Criminal Justice

Sidney Burrell
16 Nov. 2009                                  
Criminal Justice

The Death Penalty

The Death Penalty has been in effect since the days when Moses walked the earth. In those Biblical days, justice was swift. The first five books of the Holy Bible are referred to as the books of the law, especially, the book of Leviticus, which governed the lives of the children of Israel. Once reference in Leviticus says “ If anyone takes the life of a human being, he must be put to death (Leviticus 24:17).” The method most used   at the time was stoning, But they also used crucifixion. Today society should be thankful that we do not live by the Old Testament law which commanded the death penalty for the various acts: murder, kidnapping, bestiality, adultery, homosexuality, being a false prophet, prostitution, rape, and some other various crimes. ( Internet: www.gotquestions.org/deathpenalty.html)   Today’s society should be glad that state’s laws and the justice system do not work so swiftly; nor does it recommend the death penalty for the above mentioned acts. There was a time in the early settlement days there were methods used to punish criminals, which usually resulted in death. The early settlers used hangings, some stoning ( although not common in the Salem witch trials) and putting criminals in stocks for public display; some were left until they were dead from dehydration and/or eaten by animals. ( American History vol.7)   But in the present day, United States Citizens who commit certain crimes will receive the death penalty. Unfortunately there may be years between the act of the crime to the deliverance of justice.
The Judicial Process, which requires a trail by a jury of your peers, is the primary way to determine whether or not a person or persons will be sentenced to death. In some states the judicial process is much quicker, Texas has a strict death penalt, they do not allow criminals to sit on death row for twenty or thirty years. There are... [continues]

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