What is Capital punishment?
Capital punishment is the death penalty.
How many of you in this class believe that the death penalty should be enforced throughout the United States?
Today, capital punishment or the death penalty is one of the most debated issues in the Criminal Justice System we need to understand the pros and cons of this issue. In 1972, in the case of Furman v. Georgia the Supreme Court declared the death penalty to be unconstitutional, stating that it defied the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment, which quotes cruel and unusual punishment. Unfortunately, in 1976, the Supreme Court the decision was overturned in the case of Gregg v. Georgia and the death penalty was reinstated. Currently, The American Civil Liberty Union (ACLU) is working for a suspension on capital punishment and end to state ordained murders in the United States. The ACLU claims that the death penalty should be very disturbing to anyone who values the worth of human life.
In America, on average a prisoner can be on death row for eleven years {2004 figure} awaiting the result of many appeals. Their chances of escaping execution are better if they are white and/or wealthy, rather than black and/or poor. According to Rev. Jesse Jackson, “The death penalty is essentially an arbitrary punishment. This lack of objective, measurable standards ensures that the application of the death penalty will be discriminatory against racial, gender, and ethnic groups.” (Thought you could use this quote, after this comment on the chances of white people escaping prosecution, not sure how you transition to this next point, so I recommend deleting and moving on to next point. )
With putting someone on death row what would honestly be accomplished? You can not bring back the victim from the killing of another. Capital punishment in the US is currently acceptable in thirty-six states, including the federal government. Each state that practices legalized capital punishment has different...