Capital PunishmentCapital Punishment

By Julia LevinBy Julia Levin

ThesisThesis

In the past, the government has regulated In the past, the government has regulated the use of the death penalty in the United the use of the death penalty in the United States. States.

Presently, the individual states decide if Presently, the individual states decide if the death penalty should be used. the death penalty should be used.

In the future, the death penalty should be In the future, the death penalty should be legal and used in all fifty states.legal and used in all fifty states.

PastPast

The death penalty was The death penalty was first introduced in first introduced in America in 1608.America in 1608.In colonial times people In colonial times people first began to speak out first began to speak out against capital against capital punishment.punishment.In 1890 the electric chair In 1890 the electric chair was used for the first was used for the first time.time.Some states Some states implemented capital implemented capital punishment while others punishment while others did not.did not.

Past Past

In 1972, Supreme In 1972, Supreme Court heard the case Court heard the case of Furman v. Georgia.of Furman v. Georgia.Ruled that the death Ruled that the death penalty was “cruel penalty was “cruel and unusual and unusual punishment” and punishment” and could result in could result in arbitrary sentencing.arbitrary sentencing.Capital punishment Capital punishment was suspended.was suspended.

PastPast

To get around To get around Furman v. Georgia, Furman v. Georgia, states rewrote states rewrote statutes.statutes.34 states enacted 34 states enacted new laws.new laws.In 1976, the Supreme In 1976, the Supreme Court ruled through Court ruled through Gregg v. Georgia that Gregg v. Georgia that the death penalty was the death penalty was legal.legal.

PresentPresent

Once declared constitutional, it was up to the Once declared constitutional, it was up to the individual state whether they wanted to use individual state whether they wanted to use capital punishment.capital punishment.

In 1989, the Supreme Court ruled through In 1989, the Supreme Court ruled through Stanford v. Kentucky that minors could be Stanford v. Kentucky that minors could be executed.executed.

The same year, the Supreme Court ruled The same year, the Supreme Court ruled through Penry v. Lynaugh that mentally through Penry v. Lynaugh that mentally challenged people could be sentenced to death.challenged people could be sentenced to death.

PresentPresent

In 1991, the Supreme Court In 1991, the Supreme Court ruled through Payne v. ruled through Payne v. Tennessee that “victim impact” Tennessee that “victim impact” evidence was legal.evidence was legal.In 1994, the Violent Crime In 1994, the Violent Crime Control Act was passed. This Control Act was passed. This Act extended the death penalty Act extended the death penalty to include about 60 offenses.to include about 60 offenses.In 2000, the Supreme Court In 2000, the Supreme Court ruled through Atkins v. Virginia ruled through Atkins v. Virginia that it violated the Eighth that it violated the Eighth Amendment to execute Amendment to execute someone mentally retarded.someone mentally retarded.Currently, 36 states use capital Currently, 36 states use capital punishment.punishment.

FutureFuture

In the future, the In the future, the death penalty should death penalty should be mandatory in all 50 be mandatory in all 50 states.states.

It deters criminals It deters criminals from committing from committing crimes.crimes.

FutureFuture

Capital Punishment is the Capital Punishment is the only thing that can stop only thing that can stop criminals from committing criminals from committing crimes.crimes.If sentenced to life without If sentenced to life without parole, criminals have no parole, criminals have no incentive to not murder.incentive to not murder.““Assaults in prisons all Assaults in prisons all over the US, both against over the US, both against fellow inmates and against fellow inmates and against staff, have more than staff, have more than doubled in the past doubled in the past decade.”-Criminal Justice decade.”-Criminal Justice Institute, Middletown, Institute, Middletown, Connecticut.Connecticut.

FutureFuture

With all the work and With all the work and extra care that is put into extra care that is put into cases of people up for the cases of people up for the death penalty, there is death penalty, there is very little chance that an very little chance that an innocent person will be innocent person will be wrongly sentenced.wrongly sentenced.

Capital punishment isn’t Capital punishment isn’t cruel and unusual cruel and unusual punishment, life sentence punishment, life sentence without parole is though.without parole is though.

FutureFuture

The laws that specify what The laws that specify what crimes are worthy of the death crimes are worthy of the death penalty should be clear and penalty should be clear and unchanging.unchanging.Murder, rape resulting in Murder, rape resulting in death, and rape of a minor are death, and rape of a minor are three crimes that are worthy of three crimes that are worthy of the death penalty.the death penalty.The right to appeal should be The right to appeal should be limited to special cases. There limited to special cases. There are too many people sitting on are too many people sitting on death row because they are death row because they are waiting for an appeal.waiting for an appeal.The only method of capital The only method of capital punishment should be lethal punishment should be lethal injection.injection.

ConclusionConclusion

The death penalty has been a very controversial The death penalty has been a very controversial issue through the decades.issue through the decades.Capital punishment is the only effective way to Capital punishment is the only effective way to deter crime.deter crime.The Federal government has regulated the use The Federal government has regulated the use of the death penalty in the past.of the death penalty in the past.Now it is up to the individual state whether they Now it is up to the individual state whether they want to use it.want to use it.In the future, it should be mandatory throughout In the future, it should be mandatory throughout the entire country.the entire country.