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DEATH PENALTY Unit 2: Pros and Cons of the Death
Penalty Mr. Senseney
Contemporary Social Issues
Journal Entry
Which of the following would you consider worse? Death penalty vs. Lifetime Imprisonment? What makes you choose your selection? (5-7 sentences)
Top 10 Arguments Concerning the Death Penalty
Arguments both for/against Death Penalty: 1) Morality of the DP 2) Constitutionality 3) Deterrence 4) Retribution 5) Irrevocable Mistakes 6) Cost of Death vs. Lifetime Imprisonment 7) Race 8) Income Level 9) Attorney Quality 10) Physicians @ Executions
Morality of the Death Penalty
Pro Human dignity is valued through the death
penalty because it honors the defendant as someone who can control his own destiny.
Defendant can choose to either commit/not commit the questionable act.
Con Racial bias and racial discrimination are
present in the death penalty. Death sentences are given to those who are
poor and innocent, not given to those who are rich and guilty.
Constitutionality of the Death Penalty
Pro: Our society undoubtedly has found new and more
humane ways to implement the death penalty. Days of hangings/firing squads have now moved on to
lethal injection.
Con: Treats members of the human race, as nonhumans. At
this points humans become mere toys who can be played with and then discarded.
When is murdering someone ever deemed constitutional? Ronnie Lee Gardner in Utah (2010)
Would not tell the gunman which one had the REAL bullet; why do you think they withheld that information?
Deterrence of the Death Penalty
Pros: Argument that I deem to be the most valid
argument. People fear nothing more in the world than the
prospect of death. Worst-case scenario: if given a choice, which of the
two options would you choose? Cons:
No credible evidence that the death penalty deters crime. In fact, states with the death penalty have a higher
crime rate than those without the death penalty. Dismiss this; why would that be?
Retribution & the Death Penalty
Pros: The most ordered society comes when
everyone receives what is due to them. You work hard; you receive money. You commit a
crime; shouldn’t you pay the price? Cons:
Retribution is another word for REVENGE; which is unquestionably one of the worst traits a human can possess. What good ever comes from seeking revenge? This merely continues the cycle of violence;
when will it ever stop?
Irrevocable Mistakes
Pro: No system of justice can go without mistakes
occurring. Human testimony, in itself, is very flawed. There is a higher standard of research/proof
needed for death penalty cases. If anything, these cases receive more time/energy.
Con: 87 people have been freed from death row due to
their innocence; that is one innocence per every 7 executions.
This is an act that one CANNOT replace; one the individual passes, there is no going back.
Cost of Death vs. Life in Prison
Statistically, this is the least factual of all of the arguments. This argument has been presented in so many
ways; with so many different numerical values that I am not sure this is a great argument.
What I will say is….: With the death penalty, you are typically dealing
w/ multiple attorneys whereas with the lifetime imprisonment you have ONE.
We educate our inmates; inmates are typically enrolled in a G.E.D. program
Race & the Death Penalty
It has been statistically proven that African Americans & Hispanics commit more crimes in proportion to their numbers. In saying this: Pro:
The fact that African Americans and Hispanics are charged more often simply means that they are committing more crimes.
Usually dealing w/ your more impoverished citizens regardless of race.
Con: African Americans make up 13 percent of the nation’s
population; yet half of those members on death row. Hate to say this….but you are typically dealing w/
Caucasian judges & Caucasian policemen.
Income Level & the DP
Pros: Some of the best lawyers are deemed to be
private lawyers; meaning that they deal w/ cases where someone does not choose their own lawyer/attorney.
Cons: The poor pay the ultimate price for crimes;
look at the statistics. Poor people cannot receive the same defense
that rich individuals can. As the saying goes, “Capital punishment means
them without the capital gets the punishment.”
Physicians @ Executions
Pros: Capital punishment in principle deserves
capital punishment in practice. If a physician finds the practice too brutal or
too out of the ordinary, they can opt out of executions.
Cons: Violates their Hippocratic Oath. A physician is a member of a profession
dedicated to preserving life; this appears to be completely BASS-ACKWARDS.
JUVENILE’S & SENTENCING/ LIFETIME IMPRISONMENT
Mr. Senseney
Juvenile’s
What are your thoughts on juvenile’s sentencing? If you are under the age of 18, and you
somehow either committed a murder, or assisted in a murder, what should your punishment be? Lifetime imprisonment?
Why/Why not? Death penalty?
Why/why not? Which of these two punishments do you feel is
worse?
Juvenile’s
Statistics 9,700 American prisoners are serving life sentences for
crimes they committed before age 18. More than a fifth have zero chance of parole.
