Deterrence of Capital Punishment
The Deterrence of Capital Punishment
There has been much controversy on whether or not capital punishment deters crime. Many may say it does but once we look at the statistics that is not what we see. The death penalty might have been a useful tool as a deterrent back when it first originated but not in today’s society. We often look at capital punishment as a cruel means of justice in the judiciary system and to many that is exactly what it is. One thing that is certain is that capital punishment does not deter crime.
The death penalty is one of the most controversial laws that there is today. In order to get a good understanding of it, one must go back and see its history. Capital punishment has been recorded as far back as 1750 B.C., where The Code of Hammurabi enforced this for twenty-five different crimes (Foster 3). During these ages there were no well-established courts system. The capital punishment methods used during this time were beatings, crucifixion, burning alive, drowning and impaling. These methods were used to serve justice to the criminals showing a quick punishment and to deter future offenders. Many of these methods carried out through the biblical times and the Spanish Inquisition. By the 1700s England became well known for their advances and creativity in the methods they used for corporal and capital punishment. If not careful one could easily get the death penalty for stealing, murder and other minor felony charges. The factor that made the death penalty work during these times is that it was quick and certain that if you committed a crime you would pay for it with your life in public for everyone to witness.
There is a major difference on how things are done now from how they were done back then. The procedures that are taken now are much more tedious and time consuming. Once charged with the death penalty it may take up to ten to twenty years till you are actually put to death. This long wait can be emotionally straining and expensive.
There has been much controversy on whether or not capital punishment deters crime. Many may say it does but once we look at the statistics that is not what we see. The death penalty might have been a useful tool as a deterrent back when it first originated but not in today’s society. We often look at capital punishment as a cruel means of justice in the judiciary system and to many that is exactly what it is. One thing that is certain is that capital punishment does not deter crime.
The death penalty is one of the most controversial laws that there is today. In order to get a good understanding of it, one must go back and see its history. Capital punishment has been recorded as far back as 1750 B.C., where The Code of Hammurabi enforced this for twenty-five different crimes (Foster 3). During these ages there were no well-established courts system. The capital punishment methods used during this time were beatings, crucifixion, burning alive, drowning and impaling. These methods were used to serve justice to the criminals showing a quick punishment and to deter future offenders. Many of these methods carried out through the biblical times and the Spanish Inquisition. By the 1700s England became well known for their advances and creativity in the methods they used for corporal and capital punishment. If not careful one could easily get the death penalty for stealing, murder and other minor felony charges. The factor that made the death penalty work during these times is that it was quick and certain that if you committed a crime you would pay for it with your life in public for everyone to witness.
There is a major difference on how things are done now from how they were done back then. The procedures that are taken now are much more tedious and time consuming. Once charged with the death penalty it may take up to ten to twenty years till you are actually put to death. This long wait can be emotionally straining and expensive.
Cited: "Method of Execution by State." Bureau of Justice Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2012. Foster, Burk. Corrections: The Fundamentals. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006. 3. Print. "Innocence and the Death Penalty." Death Penalty Information Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2012. "Murder Rates Nationally and By State." Death Penalty Information Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2012.