Death Penalty and Juveniles

Paper Summary:

Contends that juveniles should not be put to death. Cites the U.S. as the only industrialized country in the world that continues to execute juvenile offenders. Cites failure of capital punishment as a deterrent. Discusses alternative punishments and the Constitutionality of the issue. Need for preventive measures.

From the Paper:

"Juveniles and the Death Penalty


Some people justify the death penalty for murder and other heinous crimes, regardless of the offender s age. They fall back on the Bible s injunction of an eye for an eye. With a rash of murders committed by juveniles, some states permit the juries to decide that, if found guilty, youngsters can be put to death. In the United States, twenty-five states allow the execution of juveniles, twenty-one states set the minimum age of execution at 16, and four states at 17 (G.Potter 1). Twelve states "have no statutory minimum age, although the Supreme Court has set the minimum age for executions at 16 (K. Potter 1999 1). This in what is regarded as the most civilized nation in the world. The execution of juveniles is not only state-sanctioned murder. It is a desperate act of revenge, and really serves no purpose, since all sorts..."

More papers on Death Penalty and Juveniles:

• Argumentative Essay # 62746 : "Death Penalty for Juvenile Offenders"
• Research Paper # 92590 : "The Juvenile Death Penalty"
• Research Paper # 91934 : "Death Penalty on Juveniles"

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