THE DEATH PENALTY

DEATH PENALTY:

• Also called Capital Punishment
• Is a punishment for a serious crime
• Is a legal process whereby the person is put to death by a state

PAST HISTORY

• Execution of criminals and political opponents has been used by all societies
• To punish for crimes of punishment and to suppress political decent
• Crimes included murder, espionage, treason, rape, drug/human trafficking

ANCIENT HISTORY

• The Code of Hammurabi states that "the punishment will fit the crime"
• The Torah states that the death penalty punishment for many crimes
• Including murder, kidnapping, magic, blasphemy, and even violating Sabbath

MIDDLE AGES

• In medieval times, before prisons, death was a generalized for of punishment
• During the reign of Henry VIII 72,000 people were executed

METHODS FROM HISTORY

• Hanging, stoning, crushing(usually by elephant)
• Guillotine, decapitation, sawing/slicing
• Crucifixion, scaphism, necklacing, flaying
• Burning or boiling to death
• Disembowelment, dismemberment, impalement

MOVEMENTS TOWARDS HUMANE EXECUTION

• Hanging by turning the victim off by kicking the bucket out from under them
• They stopped doing that, now they "long drop people" to break the neck
• Things were being made less painful

EXECUTION FOR DRUG RELATED OFFENCES

• Some countries that retain death penalty don't execute for drug crimes
• As of 2012, 25 countries DO execute for drug related offences
• Including countries like the US, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Egypt

JUVENILE EXECUTION

• Very rare
• Since 1990, there have been 9 countries who have executed juveniles
• Countries who have include: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and The US

WRONFULLY EXECUTED

• It is frequently argued that capital punishment leads to miscarriage of justice
• Some claim that from 1992-2004, 39 executions even where there was doubt
• DNA evidence prevented 15 death row inmates from being wrongfully executed

HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE DEALTH PENALTY

• Abolitionists believe that death penalty is the worst violation of human rights
• "The right to life is the most important right you have"

CONTROVERSY AND DEBATE

• Many organizations want the death penalty abolished
• They say it is just a tool the government uses to ensure less problems
• That it violates human rights and encourages a "culture of violence"

SUPPORT FOR THE DEATH PENALTY

• Supporters of the death penalty argue it is morally justified
• Keeping murderers and terrorists alive is what is unfair to the victimes
• Robert Blecker states "punishment must be painful in proportion to the crime"

PLACES WHERE IT IS LEGAL

• There are 21 countries that use the death penalty
• Peoples Republic of China was ranked #1 with 4,000 deaths (in 2011)
• The United States executed 43 peoples in 2011

DEATH PENALTY JUST 3 YEARS AGO

• AL, TN, VA, SC, FL, OK, and KY used the Electric chair
• CA, MO, and AZ used gas chambers
• WA used hanging
• And all states used lethal injection as capital punishment

CURRENT STATES USING DEATH PENALTY

• 35 + U.S Military and U.S Gov't use lethal injection
• 8 use electrocution
• 3 use gas chamber
• 3 use hanging
• 2 use a firing squad

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment
• http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/methods-execution