More than 350 of these prisoners serving life sentences are under the age of 15? Is it right to punish these individuals accordingly? Is it just to
make different circumstances for different age groups?
Rebecca Falcon 15 years old; got drunk and decided to ride a cab home
with her male friend. Male friend shoots the cab driver; denies it up and down;
placing blame on Rebecca. She denies and denies; but to no avail; was never proven
guilty but was found guilty of assisting a murder.
Rebecca Falcon
March 2005 Supreme Court rules that the death penalty for
juveniles violates the Eighth Amendment (Cruel & Unusual Punishment)
Meaning of the Amendment changes with “evolving standards of decency.”
Unformed Personalities Should these crimes committed by juvenile’s be
held against them or the parenting involved? Under 18 means you are more susceptible to peer
pressure, less maturity, and your brains are not fully formed. Should this he held against them?
Lifetime Imprisonment (PROS)
Pro #1: Removing criminals from the general population. Criminals need to be removed from society to help protect law-
abiding citizens; pattern of peace. Pro #2: Deterring Future Criminals
“Scare tactic.” From the earliest of years, children know jail is bad---think Monopoly!
Pro #3: Deterrence for Repeat Offenders Most people do NOT re-enter the jail system; hence they are
deterred. Pro #4: Gives them a CHANCE for reform!
Death penalty does not provide this same opportunity. Pro #5: Death penalty may be EASY way out
Some people may wish for this; death penalty is a much shorter time punishment than lifetime imprisonment.
Lifetime Imprisonment (Cons)
Con #1: Cost to the Taxpayer Most U.S. prisons are state-funded Taxpayers contribute to the care of our nation’s prisoners
through their paychecks and working hard; while inmates are typically not working. Beds, Electricity, Food/Water
Con #2: Loss of Family Connections Family ties are a must if a reformed criminal hopes to
swing back into things; support group is monumental. Without the family support system, who’s going to assist these ex-inmates?
Con #3: Effects on Families Families fall apart over this; what happens when the new
inmate was the family’s number one money-maker?
ASSISTED SUICIDE TERMSMr. Senseney
Contemporary Social Issues 3rd Block
Assisted Suicide
What are your thoughts on physician-assisted suicides? Do you feel these are moral? 2-1 support the idea of euthanasia and
physician assisted suicide. What would you wish for yourself if you were
told you had 6 months to live? Would you wish to live those (6) months out or
would you rather have a physician end your life prematurely?
Euthanasia Definitions
Passive Euthanasia: Allowing nature to run its course; altering some form of
support. Examples: stopping medical procedures/medications Stoppage of food/water. Not delivering CPR. Giving someone an overdose in painkillers, such as
morphine. Active Euthanasia:
Causing the death of the patient through a direct action, in response to a request from that person. Dr. Kevorkian: injection of controlled substances to speed
up the process of death. Was later charged with 1st degree murder, in response.
Bad Deaths
Most people in North America die a “bad death.” More often than not, patients die in pain. Think about most of the deaths you can think
of….many deaths result after numerous days/weeks in Intensive Care/hospital.
Euthanasia: Greek origin: “Good death” The intentional termination of life by another at
the explicit request of the individual who dies. Can be either voluntary or involuntary.
Physician Assisted Suicide
Physician supplies all the necessary information; patient has the means of committing their own suicide. Supply of carbon monoxide gas. Supply of a lethal dose of sleeping pills.
Dr. Kevorkian’s name again arises with physician assisted suicides.
Patients could push button to initiate the flow of substances into their body? Is this moral? Are patients in the right state of mind
to make a decision such as this?
Involuntary Euthanasia
Involuntary Euthanasia: Killing of a person who has not explicitly
requested any aid in death. Usually chosen by family member to prevent
suffering. Involves those in a persistent vegetative state.
Why commit suicide? Severe depression: this is the ultimate
solution to all of their problems. Terminal illness: individual does NOT wish to
diminish their assets by incurring large assets.
Other Reasons for Suicide
Serious illness/disorder Do not wish to see the pain their family will go
through. Progressive illnesses
Things are bad now; and will only get worse. AIDS/Multiple Sclerosis
Lost a sense of independence Loss of personal dignity. Hate the fact they must be cared for continously.
Inevitable It’s going to happen eventually; this way at least
you know when.
Legality of PAS
Physician assisted suicide is currently legal only in Oregon and the nation of Netherlands. Otherwise, patients are forced to continue
their lives against their own wishes. Thomas Aquinas:
Condemns all suicide because: It violates one natural desire to live. It harms other people inherently. Life is the gift of God and should only be taken by
God.
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