Punishment for a Crime Committed - Term Paper Example

Death Penalty Death penalty, also known as capital punishment is a legal process that involves the killing ofa person as punishment for a crime committed, also known as capital crimes. Capital punishment has been in existence for a long period. For instance, in the US, death penalties have been present ever since its founding (Walker 7). Various nations had their own ways of death sentences. For instance, in the US, hanging and firing squad were the most common forms of executions. Some nations had sentences in the form of beating to death, burial when alive, drowning at sea and crucifixion (Melusky & Pesto 8).Unlike in the present where many people do not witness such punishments, in the past death penalties were done in public. Apart from explaining on various forms of death penalties, the essay will also relay more information on its effects to the society. In the US, before the rise of legal institutions, cases of death penalties were quite rampant in all states. Since there were no modern legal institutions, many crimes ranked as capital whose punishment was death. For instance, in the US, crimes such as rape, kidnapping, arson and forgery were punishable by death (Walker 19). Most of these crimes were punishable by hanging and the process normally took place in public places where everybody would see. In the past, such events were quite common and usually attracted a large number of spectators some of whom came to do business during the occasion (Melusky & Pesto 2). Tens of thousands normally showed up in such events with the intension of viewing the hanging. This changed as from the 1960s when a modern legal institution was set up. To date, there have been numerous debates on the whether sentencing a person to death is justice as claimed. Most legal firms claim that a death penalty is justice only if one has committed a capital crime such as killing another person. Legal officers claim that one ought to receive punishment that is equal to the crime he or she has committed. According to Guernsey (9), even Biblically, an offender was to receive an eye for an eye; this implied that punishment was to fit the crime committed. Studies show that death penalties began in the US around the 1600 when the first English colonialists landed in the US (Guernsey 10). Captain George Kendall went down on record as the first person to die because of a death sentence. According to Melusky and Pesto (7), Captain Kendall was sentenced to death by the firing squad method. This was after an accusation of spying for the Spanish nation against the Britons. After Kendall’s death, more types of crimes became capital hence an implication that they were worth death sentences. Some of the new capital crimes included stealing of grapes, and conducting trade with the Indians (Melusky & Pesto 7). These strict laws resulted to a rapid decline in the number of people visiting and settling in the US. Many people were against the new form of punishment, philosophers termed it barbaric, and this was because according to them killing of persons resulted to more harm than good. One famous philosopher, Cesare Beccaria, said that it was quite absurd for legal institutions to claim that killing is illegal yet they themselves commit murder in the name of capital punishment. After numerous debates where many people were against death sentences, the US enacted new laws whereby many crimes were removed from the category of capital crimes. The only crimes that remained in the category of capital crimes were those of murder and treason (Guernsey 11). Other states such as Pennsylvania passed laws that saw the abolition of public executions, which was a common occurrence in many states. Death penalties were normally of different types. In the 19th century, the most common forms of death penalties were firing squads and hanging (Guernsey 11). Such killings were quite painful to the accused person. For instance, the hanging sentence was the most painful since in most cases, the condemned person did not die on the spot; instead he or she would slowly be chocked to death. Unlike the hanging sentence, a death sentence by firing squad was less painful. This is because the condemned died instantly of bullet wounds sprayed on him or her. When the modern legal institutions came into existence, these forms of executions were abolished permanently. After their abolition came new forms of executions such as lethal injections (Burkhead 4). Similarly, unlike in the past where executions were in public, the new laws abolished them and instead such killings became private whereby only few persons were to witness. According to a statement by Beccaria, a philosopher, a death penalty was less effective compared to life imprisonment (Burkhead 5). This is because when a condemned person finally dies of lethal injection, that is the end of life and the person will never feel the pain again. Whereas many legal officers assume that killing a condemned person is punishment for him or her, the truth of the matter is that families of the condemned person are the ones that suffer and not as earlier stated. This is because once the condemned person dies, the families left behind remain with a lot of grief and despair. Reply Although many states globally still have death penalties as a constitutional law, this form of punishment is not worth it. Since despite the fact that law books are clear when stating that nobody has the right to end the life of another human being, other human beings disguised as law abiding persons go ahead and kill people who have committed certain crimes. I think this implies that there is no difference between the criminal who committed murder and the person that suggested the condemned person be killed by lethal injection. This is because both the condemned person and legal officers commit murder, the only difference is that whereas one murderer dies of lethal injection, the other one goes free with no charges. Conclusion Death penalties, also known as capital punishments have been around for centuries. In the past, capital punishments were rampant since there was a lack of proper legal measures. People were sentenced to death for committing crimes such as rape, murder, kidnapping and arson. Each nation had its own way of enacting the death penalties. For instance, in the US, the famous death penalties were hangings and firing squad. Other nations had death sentences in form of drowning at sea, burying alive, beating to death and crucifixion. According to Cesare Beccaria, death sentences were less effective than life imprisonment. This is because once the condemned person dies; it is the family members that remain with lots of grief. Work Cited Burkhead, Michael D. A Life for a Life: The American Debate Over the Death Penalty. Jefferson, N.C: McFarland & Co, 2009. Print. Guernsey, JoAnn B. Death Penalty: Fair Solution or Moral Failure?Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books, 2010. Print. Melusky, Joseph A, and Keith A. Pesto. Capital Punishment. Santa Barbara, Calif: Greenwood, 2011. Print. Walker, Ida. The Death Penalty. Edina, Minn: ABDO Pub. Co, 2008. Print. Read More