Death Penalty Debate

Death Penalty Debate Introduction Death penalty has been a serious debate issue both in the United States of America and other parts of the world. There have been those who champion for the abolition of death penalty and there have also been those who want the death penalty to be maintained citing that some criminals cannot be tolerated within the society.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Death Penalty Debate specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More So many nations in the world have been reported to have abandoned the death penalty yet others have continued to use it. It is crucial to mention that death penalty has been used constitutionally by some states to punish political dissidents hence raising the main objectives of the capital punishment in terms of containing felony and other forms of criminal activities all over the world. Similarities between the two articles The first similarity that is very conspicuous between the two articles is tha t they both address the issue of death penalty both within the United States of America and other parts of the world. The two articles are cognizant of the fact there are some states within the United States of America that have actually abolished death penalty as a capital punishment; however, they also recognize that of these states have not abolished the corporal punishment and still apply it in punishing specific class of criminals (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). Again, the two articles examine the different modes of meting death penalty in the United States and other parts of the world. Amongst the mode of meting death penalty discussed by the articles are electrocutions through electric chair, lethal injection, gas chambers and firing by hidden prison warders. It is important to note that these articles distinguish these death penalty modes into both historic and current; they also cite technological advancements utilized in the process (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). It is also important to mention that the two articles are cognizant of the fact that the execution of those sentenced to state execution have slowed down over the past several years. They both explain that it has been highly possible that innocent people have mistakenly been executed only to be realized letter that they were innocent people. The slow down has been informed by the fact that there is need for thorough investigations to be conducted before carrying out executions. In the case of the United States of America, the slow down in the execution has been explained by the decision of the Supreme Court to stop the execution until repeals are conclusive on a particular case for which an inmate has been sentenced to death. Both articles have also addressed the fact that some governments have considered abolishing the death penalty (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). For instance, one article states that a good number of states are considering putting a stop to death as a capital penalty within their jurisdictions.Advertising Looking for essay on common law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Besides, another article reveals that the governor of the state of Illinois, George Ryan made of declaration of a suspension on death penalty and further appointed a commission and charged it with the responsibility of studying the system of capital punishment in the state (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). Differences of the two essays As much as the two essays have addressed similar themes, there are some differences that can be pointed out. Whereas one essay has addressed the issue of death penalty in general, another is specific din pointing out the specific cases of executions that have taken place in the past. The essay on the American death penalty history reveals about the studies that have been done on how technological advancement has changed the way death penalty is carried out; for instance, it gives an insight into how death penalty has moved from trap-door gallows to what is known as the â€Å"Upright jerker† to electric chair then to gas chambers and finally to lethal injections. The other article has not addressed this issue. However, it is again important to note that the essay on history of The American death penalty has not addressed some issues that are addressed by the essay on the sow death. The essay slow death gives an insight about pressure to abandon death penalty; for instance, the articles states that in Colorado, one-vote margin was used to put down an uprising meant to go against the death penalty. This has not been hinted by the essay of the history of the American death penalty (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). Again, the article on slow death has given statistics regarding death sentencing while the other article has not discussed any form of statistics. In this case, the essay on slow death has systematically given various statistics touchin g on different issues of capital punishment. For instance, it reveals that in 2009, the state and the federal courts sentenced 37 inmates to execution which it recognizes as the lowest number since the year 1994. In 2010, it further states that the number of those sentenced to death reduced to thirty. This makes the essay relevant in predicting that soon death penalty may be a thing of the past; this prediction is not possible with the essay about the history of the American death penalty since it is just a general discussion about death penalty in the United States of America (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). The essay on the slow death has revealed the fact that despite the commitment of various states to put an end to death penalty, there are some states that still strongly mete death penalty.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Death Penalty Debate specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the states is Texas which is described as amongst the world’s busiest executioners handling almost the largest executions in the world. This is stated that will make the United States of America in general unique with respect to abolition of death penalty worldwide. All these issues are not addressed by the other essay on the history of death sentencing in America (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). The essay on slow death has also discussed about the cost of death sentencing to the state and concerned individuals. The cost is examined in terms of moral cost and the financial cost. For instance, the essay indicates that anti-death penalty individuals have argued that the financial cost involved in death penalty issues could be utilized in taking care of unresolved murder issues that still pending within the justice system. In terms of moral cost, the essay on slow death posits that the death punishment has been disputed on the ground of it subverting what Pop John referred to as a â€Å"Culture of li fe.† However, the essay reveals that all these cannot be sufficient grounds on which death penalty should be abandoned. All these issues are also not addressed in the other essay that has dealt with the history of death penalty (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). Conclusion Death penalty has been debated by so many people amongst who are those who fight for its abolition and those who favor it its retention within the statutes. The two articles have addressed the issue of death penalty. In the process they have some similarities and differences. Amongst the similar issues addressed by the two articles is the fight by anti-death penalty crusaders for states to abolish death penalty as a corporal punishment and the fact that some states are planning to abolish death penalty and struck it out of their statutory books. However, states like Texas has been described to still strongly cling to death penalty as a way of capital punishment and is not likely to let go any time soon (Bol e pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). Two essays have also discussed certain issues differently. The article on slow death has given statistics regarding death sentencing while the other article has not discussed any form of statistics. In this case, the essay on slow death has systematically given various statistics touching on different issues of capital punishment. For example, it indicates that in 2009, the state and the federal courts sentenced 37 inmates to execution which it recognizes as the lowest number since the year 1994. This kind of statistics has not been given the other essay (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2).Advertising Looking for essay on common law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nonetheless, the debate about death penalty is knot likely to end soon as long as there are still those who support its statutory relevance and those who view it as an outdated form of punishment and cruelty to humanity, especially with regards to how it is carried out. Even though some states in the United States of America and countries in other parts of the world have started to abolish the penalty other states are actually reinstating it in their constitution (Bole pp.1-3 and Hartnett pp. 1-2). Bole, William. A slow Death. Common Wealth. New York: Common Wealth Foundation, 2009. Hartnett. Stephen. The Death Penalty: An American History. The Journal of American History: New York: Bloomington, 2003.