Capital Punishment and Mentally Retarded

Paper Summary:

The first part of the paper looks at the legal standards for mental retardation. In the second part, the paper details the criticism against these standards and evaluates the other arguments for allowing the execution of the mentally retarded. The third part of the paper looks at the arguments against capital punishment for criminals who are proven to be mentally deficient. In the conclusion, the paper evaluates how the Supreme Court's ruling reflects a shift in societal attitudes regarding capital punishment and mental retardation.

From the Paper:

"Mental retardation is a medical condition characterized by impaired or incomplete mental development. With early diagnosis, a mentally retarded person can learn coping and life skills. However, there is no cure for mental retardation. There are three widely-used criteria to determine mental retardation. First, the condition causes significantly lower than average leves of intellectual function. Second, this limited intellectual function is often accompanied by related limitations in other adaptive skill areas. Finally, these conditions manifest themselves by the age of 18."

More papers on Capital Punishment and Mentally Retarded:

• Research Paper # 41286 : "Capital Punishment and Mental Illness"
• Analytical Essay # 130785 : "Capital Punishment and the Mentally Retarded"
• Book Review # 100554 : "Capital Punishment of the Mentally Handicapped"

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