Crimes punishable by death are called capital offenses. Retribution also serves justice for murder victims and their families. Overall, White adults are more likely to favor the death penalty than Black or Hispanic adults, while White and Asian American adults are equally likely to favor the death penalty. The use of the death penalty is gradually disappearing in the United States. What other ideas do you have? Most of the country did not use the death penalty, he said, and the United States was an international outlier in embracing it. About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. There are differences in attitudes by education, as well. National Journal Group Inc., 06 Sept. 2014. The article is very straightforward with little to no emotional appeal. The death penalty, known as capital punishment, is the government-sanctioned taking of a life as punishment for a crime. Both rights are protected under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN in 1948. This created a problem for juries that found a defendant guilty but did not believe the offense warranted a sentence of death. After reviewing the matter, the court granted the governments request, rebuked the District Court for creating an unjustified last-minute barrier, and directed that the execution could proceed. The Eighth Amendment, however, prohibits the government from enforcing "cruel and unusual punishment," which several lawsuits have used successfully to challenge certain applications of capital punishment. However, the court also determined that the death penalty does not violate the Constitution, capital punishment serves as a practical deterrent, and retribution provides a justifiable basis for execution. A large majority of White adults without college degrees (72%) favor the death penalty, compared with about half (47%) of White adults who have degrees. The death penalty is permanent, meaning if someone is wrongfully convicted, the effects are irreversible. They sought to obstruct by any means the administration of sentences that Congress permitted, juries supported and the Supreme Court approved. Both rights are protected under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN in 1948. Table of Contents. "violent crime has declined 11 percent, with murder showing the largest decline at even more than 22 percent. This requirement that justice be served is not weakened by charges that only the black and the poor receive the death penalty. Black: 40.9%. Why its a good source: It is an interviewbut not a direct transcriptinvolving one of the most active members of the pro-capital punishment community. What its about: This article is the first of two parts and uses emotion more than straight facts. This way no innocent lives would be sentenced to death. Why its a good source: This article also gives important points to work from, similar to the previous article, and it works to detract from the arguments of death penalty supporters. American Socialism. Among those with postgraduate degrees, a larger share say they oppose (55%) than favor (44%) the death penalty. Jeffrey A. Rosen is the deputy attorney general. The shortage resulted in the postponement of several scheduled executions. Black adults are evenly divided: 49% favor the death penalty, while an identical share oppose it. A post accompanying this report provides further detail and analysis of the mode differences seen on this question. An eye for an eye has been a law for ages. What its about: This article discusses the history of the death penalty from hanging to the electric chair to lethal injection. Death penalty is associated with both pros and cons as it is examined below. Anyone can read what you share. Yet on the day of the rescheduled execution, after family members of his victims had traveled to Terre Haute, Ind., to witness the execution, a District Court granted Mr. Lees request for further review. "violent crime has declined 11 percent, with murder showing the largest decline at even more than 22 percent. All things being equal and fair, the death penalty is a suitable punishment for a select number of crimes. In January 2021 the federal government executed Lisa Marie Montgomery, the first woman to receive such a punishment from the federal government in sixty-seven years. According to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), incarceration rates of racial minorities skyrocketed in the decade following the McCleskey decision. These decisions allowed the reinstatement of state death penalty laws. The New York Times Company, 19 Dec. 2013. Web. 38 Death Penalty Information Center, State Studies on Monetary Costs (2017). Be aware of biases. some members of Mr. Lees victims families opposed his execution. The majority decision reasoned that the constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment does not equate to a guarantee of a painless execution. This article examines the imposition of death sentences by geographic locale in the United States. The attorneys suggested that the combination of COVID-19 infection with the flooding of the lungs caused by pentobarbital, the drug used in their executions, would cause suffering that amounted to "cruel and unusual punishment." The judge who imposed the death sentence on Mr. Honken, Mark Bennett, said that