Death Penalty vs Life Imprisonment - 874 Words

Death Penalty vs. Life Imprisonment The death penalty is a widely discussed issue in the United States. Should the government still impose the death penalty for certain crimes? Or should the punishment be life imprisonment? This essay will discuss the different viewpoints on the death penalty and life imprisonment. Capital punishment, also called the death penalty, is the pre-meditated and planned taking of a human life by the government in response to a crime committed by the convicted person. The United States still uses the death penalty for certain crimes. On average, the United States puts 250 people per year on death row. The following are the top reasons why people are in favor of the death penalty. The death penalty†¦show more content†¦All the appeal, motions, hearings, briefs, ect. dominate the time of the judges, attorneys, and other court officials as well as use up courtrooms and facilities. This time and space could be used for other unresolved cases. The saying â€Å"eye for an eye,† is revenge mentality, it inevitably leads to an endless cycle of violence. Striking back at your enemies sends the wrong message to society. Why kill people who kill people to show killing is wrong?Show MoreRelated Death Penalty Essay664 Words   |  3 Pages The use of the death penalty in the United States has been a great debate for many years. One of the major aspects of this debate is whether or not we should continue to use this form of punishment for criminals. In my opinion, the death penalty should be abolished because it costs taxpayers much more than sending an inmate to prison and there is no factual evidence that it has any greater deterrent effect than life i mprisonment. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;One major reason that I believe thatRead MoreThe Integral Role Sentencing Plays in the Criminal Justice Process904 Words   |  4 Pagesincapacitation theory is it prevents the criminal from committing any future crimes. However, the role of imprisonment or incapacitation on criminals as a deterrent has been difficult to pin down. In Elliot Currie’s book; Crime and Punishment (1998) Assessing the Prison Experiment, he stated that in the 1970-1980’s a number of studies attempted to calculate the incapacitation effect of large increases in imprisonment. The results of this study were not encouraging. Instead of a decrease in crime after doublingRead MoreIs the Death Penalty an Effective Deterrent?1677 Words   |  7 PagesIs the Death Penalty an Effective Deterrent? Annotated Bibliography PS 223 Forensic Psychology I Research Question: Is the Death Penalty an Effective Deterrent? Honeyman, J. C., Ogloff, J. P. (1996). Capital punishment: Arguments for life and death. Canadian Journal Of Behavioural Science/Revue Canadienne Des Sciences Du Comportement, 28(1), 27-35. The main purpose of this article was to investigate the effects of the death penalty and theRead MoreEssay about 8th Amendment1153 Words   |  5 Pagescitizenship. (Garraty 155) This interpretation is demonstrated by the Supreme Courts rulings in the case of Gregg vs. Georgia, in 1976. In this case the court upheld the constitutionality of the death penalty, defending statutes that guide judges and juries in the decision to issue the death sentence. The Court did, however, state that the mandatory use of the death penalty would be prohibited under the Eighth Amendment as cruel and unusual punishment. The defendant in this case, GreggRead MoreAnalysis of the Bet800 Words   |  4 PagesChoices in Life â€Å"The death sentence and the life sentence are equally immoral, but if I had to choose between the death penalty and imprisonment for life I would certainly choose the second. To live anyhow is better than not at all† (Chekhov 1). In Anton Chekhov’s short story â€Å"The Bet† a lawyer and a banker make a bet about which penalty is more humane. The lawyer says that life imprisonment is more humane. In saying this, the lawyer bets he can stayed locked up in a cell for 15 years without anyRead MoreEssay about The Eighth Amendment1138 Words   |  5 Pagescitizenship. (Garraty 155) This interpretation is demonstrated by the Supreme Court’s rulings in the case of Gregg vs. Georgia, in 1976. In this case the court upheld the constitutionality of the death penalty, defending statutes that guide judges and juries in the decision to issue the death sentence. The Court did, however, state that the mandatory use of the death penalty would be prohibited under the Eighth Amendment as cruel and unusual punishment. The defendant in this caseRead MoreLife Imprisonment1378 Words   |  6 Pages| LIFE IMPRISONMENT IS A GOOD ALTERNATIVE TO CAPITAL PUNISHMENT | Can life imprisonment be a good alternative to death penalty? The issue remains unresolved. Even the US Supreme Court that had abolished ‘Death Penalty’ reversed its decision when new and less cruel methods of execution were introduced.  Why does a society punish its members for certain acts that are offensive and unacceptable to its laws and codes? This can be a starting point of exploring our dilemma about death penalty vs. lifeRead MoreEssay on Does the Government have the Right to Play God?1054 Words   |  5 Pagesagainst capital punishment is overwhelming. This alone does not reflect why my attitude and convictions on the subject has changed. The sanctity of life is priceless. It is my belief that only God has the authority to decide when our time on Earth should end. Ronald Carlson’s sister was murdered in 1983 in Texas. Before Carlson’s sister’s death, he said he did not oppose or stand for capital punishment. Carlson remembered feelings of extreme hatred for the murderer of his sister. Carlson statedRead MoreThe Moral, Legal, and Economical Aspects of Capital Punishment1509 Words   |  7 PagesCapital punishment has long been a topic for heated debate throughout the United States of America and the civilized world. For many politicians, the death penalty has been a key pillar to winning a state or election; and, to some extent, politics have been a key influence in America’s justice system. Many nations have outlawed capital punishment, with the United States included between 1972 and 1976. In the United States, there has been a renewed movement for this â€Å"eye for an eye† method, citingRead MoreDeath Penalty for Murders1634 Words   |  6 PagesIs it justifiable and effective to murder a murderer? The death penalty is one form of severe 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 has 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