The death penalty
... penalty, while the kidnapping, sexual torture of a child should automatically invoke the death penalty. The lines of delineation are less clear when juveniles are involved. There are many good cases and points that opponents to the death penalty bring up, but there are also several good arguments that pro-death penalty believers offer. Opponents of capital punishment believe the death penalty is uncivilized, pro-death penalty groups state "we execute those who commit these atrocious crimes so that they do not have the chance to kill again" (Logan, Carol p.1). Heinous crimes are no longer shocking occurrence, like they used to be, we have been desensitized by the media. The headlines are covered with people who have committed terrible crimes and sit on television laughing about what they've done, believing they're not going to receive the death penalty for their crime thereby weakening the effect of the death penalty. The judicial system has become a farce, inefficient and ineffective, whereas correctional facilities have become a home away from home to the criminals living in them. At one point in time, jail was somewhere a person feared to go, Martha Stewart is choosing to start her sentence early, no fear here. Don’t you think it’s sad that a majority of poor hard working Americans do not have quality health insurance, but criminals in correctional facilities do? They don’t require a job, it comes with full benefits. Prison, to some, is a refuge where they can escape from the need to be responsible and follow society’s rules. I believe that many serious crimes deserve a harsher punishment. The crime a person has to commit in order to receive the death penalty has dramatically changed over the past several years. I don't understand the need to spend ten, fifteen even twenty-years in appeals over technicalities to determine whether the death penalty sentence should be carried out, some die of old age; therefore, is it really a life in prison sentence? I feel the will of the people should be executed fast and efficiently with no regard to social status or wealth, the rich and poor die equally. If in doubt give the person a polygraph test, give them ten if it clears your conscience. Being for the death penalty I disagree with the process of leaving the decision to a jury, the O.J. Simpson trial is a good point, his jury was going to find a way to acquit him regardless of the evidence. Perhaps in the case of death penalty cases we need professional jurors trained to be critical thinkers, objective in their approach to judge guilt or innocence. I support the death penalty and agree that we should keep it, but if it is not going to be carried out in a reasonable amount of time, the system is wasting time, resources, tax dollars and credibility, "letting the prisoner drag his/her case on is a ploy" (Lopez, p.2). The death penalty has become more of a life in imprison with the possibility of death. I don’t think the death penalty is a fool proof deterrent to heinous Phil Holnbach Page 4 12/15/2004crimes, but it is a deterrent. In today’s world people have lost respect for the government and the laws that it enforces. I know putting to death a serial murderer is not going to prevent all homicides but if it doesn’t exist what barriers or reasons exist to deter such people? If nothing else they can kill again, and yes they have been known to kill guards, staff and other inmates while in prison. If nothing else there is the peace of mind knowing a cancer has been successfully removed from society. If the death penalty was always correctly applied I believe the majority of its critics would be less vocal. I believe the death penalty was originally created to be a deterrent and provide a sentence that actually fit the crime. I believe we could get back to this original intent if the people could see the government making changes and taking steps to correct several inequities. First our correctional facilities have become a home away from home in some instances with more amenities than experienced while living at home, who could complain about free food, medicine and much more. Second, the sentence can be delayed for years, decades so death is at best a possibility not a certainty. Last, I believe the death penalty is not uncivilized but the crimes committed certainly are savage, in some instances not to be found any where in the animal kingdom other than in the human species. Criminals may consider their actions if they thought going to prison meant subsistence living with only minimal amenities, the big screen is replace with a radio, you work if you want to eat, maybe the death penalty doesn’t sound so bad. I think the death penalty is our most effective method of dealing heinous crimes (Norrage, Gregory, pg.2). The death penalty can be further enhanced with an overhaul of the judicial system and our correctional institutions. I do not think we have an effective system at this ...