while he generally opposed the death penalty, he would not lose any sleep over Mr. Honkens execution. The American people can decide for themselves which aspects of that process should be considered shameful.. Slow Death of the Death Penalty. Economist. The next day, Dustin Honken was executed for five murders committed in 1993, including the execution-style shooting of two young girls, their mother, and two prospective witnesses against him in a federal prosecution for methamphetamine trafficking. The Court reasoned that the laws resulted in a disproportionate application of the death penalty, specifically discriminating against the poor and minorities. Steiker, Jordan. However, he backs up his emotional statements with statistics and links to studies that indicate that the death penalty is costly, doesnt necessarily deter murders, and is imposed on people who are innocent of the crimes for which they were convicted. "The Death Penalty is Cheaper Than Feeding a Murderer for Life" According to the Death Penalty Information Center, independent studies in several states, including Oklahoma, reveal that capital punishment is actually far more expensive to administer than life imprisonment. The Death Penalty Can Ensure Justice Is Being Done, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/27/opinion/federal-death-penalty.html. In Expedited Spree of Executions Faced Little Supreme Court Scrutiny, Adam Liptak writes about the recent federal executions: In 2015, a few months before he died, Justice Antonin Scalia said he would not be surprised if the Supreme Court did away with the death penalty. Psst 98% of Kibin users report better grades! A similar ruling was handed down by the court in Moore v. Texas (2017), which stated that the standards used to determine intellectual disability in Texas created an "unacceptable risk that persons with intellectual disabilities will be executed.". News & Cases See more. The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town (Hardcover) by. I feel the death penalty should only be used for the crime of murder and no other crime, such as rape. And if death sentences are going to be imposed, they cannot just be hypothetical; they eventually have to be carried out, or the punishment will lose its deterrent and retributive effects. While conservative Republicans are more likely to express support for the death penalty than moderate and liberal Republicans, clear majorities of both groups favor the death penalty (82% of conservative Republicans and 68% of moderate and liberal Republicans). The death penalty remains popular, broadly speaking: In 2020, Gallup reported that Americans favored maintaining the death penalty for convicted murderers by a 55 percent to 43 percent. The Federal Death Penalty Act prohibits the government from executing an inmate who is mentally disabled; however, in the recent executions of Corey Johnson, Alfred Bourgeois and Lisa Montgomery, their defense teams, families and others argued that they had intellectual disabilities. PRO Proponents who argue that the death penalty is a deterrent to capital crimes state that such a harsh penalty is needed to discourage people from murder and terrorism. High quality drugs with speedy delivery. What its about: This article does not seek emotional appeals to the readers, but cites the e statistically fewer numbers of death penalty sentences and executions. Justice Breyer added that there was little reason to think that the death penalty deterred crime and that long delays between sentences and executions might themselves violate the Eighth Amendment. The death penalty is a difficult issue for many Americans on moral, religious and policy grounds. It then discusses the problems that the United States has had in procuring the drugs needed for lethal injectionsthe drugs supplied from Europe have been sold under the condition that they not be used for lethal injection. In times of uncertainty, good decisions demand good data. 9 min. Addressing the Counterarguments. White: 48.6%. Despite comprising less than 15 percent of the US population, African Americans comprised more than half of the nearly four thousand people executed from 1930 to 1967. You have probably had to write about a fair share of boring essay topics, but this time, youve been dealt a topic that you think is completely played outthe death sentence. Why its a good source: Again, this article could be used for either side of the argument. Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2021. States could only acquire the drug by importing it from abroad, sometimes improperly. It was a chilly afternoon outside the Allan B. Polunsky Unit, a maximum-security prison for death-row inmates in Livingston, Texas. Also, the death penalty is a problem which costs money for the country. A top Justice Department official says for many Americans the death penalty is a difficult issue on moral, religious and policy grounds. Moral arguments. 