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.