19th Century Capital Punishment example essay topic

Capital Punishment: The Legal Punishment of a Criminal Capital punishment is what I consider, "the legal" punishment of a criminal. Capital punishment has been used as a form of punishment for many years. At modern time, capital punishment is more controlled. Although, when capital punishment is mentioned it brings shivers down the back of most of society.

Being it is a factor of death, capital punishment, should not betaken so lightly. The term capital does not represent or signify any ideas in the negative aspect. Capital is defined as first or foremost; first rate or excellent. Punishment, on the other hand, is defined as the rough handling or penalization for a wrong doing. Neither of these terms, when mentioned individually signify anything in the negative aspect. Although when these two terms are combined there is a lot more meaning to them than just excellent or penalization.

These now strictly signify, death. Capital punishment has been a form of "disciplining" since 1750 B.C., when it was part of the code of Hammurabi. The bible itself, also prescribes death as a penalty for any of thirty crimes committed. The crimes ranged from any between murder and fornication. In the 18th century more than two hundred capital crimes were recognized, and as a result over one thousand people a year were faced with the sentence of death. Now at modern time, the death penalty, has been rekindled.

Although, it is not as barbaric as it was. Now the law only allows itself the use certain types of "disciplining". In the early 18th and 19th century the death penalty was inflicted in many ways. Some ways were, crucifixion, boiling in oil, drawing and quartering, impalement, beheading, burning alive, crushing, tearing asunder, stoning and drowning. In the late 19th century the types of punishments were limited and only a few of them remained permissible by law. In the 19th century capital punishment was to only be inflicted by the following methods: hanging, electrocution, the gas chamber, firing squad and lethal injection.

The opinions brought upon us stating that the death penalty is a very strong deterrent against crime holds allot of water. It is a proven statistical fact that states that have reinstated and now enforce the death penalty show no difference in their crime and murder rate. In some cases, states that do impose the death penalty have a higher crime rate than the states that do not impose this "disciplinary" action. "Whosoever shed man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed" (Genesis 9: 6). With this statement from Genesis, some people could almost feel as if they are doing something religious. In the use of the death penalty the concern of executing the innocent remains abroad.

The death penalty has also been known for being used in unfair ways. For instance, women are rarely sentenced to death, although twenty percent of homicides are committed by women. Also, an inappropriate number of non-whites have been executed. In the 20th century, when the death penalty was used for rape, no white men were executed for raping a non-white women whereas most black offenders who raped white women were executed. As a person against capital punishment, I feel more thought should be placed on a matter that involves taking someone's life.

In my mind and the mind of many others the death penalty will always remain defined as " "disciplinary" execution..