10-Year Unsolved Crime Leads to Death: Frank Welch Story. The death penalty is helping cut down the population of inmates on death row. But if the United States is going to allow capital punishment, a white-supremacist triple murderer would seem the textbook example of a justified case. Exoneration occurs when a person's conviction is overturned. Read the overview below to gain an understanding of the issues surrounding the death penalty and explore the previews of additional articles highlighting diverse perspectives. Capital punishment enables the state to assert its authority over the people and serve in its role as the administrator of justice. The DPIC Death Penalty Census Published: Jul 20, 2022 In the July 2022 episode of Discussions with DPIC, Death Penalty Information Center Executive Director Robert Dunham and 2021 - 2022 DPIC Data Fellow Aimee Breaux discuss the making of DPIC 's groundbreaking Death Penalty Census database and Discussions With DPIC However, death penalty supporters decried the ban, arguing that judges should be able to decide if the death penalty is warranted based on the circumstances of each case. Upon losing his Supreme Court appeal, McCleskey was executed by the state of Georgia in 1991. What its about: Gillespies article takes a very emotional approach, saying that state governments should protect the lives of all citizens, even convicted murderers. 14 Jan. 2015. Web. Are there alternatives to the death penalty that you think would be more appropriate? Between 2000 and 2020, with few exceptions, the number of state executions performed annually dropped each year, with the exceptions of 2017 and 2018. It is a good source for pulling direct quotes instead of just giving statistics. Governors had placed moratoriums on the death penalty in an additional three states. If you're writing a paper about the death penalty, you can start with this list of sources, which provide arguments for all sides of the topic. Web. Moreover, more than six-in-ten Americans (63%), including about half of death penalty supporters (48%), say the death penalty does not deter people from committing serious crimes. It eliminates sympathetic reactions to someone charged with a capital crime. In the US, that number is 65%. Pro death penalty speech essay. Opponents counter that it is an immoral and costly practice that is particularly vulnerable to racial bias. Mr. Purkey was prosecuted during the George W. Bush administration, and his conviction and sentence were vigorously defended throughout the Obama administration. What Are the Pros of Abolishing the Death Penalty? Punitive dealings provide a necessary atonement and restore the moral balance disturbed by sin. It says that capital punishment serves as retribution for victims and their families, as well as a deterrence for other murders. Also, check with your teacher to see if you should be using a different type of citation style in your paper (such as APA or Chicago). Facing increasing pressure to rule on the constitutionality of capital punishment law, an unofficial nationwide moratorium on, or suspension of, executions began in 1968. The 2001 execution of Timothy McVeigh, convicted for his role in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, marked the first federal execution carried out since 1963, with Juan Raul Garza executed eight days later. Levi Pulkkinen Sept. 30, 2020. CON Opponents who argue that the death penalty is not a deterrent to capital crimes state that there is no evidence to support the claim that the penalty is a deterrent. Black prisoners accounted for 41% of death row inmates, far higher than their 13% share of the nation's adult population that year. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The abolitionist movement to end capital punishment also influenced state legislatures. These offenses involve murder, treason, or committing another crime that results in death, such as kidnapping or aircraft piracy. Warren McCleskey, a Black resident of Georgia, had been convicted of killing a white police officer during an armed robbery in 1978 and sentenced to death. But his execution date was announced almost a year ago, and was initially set for last December. About seven-in-ten Black adults (72%) and narrower majorities of White (62%) and Hispanic (63%) adults say the same. How do we continue to track changes in public opinion when theres a shift in survey mode?. What its about: Although this article does not explicitly state an anti-death penalty point of view, it does have those undertones. But the widest partisan divide wider than differences in opinions about the death penalty itself is over whether White people and Black people are equally likely to be sentenced to the death penalty for committing similar crimes. This article is for those who are willing to know why death penalty is justifiable. From 2000 to the most recent poll in . For example, is life in prison without the possibility of parole a sufficient sentence? Read more. Toobin, Jeffrey. For each article I give you, Ive also included an MLA citation. Just over six-in-ten Republicans in this age group (64%) say this, compared with about eight-in-ten Republicans ages 35 and older. Given the long delay that had already occurred, the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to lift the order so the execution could proceed. Check Out These Example Death Penalty Essays. Furthermore, a 2009 survey of criminologists revealed that "over 88% believed the death penalty was not a deterrent to murder.". It is estimated that up to 4% of the people on death row right now are actually innocent of the crime they were convicted