The Death Penalty

The Death Penalty

There are many crimes that are being committed through out America, burglary, car theft, rape, pick pocketing, and murder. There are many different forms of "murder", manslaughter (killing someone without it being previously thought out); vehicular manslaughter (hitting someone with your car and killing them) and other forms of accidental deaths may be thought of in the same sense of "murder". The death penalty applies to the murders that are committed violently (murders that are done on purpose). The way to prevent some of these violent murders is to use the death penalty more. Some people say that the death penalty is cruel, unjust and it is in moral. I feel that the death penalty, if it was in forced, would be a deterrent for crime. There are many strengths and weaknesses surrounding the death penalty. There also have been many arguments in favor of the death penalty.

In the state of Pennsylvania, a person that commits first degree murder with eighteen aggravating circumstances is able to be sentenced to death. The lethal injection is the means that is used when someone is sentenced to death. There is no real age specified to how old somebody can be before they are sentenced to death. As of July 1, 2001 there was 246 people on death row, 155 (63%) were African American, 75 (30%) were white, 15 (6%) were Latina and 2 (8%) were Asian.

A July 2001 Harris Poll founded about four of ten American (42%) felt that capital punishment deters people from committing murders. On the other hand about five of ten American (52%) believed capital punishment does not have much effect. In 1976, when the death penalty was reinstated nearly six of ten (59%) thought capital punishment was a deterrent, compared to just over three in ten (34%) who thought it wasn't. (Pg 74 The Death Penalty in America)

Some of the strengths of the death penalty are that it does not allow violent murders back onto the streets, it deters crimes from would be murders, and it gives comfort to families of murdered victims. By using capital punishment on violent murders it prevents them from reentering society and having a chance to commit a violent act again. If capital punishment was handed down as a punishment then other criminals would think again about committing murder. The death penalty also gives comfort to the families of murdered victim's by not allowing them (criminals) back onto the streets free to commit another murder. Other strengths of capital punishment are that it does not allow violent murders back into society in fear that they could possible harm again.

There are many weaknesses the concern the death penalty. These weaknesses are appeals, mentally handicap, and that some people who commit murder are too young. When filing for an appeal there is a long process that takes place and takes up a lot of time and years. When filing for an appeal you could be sitting on death row for years. When dealing with a handicap person you need to know if that person was in the right mind set to have committed the murder. If an adult with an IQ of a child commits murder then in the eyes of the judicial system that person is mentally incapable of standing trial and helping in his or her own defense. Some people feel that if you a minor (18 years or younger) you should not be able to be sentenced to death. Although a 16 year old is old enough to know that he or she has violently committed murder should have to pay for his or her own actions,