Religion, Death And The Usa
...Molyneux- Instructor
CR504 I001 SPR 08
ABSTRACT
The death penalty is an ineffective method of deterrence. For most crime committed in the USA, individuals are required to pay a fine, time in jail, or they are executed. However, the death penalty is the most questionable punishment in modern day society. Individuals question, is it morally right? Is it effective in deterring crime? Does spirituality play a part? The death penalty is often applied with inequities and is condemned by the Church and the Pope as heresy. Although it may seem to be an excellent solution for deterring violent crime and protecting society, it is obvious that it is immoral, and has no empirical evidence to support the fact that it may be a deterrent for future crimes.
The issue of capital punishment is one that has been widely debated and for which many persuasive arguments of distinctly opposing viewpoints are available. The issue at hand is and always has been about whether or not we, as a society, should presume to enforce a penalty that by definition irrevocably extinguishes the existence of another autonomous human being.
Is it a responsible and mature decision to implement a penalty of such resounding finality merely because the convicted offender has been found to be guilty "beyond a reasonable doubt?" It has long been argued that an appropriate term of imprisonment should be the maximum available penalty for a violent offense.
Crime is inevitably one of the largest problems facing the modern day society today. Crime can be found all over the world, whether in large cities or small villages. Over time, society has attempted to find different ways to deal with crime. Methods used are community service, paying a fine, serving time in prison, and in cases of more serious crimes, the death penalty was implemented.
This is the case in some states in the U.S. where persons...
View Full Essay
