The History of Capital Punishment Essay - 2004 Words

The History of Capital Punishment Crime has been a plague on society from ancient times to present. In response to this plague, society has formed structured rules to deal with the perpetrators of crime. A crime can be defined as act that society’s government deems as illegal. Different societies have formed various methods and standards for evaluating crime and assigning corresponding punishment. What constitutes a crime has changed throughout the course of history. In ancient times, such extreme actions as the deliberate killing of another human being for the sake of family honor or religious rite was considered socially acceptable and therefore not legally wrong. Now, the majority of the modern world (with perhaps the†¦show more content†¦American concepts pertaining to offenders, punishment, and reform was developed after much careful thought and consideration concerning the example of English law and its history. Death was formerly the penalty for all felonies in English law. In practice, the death penalty was rarely applied as widely as the law provided. A variety of procedures were adopted to mitigate the harshness of the law; therefore, many offenders who committed capital crimes were pardoned. The conditions for pardon were the offender agreed to be transported to what were then the American colonies and the benefit of the title of clergy. The benefit of clergy applied to offenders who were ordained priests (or clerks in Holy Orders) and who were thereby subject to trial by the church courts rather than by the secular courts. Hence, if an offender could show that he was ordained he was allowed to go free, and was subject to the possibility of punishment by the ecclesiastical courts. In the 17th century, the only proof of ordination was literacy, and it became customary to allow anyone convicted of a felony to escape the death sentence by giving proof of litera cy by reading a verse from Psalm 51. The obvious problem with this test is that most offenders escaped punishment by simply learning the words by heart. Capital punishment has been used in the United States since Colonial times. During this time frame, it was accepted because ofShow MoreRelatedThe History of Capital Punishment1239 Words   |  5 Pagesstatements, and there was no DNA evidence or murder weapon found (Pilkington). How can a man’s life be taken in such an unfair and cruel way? The world should make capital punishment illegal, recognizing it as a moral and ethical mistake, a cruel and misguided injustice, and an impractical and wasteful act. Capital punishment has a complicated history, both worldwide and particularly in the United States. Due to the efforts of human rights groups and evolutions in society, the world has many fewer executionsRead MoreHistory of Capital Punishment in America779 Words   |  3 PagesCapital Punishment, the process by which the government takes the life of an offender for crimes committed against humanity. Capital Punishment also referred to as the â€Å"death penalty† has played a role in the correctional process dating back to 1608 in Jamestown. Over the years the use of Capital Punishment has fluctuated. Like most areas of corrections the death penalty has become reformed and altered to needs of modern day society. Like most controversial issues the majority of people haveRead MoreHistory of Capital Punishment Essay997 Words   |  4 PagesHistory of Capital Punishment In the history of the world, the punishment for murder, or homicide, has generally been â€Å"the death penalty†. This seems to be the most logical punishment. If someone intentionally kills an innocent human being, why should he be able to live? Or should he? Should he be forced to suffer for the remainder of his life for this terrible crime? There are many arguments and opinions on this topic; many reasons why we should sentence murderers to death, but many reasonsRead MoreHistory of THe Capital Punishment Essay714 Words   |  3 PagesThe capital punishment, known as the death penalty has been a widely debated topic in America over its constitutionality after being reinstated in 1976. There are two distinct sides in the debate over whether the death penalty is an unjust punishment. The debate spreads over to whether mentally ill and juveniles should be tried as adults and receive the death penalty or if their mental capacity restrains the government from issuing the punishment. Not only that, but the methods used to administerRead More The History and Public Opinion of Capital Punishment Essay4449 Words   |  18 PagesThe History and Public Opinion of Capital Punishment The history of the death penalty goes back to the earliest civilizations where it was used to punish all sorts of crimes from robbery, to murder, to different forms of heresy. In the United States it evolved to just punish murder, treason, and some cases of rape. It has been an issue that has sparked a never ending debate that goes back to colonial times. The general public traditionally supported the death penalty in a majorityRead MoreThe History of Capital Punishment as a Deterrent to Crime Essay2614 Words   |  11 Pagesconcerning capital punishment, or the death penalty. Through the passing of time, our society castigates transgressors with the death penalty. Many nations through time have decided to enact this harsh treatment. In the United States alone, the federal government has persevered to reinforce people to death (Marzillo 10). According to Wikipedia Encyclopedia, â€Å"Capital Punishment is the execution of a person by judicial process as a punishment for an off ense.† Over the centuries capital punishment has beenRead MoreThe Effects Of Capital Punishment On Society1516 Words   |  7 Pages Capital Punishment Tyra L. Ferguson SYP4514: Patterns of Violence in Society University of Central Florida Introduction Capital punishment was first noted in America in the early 1600’s (â€Å"Part I: History of†, 2014). Much like most of the laws in America, capital punishment was brought here and influenced by European settlers (â€Å"Part I: History of†, 2014). Many crimes that were punishable by death in its infancy in America ranged from stealing fruit to murder. Capital punishmentRead MoreBureau Of Justice Statistics : The United States Primary Source For Criminal Justice1439 Words   |  6 PagesCapital Punishment. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). U.S. Department of Justice. 25 Nov. 2014. Web. Web. 25 Nov. 2014. Bureau of Justice Statistics is the United States primary source for criminal justice statistics. The website has published information on crime, criminal offenders, victims of crime, and the operation of justice systems at all levels of government. According to Bureau of Justice Statistics, â€Å"The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) is a component of the OfficeRead MoreThe Death Penalty Throughout History1074 Words   |  5 Pagesdevelopment of the death penalty throughout history. It begins with a brief explanation of the origins of capital punishment, referencing the first known documentation of actions punishable by death. The paper goes on to explore different methods of execution and how they have progressed and changed over the years. Documented cases at different points of history are referenced to show the relationship of time periods and beliefs to the implementation of capital punishment. Finally, the development of differentRead MoreThe Death Penalt y Of Capital Punishment1480 Words   |  6 Pagessystem, such as the death penalty. Capital punishment has been used many times in history all around the world, and it was quite popular. Many people argue that capital punishment is useful in deterring crime and that it is only fair that criminals receive death as punishment for a heinous crime. On the contrary, others see the death penalty as a violation of the 8th amendment. It restricts excessive fines, and it also does not allow cruel and unusual punishment to be inflicted upon criminals. Although