Death Penalty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Death Penalty - Research Paper Example The death penalty Introduction There are many punishments that a criminal can face if found guilty of a greater crime, but none is as jarring and final as the death penalty. The death penalty is the sentencing of death to a person who has been found guilty of a criminal offense. When a crime results in the death penalty, the crime is known as a capital crime or capital offense. A lesser crime does not hold the possibility of resulting in the death penalty; a person may face the death penalty if they are found guilty of first degree murder, but not for grand larceny. The death penalty in the United States is only inflicted when the guilty offender has willingly taken the innocent life of another or more than one person. In some states, attempted suicide can be met with the death penalty as the person is attempting to take a life (Carmen, 2008). The ultimate purpose of the death penalty is to take a life for another life. The death penalty is considered to be one of the most controvers ial punishments for criminal offenders. While there are people that believe the punishment follows the adage â€Å"eye for an eye†, there are still others that feel that governments and countries should be â€Å"practicing what they preach† instead of condoning murder by killing another, even if it is done in the name of justice. Regardless of these opinions, the death penalty is alive and well in thirty-five states, the United States military, and the United States government, as well as countless other countries. History of the death penalty law The death penalty has been around for hundreds of years in the United States, though it also has history in Europe in the pre-America era. Practiced by many countries and villages, the death penalty was not nearly as sophisticated as it is today. First and foremost, the death penalty was not only limited to murder, but expanded to include sexual crimes, such as adultery and sodomy, drug and human trafficking, and treason. Som e countries today still recognize some of these offenses as crimes being worthy of the death penalty. Treason resulting in the death penalty is still highly common among militaries throughout the world. If another life was taken or put at stake, then the person who placed them in that position would be faced with death. The methods of how the death penalty was to be implemented have also evolved. One of the earliest methods of the death penalty was by means of stoning. Usually regarded as a public spectacle to make both the crime and the consequence known, the criminal would stand in a designated meeting area before many of the townspeople, all of whom would often play a part in throwing the stones that would kill the criminal (Hood & Hoyle, 2008). Other antiquated methods included hanging and beheading; again, these would take place in public areas to serve as a lesson to prevent further criminal activity. Torture was another common method, one that is looked upon today as being bo th immoral and unethical. Other methods that were observed, though were not as common, were boiling to death, disembowelment, burning, or being slowly sliced or impaled repeatedly. People during these times did not have the fancy machines or equipment that we have now, so they had no choice but to work with what they already had. They got creative with their punishments, looking for methods that would not only get the job done but also supply the criminal with plenty of pain. The gruesome images