Pro & Cons of Capital Punishment

Pros and Cons of Capital Punishment The “death penalty” is currently utilized in thirteen states throughout the United States. There are currently 3,242 people sitting on “death row” and 43 of those are currently incarcerated here in Nevada. The death penalty is nothing new. Everyone has either read about or watched movies of people having their heads chopped off during medieval times, hangings during western times and one of the most severe executions throughout the ages is that of the crucifixions during the time of Christ. Then there were the executions that few have been aware of and are most likely one of the cruelest of all were the ones of a person convicted of patricide. They would be “tied to a sack with a cockerel, a poisonous snake and a dog, and then thrown into the river, or sea.” (Jerome, 2012). Capital punishment has been in force for centuries and there are many forms, some are still administered today. Socrates was condemned to death and chose to execute himself by partaking of a deadly mouthful of poison. Slaves who were condemned to death would be beaten to death. Some methods over the centuries of execution of criminals were meant to apply tremendous pain and suffering. Back in medieval times the thief would be chained to heavy cartwheels and rolled around the streets where they were battered with stones and eventually crushed to death. Many others suffered a slow and agonizing death through strangulation. Then there were the executions that few have been aware of and are most likely one of the cruelest of all were the ones of a person convicted of patricide. They would be “tied to a sack with a cockerel, a poisonous snake and a dog, and then thrown into the river, or sea.” (Jerome, 2012).

In ancient time’s execution for the accused seemed to us today cruel and unjust. Some of the most ruthless methods were inflicted on the criminal. Including crucifixion, in Christ’s time; burnings, Joan of Arc; hangings which is still used today in