Capital Punishment

Capital Punishment
Capital punishment has been the center of much controversy dating back to its origins. Although the roots of capital punishment can be traced as far back as 1697 BC, arguments over its effectiveness and morality continue in the midst of its existence today. There are many people who have come up with reasonable arguments for both sides of the issue. Many people who believe that the death penalty is a fair punishment use the argument, they believe that an eye for an eye is justifiable. While most people who are in opposition use the argument that capital punishment is cruel and inhumane violates the eighth amendment to the United States Constitution, while at the same time dehumanizes and brings the person performing the retribution to the same level as the criminals who they are punishing.

In the times surrounding the origins of capital punishment, it was used for a wide variety of crimes. Capital punishment can also be found in the Christian's Bible. The Christian Bible prescribed the death penalty for crimes such as murder, kidnapping and witchcraft. By 1500 AD, in England, only major felonies carried the death penalty: treason, murder, larceny, burglary, rape, and arson. (Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia, 1989) The United States inherited capital punishment from European settlers in the seventeenth century. They promoted the idea that heinous crimes deserved severe punishment. And this is what brought capital punishment to its present standing. In the United States justice system a proportionate punishment is achieved, in the case of a person who committed a crime, when the death penalty is enforced. (Williams, 2000, p.17-24) By 1800 Parliament had enacted many new capital offenses, and hundreds of persons were being sentenced to death each year. As of the official report on capitol punishment for 2003, in the United States, there are approximately 3,374 people on death row. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2003) Which is actually down by... [continues]

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