt not kill." Likewise, Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:38-42, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. The death penalty remains a controversial issue and there are people who stand on both sides on the issue regarding the death penalty.

1. Against the Death Penalty

Today, there is a big controversy over the death penalty, whether it is morally right or wrong. ... The Old Testament clearly calls for the death penalty on many occasions. ... Statistics from the Death Penalty Information Center (1997) show that the death penalty does not really deter crime. When comparisons are made between states with the death penalty and states without it, the majority of the death penalty states show murder rates higher than non-death penalty states. ... In 1996, death penalty states averaged a rate of 7.1 criminal homicides per 100,000, while non-death penalty states av...

2. The Death Penalty

The world is an imperfect place, wrought with moral controversies of every kind. One of these controversies that carries subtantial weight today is that of the death penalty. ... What I mean when I say that the death penalty is a risky punishment is that the judgement made could be wrong, therefore killing an innocent person. ... The death penalty is risky, the judgement is made by a human jury, and takes away a basic human right. Therefore, the rules of the death penalty should be changed, if not abolished comepletely....

3. The Death Penalty

The Death Penalty The Death Penalty has always been a topic of heated controversy which separates many people because of their respective views on this subject. ... Of course, there are many people opposed to the death penalty, but many also support it. In fact, in America there are more people that support the death penalty than oppose it. ... Some supporters of the death penalty speak out that you should do unto others as you want to be done to yourself. ... The subject of capital punishment is a very important one that causes a lot of controversy and conflict. ...

4. Death Penalty

Capital Punishment - The Death Penalty Murder? ... As well as being unfair, the death penalty is also a very ineffective process. ... The death penalty only deters the criminals who are put to death. ... Capital punishment is a subject that can be counted upon to stir emotion and controversy into any conversation or argument. ... Opposing the death penalty does not mean sympathy with convicted murderers. ...

5. Death Penalty

They all believed that the death penalty was cruel. ... They also refute the idea that the death penalty deters crime. ... Nothing less of the death penalty would be proportionate to murder. ... The United States government has many regulations regarding the death penalty. All of those rules oppose using the death penalty in an unfair manner, but do not prohibit the death penalty completely. ...

6. Politics, Capital Punishment and Execution

In this paper I will discuss the history of the death penalty. ... The laws and regulations to the death penalty were different from colony to colony (Death Penalty Information Center, 2011). ... Pennsylvania repealed the death penalty for all criminal offenses other than first degree murder (Death Penalty Information Center, 2011). ... However, in the 1950's the death penalty and the numbers of executions in a year began to drop (Death Penalty Information Center, 2011). ... It creates less controversy on the topic when the criminal is killed in a less cruel punishment such as hanging ...

7. Death Penalty

Thesis It is more reasonable to utilize the death penalty than to abolish it. ... Conrad, The Death Penalty: A Debate (New York: Plenum Press, 1983). ... Hugo, Adam Bedau, Ed., The Death penalty in America: Current Controversies (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997) Blumstein, Cohen, Nagin, Deterrence and Incapacitation (National Academy Press January 1978) It is more reasonable to utilize the death penalty than to abolish it. ... Resurrection has never been the purpose of the death penalty. It is understood that the death penalty will not totally take away the emotion...

8. Death Penalty

Thesis It is more reasonable to utilize the death penalty than to abolish it. ... Conrad, The Death Penalty: A Debate (New York: Plenum Press, 1983). ... Hugo, Adam Bedau, Ed., The Death penalty in America: Current Controversies (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997) Blumstein, Cohen, Nagin, Deterrence and Incapacitation (National Academy Press January 1978) It is more reasonable to utilize the death penalty than to abolish it. ... Resurrection has never been the purpose of the death penalty. It is understood that the death penalty will not totally take away the emoti...

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