Capital Punishment on Trial Essay - 1864 Words

Capital Punishment on Trial Capital Punishment is an issue that has been argued over from the dinner table in the average American home the the oval office in the White House for countless amounts of years. The opposing sides each state their claim on why we should, or shouldnt allow the death penalty to be administered to those criminals who the courts believe should be killed. Each argument has very valid reasons on why the death penalty is right and wrong, and they both have convincing points to prove their argument. The social problems within capital punishment vary from it being morally right or wrong, humane or inhumane, to the excessive time and money that is spent during appeals and stays of execution. This†¦show more content†¦As if the loss of a loved one is not enough for a family to deal with, Bundy remained on death row for nearly ten years. Three stays of execution and endless appeals kept Bundy alive for almost a decade, when his victims lives were untimely and viciously taken from them (Lamar 34). Many in fovor of the death penalty feel that if a sentence of death is handed down, then it should be enforced immediately, not as a question of morality, but simply as an act of justice. The death penalty already exists in thirty six states, and given its existence it should be enforced. The problem that arises within the criminal justice system as it is currently written in the law books is where part of this social problem arises. Since the United States Supreme Court reinstated the death Penalty in 1976, thirty six states have legislated capital punishment statutes (Capital Punishment 1992). All but thirteen states and the District of Columbia have the death penalty as a sentencing option, including Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin (Norman 1). Since capital punishment is already in existence, the problem is that it is not enforced. This lack of enforcement translated into inefficient functioning of the criminal justice system, which begins to be looked at as a social problem. If the criminalShow MoreRelatedCapital Punishment On Trial : Furman V. Georgia And The Death Penalty985 Words   |  4 PagesIn David M. Oshinsky’s book, Capital Punishment on Trial: Furman v. Georgia and the Death Penalty in Modern America, he discussed the case of Furman v. Georgia. He explores the controversy that capital punishment holds in the United States of America. The death penalty has been in practice for many centuries. For example, â€Å"In Massachusetts, where religion had played a key role in settlement, crimes like blasphemy, witchcraft, sodomy, adultery, and incest became capital offenses, through juries sometimesRead MoreDeath Penalty for Murders1634 Words   |  6 Pagessevere punishment in the United States. People who have performed heinous crimes can be sentenced to capital punishment in some states; however, this type of chastisement is rarely performed. Capital punishment has more negative aspects than it h as positive. The states that have legalized the death penalty face the excessive costs associated with it, which can be damaging to their economies. In addition, there is always the chance of executing an innocent person when carrying out capital punishmentRead MoreThe Cost Of Capital Punishment1664 Words   |  7 Pagespenalty with no resultant reduction in crime. 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