Is the Death Penalty Constitutional?
Capital Punishment: Proposition
Capital Punishment has been a topic of debate in America for many years. 38 states in America currently support the Death Penalty, including the U.S Government and the United States military, two forces entrusted with our protection. Capital Punishment is older than the U.S Constitution itself and our nation has always been able to manage or justify the reasoning of execution.
Capital Punishment has been a topic of debate in America since the 17th century. Although many abiding citizens oppose the death penalty, there are many ways for them to feel this way. However, there are also various supporting reasons for 38 states to consider Capital Punishment as very effective. Some of the pros involved in this long-fought debate are justice, closure for victims’ families, cost of inmates, deterrence, and punishment that is equal to the crime which was committed. In opposition, some of the cons are cost of execution, humanity, morality, religion, and unnecessary pain for the family of the executed prisoner.
The 1960s presented challenges to the fundamental legality of capital punishment. Before then, the 5th, 8th, and 14th Amendments to the United States Constitution were inferred as permitting capital punishment. The US Supreme Court has for over 200 years, repeatedly declared the death penalty to be constitutional (except for the four years from 1972 to 1976). It based its decisions on two Amendments to the Constitution that specifically mention the death penalty as follows: The 5th Amendment to the Constitution says: "No person shall be ... deprived of life ... without due process of law." The 14th Amendment says: "No state shall ... deprive any person of life ... without due process of law."
The Supreme Court also noted that when the 8th Amendment was written regarding cruel and unusual punishment, capital punishment was a common sanction in every state.
Though, in the early 1960s, it was advocated that the death penalty was a
Capital Punishment has been a topic of debate in America for many years. 38 states in America currently support the Death Penalty, including the U.S Government and the United States military, two forces entrusted with our protection. Capital Punishment is older than the U.S Constitution itself and our nation has always been able to manage or justify the reasoning of execution.
Capital Punishment has been a topic of debate in America since the 17th century. Although many abiding citizens oppose the death penalty, there are many ways for them to feel this way. However, there are also various supporting reasons for 38 states to consider Capital Punishment as very effective. Some of the pros involved in this long-fought debate are justice, closure for victims’ families, cost of inmates, deterrence, and punishment that is equal to the crime which was committed. In opposition, some of the cons are cost of execution, humanity, morality, religion, and unnecessary pain for the family of the executed prisoner.
The 1960s presented challenges to the fundamental legality of capital punishment. Before then, the 5th, 8th, and 14th Amendments to the United States Constitution were inferred as permitting capital punishment. The US Supreme Court has for over 200 years, repeatedly declared the death penalty to be constitutional (except for the four years from 1972 to 1976). It based its decisions on two Amendments to the Constitution that specifically mention the death penalty as follows: The 5th Amendment to the Constitution says: "No person shall be ... deprived of life ... without due process of law." The 14th Amendment says: "No state shall ... deprive any person of life ... without due process of law."
The Supreme Court also noted that when the 8th Amendment was written regarding cruel and unusual punishment, capital punishment was a common sanction in every state.
Though, in the early 1960s, it was advocated that the death penalty was a