The Death Penalty in America
PHI 200: Mind and Machine
April 4, 2011
The Death Penalty in America
The death penalty continues to be one of the most extremely controversial issues in America. When a person is found guilty of capital murder in many cases they are sentenced to the death penalty. Sometimes the victim or victim’s family will even have a voice during the final sentencing phase. Many believe that the death penalty is considered to be cruel and unusual punishment. This is a debate that will continue for many years. The judicial system has improved the way the death penalty is handed down and administered. The improvements in the process of the death penalty have made the administering less inhumane than in the previous years. Although, in a few states there are different ways to enforce the death penalty, most states have changed to only using the lethal injection. Lethal injection is considered by many to be the least painful and most humane way of putting someone to death.
Many people feel the death penalty is a necessary punishment that should stay in place for convicted felons who have committed capital murder or other horrible crimes. Often the person who has committed this crime is not a first time offender and they are well aware of what they are doing at the time they are committing the crime. Although many times the person who commits the crime will try to act like they were not aware of what they did or they attempt to plead temporary insanity. Many times the death penalty is of a great relief to the victim’s family and friends. It is also a way for the families to feel that justice has been served and aid in the healing process by giving some sense of closure. Not that by putting someone to death is really justice, but it does ease the family’s minds that this evil person will not do the same thing to another human being and cause the same pain to another family that the family will always have to...