Capital Punishment for the Mentally Retarded

Paper Summary:

This paper argues the numerous reasons why the death penalty for the mentally retarded is inappropriate. It demonstrates that mental retardation prevents the disabled from logically assessing the pros and cons of their actions. The paper illustrates that international human rights groups urge nations not to impose death penalty on people with any form of mental disorder, which includes mental retardation and the mentally ill.

From the Paper:

"The Supreme Court of the United States, in a landmark ruling on June 20, 2002, prohibited the executions of the mentally retarded declaring it as violation of the eighth amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment. The Court decision came in the Atkins vs. Virginia case and in the opinion of many not a day too soon. While the taking of a life by anyone including the state is a debatable issue, subjecting the mentally retarded to the maximum punishment was an aberration in a civil society that has been set right by the decision."

More papers on Capital Punishment for the Mentally Retarded:

• Book Review # 100554 : "Capital Punishment of the Mentally Handicapped"
• Argumentative Essay # 22970 : "Death Penalty for the Mentally Challenged"
• Argumentative Essay # 22793 : "Executing the Mentally Retarded"

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