Capital Punishment

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that capital punishment is both a moral and a legal blemish upon the principles that there should be no cruel and unusual punishment in America, as outlined in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the United States. The author points out that the death penalty has little ethical support in philosophical moral teachings, has little logical or statistical support as deterrence against crime and is actually more expensive to the taxpayer in the long run. The paper states that the death penalty is not really compatible with Jesus' call for love and forgiveness or of America's contention that the rights of the individual outweigh the interests of the collective; thus, even those individuals who defend the death penalty's existence as upholding the Judeo-Christian ethic are misguided.

From the Paper:

"Logically, the notion of the death penalty as deterrence seems irrational, given that even crime depicted in "The Life of David Gale" would not be deterred by the death penalty. The film revolves around the tale of David Gale, a college professor in Texas, who is accused of murder and rape of a fellow activist. The film takes place while Gale is on death row, recounting his final testimony for a curious reporter. Even if Gale were guilty, which he is not, the crime is not one which death could act as a deterrent. The alleged crime is motivated by passion as much as premeditation, according to Gale's accusers."

More papers on Capital Punishment:

• Argumentative Essay # 22661 : "Capital Punishment and the Washington Sniper"
• Argumentative Essay # 148116 : "Does Capital Punishment Deter Murder?"
• Analytical Essay # 86172 : "Capital Punishment in Texas"
• Analytical Essay # 130903 : "Religion and Capital Punishment"

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