of committing. In your opinion, should pharmaceutical companies have the right to refuse to sell drugs for executions? Michael Smith. When the District Court again imposed another last-minute stoppage, granting more time for Mr. Purkeys lawyers to argue (among other things) that he did not understand the reason for his execution, the Justice Department again sought Supreme Court review. Why its a good source: This article gives a lot of good statistics and links about public perception of the death sentence and how it has changed over time. The 54 ruling held that challenges to a state's method of execution due to claims of excessive pain must demonstrate that alternative methods exist that would cause less pain than the state-determined one. However, a worldwide poll conducted in 2006 indicates that 52% of the world's population supports the death penalty. If you use the citation in your paper, dont forget to update the access date (in this case 14 Jan. 2015) to the date you accessed the site. The Supreme Court has held the death penalty to be constitutional. For example, in his 25 September 1788 prodeath penalty essay in the. The Fifth Amendment outlines conditions for trying individuals accused of capital crimes and states that no person "shall be deprived of life without due process of law." Pro-Death Penalty article by UCLA Political Science student, Aanand N. Patel for student newspapaer. The death penalty is one of the most contentious issues in our society today. Some states attempted to circumvent regulations, resulting in the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seizing drug supplies from prisons in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Tennessee. During the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, lawyers for federal death-row inmates Dustin Higgs and Corey Johnson argued that their clients, both of whom tested positive for COVID-19, should not be subject to lethal injection. Because of the requirements of some publications, they may not be able to vehemently express these opinions, but you should still be able to at least tell if its an article that is for or against the death penalty. There are substantial demographic differences in views of whether death sentencing is applied fairly across racial groups. Those who favor the death penalty consistently express more favorable attitudes regarding specific aspects of the death penalty than those who oppose it. Through the Crimes Act of 1790, also referred to as the Federal Criminal Code of 1790, lawmakers of the newly independent United States granted federal judges the authority to impose the death sentence. Yet support for the death penalty is strongly associated with a belief that when someone commits murder, the death penalty is morally justified. Most states authorized a system of allowing the jury to decide the guilty party's punishment, though some allowed judges to make the decision or retain the right to overrule the jury. Please support our research with a financial contribution. As inhumane and morbid as it may sound, the death penalty is something that should remain in the United States. Or is that still too harsh? Here are the questions used for the report, along with responses, and its methodology. Only three people in the United States have been executed by hanging since 1965, and only four people have faced a firing squad since 1960. Web. Why its a good source: This source gives a lot of specific information about what one state is doing wrong, complete with anecdotes and numbers. And when those tactics failed, they accused the Justice Department of a grave threat to the rule of law, even though it operated entirely within the law enacted by Congress and approved by the Supreme Court. (Deterrence) 2.73: 1.27: 2.71: 1.36: 0.16 I become angry when a convicted murderer does not receive the death penalty . The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Do you have worries about the fair application of the death penalty, or about the possibility of the criminal justice system executing an innocent person? Call Number: HV8699.U5 U734 2012. Why? According to data from Amnesty International, there were 579 executions in 2021, which represents a 20% increase from 2020. 14 Jan. 2015. John Duncan the father of the victim Lori Duncan and grandfather of her slain daughters, Kandace (age 10) and Amber (age 6) had urged Mr. Honkens execution for years. The death penalty helps ease overpopulation in prisons and it ensures that less tax payers' money is spent for the maintenance of individuals that have acted against society in the most violent way. He had set out his arguments in a major dissent in 2015, one that must have been on Justice Scalias mind when he made his comments a few months later. In its last six months, the United States government has put 13 prisoners to death. SIRS Issues Researcher Capital punishment is the execution of an offender who has been sentenced to death after conviction of a criminal offense by a court of law. This month, for the first time in 17 years, the United States resumed carrying out death sentences for federal crimes. Arguments on both sides of the capital punishment debate draw support from the US Constitution. There are states that have secondary methods of execution such as electrocution, gas chamber, hanging as well as firing squad, however these methods aren't used nearly as often as injection is. And even though large majorities of both groups say there is some risk an innocent person will be put to death, members of the public who favor the death penalty are 24 percentage points more likely to say that there are adequate safeguards to prevent this than Americans who oppose the death penalty. Let's do a break down on ALL races that received a death sentence since 1977. About half of Hispanic (53%), Asian (53%) and Black (48%) Democrats favor the death penalty, compared with 42% of White Democrats. Contemporary arguments for and against capital punishment fall under three general headings: moral, utilitarian, and practical. Over the past two years, the share of Republicans who say they favor the death penalty for persons convicted of murder has decreased slightly by 7 percentage points while the share of Democrats who say this is essentially unchanged (46% today vs. 49% in 2019). The death penalty ensures that the individual involved will no longer be able to create havoc for the general population because they are no longer around. That process creates peace for the victims, their families, and society in general. 14 Jan. 2015. Until July, there had been no federal executions in 17 years. What historical factors have spurred capital punishment reform in the United States? 14 Jan. 2015. This view is particularly widespread among Black adults: 85% of Black adults say Black people are more likely than Whites to receive the death penalty for being convicted of similar crimes (61% of Hispanic adults and 49% of White adults say this). There are many different ways that the death . Want to Read. The author considers reasons for the decline in capital punishment, as well as how geographical variance impacts the debate over execution as a fair and just punishment. The death penalty remains a controversial political and legal issue in the United States. Students in U.S. high schools can get free digital access to The New York Times until Sept. 1, 2021. The Center was founded in 1990 and prepares in-depth reports, issues press releases, conducts briefings for journalists, and serves as a resource to those working on this issue. In 2020 the rulings of the Florida Supreme Court in several cases reversed existing protections afforded to inmates sentenced to death. More Americans favor than oppose the death penalty: 60% of U.S. adults favor the death penalty for people convicted of murder, including 27% who strongly favor it. But as a legal issue, it is straightforward. Why its a good source: Though the article does not include links to the studies and polls it references, it gives substantial statistics and cites where they came fromDuke University study and a Gallup poll. Those who oppose the death penalty, will ALWAYS state that the death penalty is given to more blacks, which in return makes it racially biased and unfair to the black community. Is it ever justified, such as for the most heinous crimes? The survey, conducted April 5-11 among 5,109 U.S. adults on the Centers American Trends Panel, finds that support for the death penalty is 5 percentage points lower than it was in August 2020, when 65% said they favored the death penalty for people convicted of murder. But as a legal issue, it is straightforward. The third execution, of Dustin Honken, occurred on schedule, but still too late for some of his victims families. Supporters of capital punishment argue that it deters crime and provides ultimate justice for crime victims, particularly murder victims. After an appellate court rejected their claim as without merit, the Justice Department rescheduled Mr. Lees execution, providing an additional four weeks of notice. The issue has elicited divisive opinion among the citizens with one faction opposing it while another advocates for it as a deterrent for crime. Mr. Lees lawyers opposed that request, insisting that overturning the order would result in their clients imminent execution. More than 14,000 people have been legally executed since colonial times, most of them in the early 20th Century. The Economist Newspaper Limited, 26 Apr. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. In the article "Death penalty is a deterrence", the authors claims that by practicing the death penalty, violent crimes will decrease. About four-in-ten (39%) oppose the death penalty, with 15% strongly opposed, according to a new Pew Research Center survey. Lower Drinking Age. Capital punishment should be distinguished from extrajudicial executions carried out without due process of law. For death penalty supporters, one major pro is its effectiveness as a crime deterrent. Puzzled, all of his main dormitory. The statistics on racial disparity are all backed up by links from credible sources. Among Republicans, a narrow majority of conservative Republicans (56%) say the death penalty does deter serious crimes, while a similar share of moderate and liberal Republicans (57%) say it does not. Grades: 8-10 More>>. 14 Jan. 2015. About half of those with four-year undergraduate degrees but no postgraduate experience (49%) support the death penalty. How people can support the death penalty? 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