Web. With criminal acts, like homicide, rape, etc., becoming more and more frequent in the society, only death penalty can ensure justice for victims and their families. “Executions in the U.S. 1608-2002: The Espy File.” Death Penalty Information Center. As of 2017 per Amnesty International, 142 countries, representing two-thirds of all countries worldwide, have abolished the death penalty on moral grounds, including:. What it’s about: This article discusses the history of the death penalty from hanging to the electric chair to lethal injection. “How the Death Penalty Saves Lives.” U.S. News and World Report. “Death Penalty Repeal: It’s Necessary to Use Capital Punishment in a Free World.” Mic. This way no innocent lives would be sentenced to death. If possible, you should try to take advantage of all of them. Why it’s a good source: This source gives a lot of specific information about what one state is doing wrong, complete with anecdotes and numbers. As you can tell, there are a lot of different types of sources out there–some are emotional, some are dry and factual. Once again, abolitionists will be quick to retort with the Gandhian quote, An eye for eye will make the whole world blind, which is sad, because it undermines the difference between the convict and victim. They argue that the legal proceedings are often stalled for years together as a result of multiple layers of appeal, which, in turn, adds to the overall cost. Is the purpose of the death penalty to remove from society someone who would cause more harm? Choose articles from reputable sources.This doesn’t always mean that you have to get an article from a well-known news website or national newspaper, but that the article should be backed up with cited facts. Some others have a moratorium on executions or are taking strides to abolish death penalty laws on the books. In 1976, another Supreme Court ruling found capital punishment to be constitutional. He was also co-founder of the Crips, a deadly and powerful Los Angeles–based street gang responsible for hundreds of murders. Web. National Journal Group Inc., 06 Sept. 2014. China has the highest execution rate in the world (though the data is not revealed officially), followed by Iran and Iraq. For each article I give you, I’ve also included an MLA citation. It is a  good source for pulling direct quotes instead of just giving statistics. Since 1976, 1,403 executions have been carried out in the country, with Texas (522), Oklahoma (112), and Virginia (110) accounting for more than half of the cases. And when we say capital punishment saves lives, we don’t just mean lives of prospective victims, but also mean lives of prospective convicts―in this case, by acting as a deterrent. The United States and India―the two largest democracies in the world―continue to follow the practice, with the US having carried out 35 executions in 2014. Mic Network Inc., 23 June 2013. What it’s about: Although this article does not explicitly state an anti-death penalty point of view, it does have those undertones. Most people who write about the death penalty have an opinion one way or the other about it. Williams professed innocence of these crimes. This article is for those who are willing to know why death penalty … What it’s about: Gillespie’s article takes a very emotional approach, saying that state governments should protect the lives of all citizens, even convicted murderers. “Slow Death of the Death Penalty.” Economist. “Execution Saves Innocents.” Boston Globe. “Mr. Crimes that carry the death penalty vary greatly worldwide, from treason and murder to theft. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. As of 2020, capital punishment in the United States is officially sanctioned by 29 states, as well as by the federal government. Each state with legalized capital punishment has different laws regarding its methods, age limits, and crimes that qualify. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I have ten death penalty articles that will help you turn a stale topic into a well-written and interesting essay. Post Script: At times, in capital punishment-related cases, the entire focus is shifted to the rights of the person convicted. She is a three-time delegate to the California Democratic Party and a former federal elections official. If the arguments put forth by people in its support are to be believed, it’s surely necessary if we are to do away with some of the most heinous crimes that we often hear about. You have probably had to write about a fair share of boring essay topics, but this time, you’ve been dealt a topic that you think is completely played out–the death sentence. It concludes by stating that the execution of criminals is a deterrent for murderers and ultimately saves innocent lives. Studies of the death penalty have reached various conclusions about its effectiveness in deterring crime. Why it’s a good source: This article also gives important points to work from, similar to the previous article, and it works to detract from the arguments of death penalty supporters. It also provides links to a study from the University of Colorado and a paper from Emory University to help back up these claims as well. However, Gibson does give some figures in support of using the death penalty over life in prison because, he notes, life in prison does not truly separate the criminal from society due to gang connections both in and out of prison. The Daily Beast, 31 July 2014. It then covers the popular opinions of death penalty sentences, and goes on to state and give statistics indicating that state executions deter anywhere from 2 to 20 murders within Texas annually. It includes a few links to studies and organizations that oppose the death penalty. Web. So, is the death penalty really a necessity for crime-free society? 14 Jan. 2015. The death penalty is used disproportionately against the poor, who cannot afford expensive legal counsel, as well as against racial, ethnic, and religious minorities. Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Botswana, China, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cuba, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Malaysia, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe. Per Amnesty International's 2017 death penalty annual report, "Amnesty International recorded at least 993 executions in 23 countries in 2017, down by 4% from 2016 (1,032 executions) and 39% from 2015 (when the organization reported 1,634 executions, the highest number since 1989)." Gillespie, Nick. It also gives four reasons as to why the death penalty is becoming less favorable: it’s not actually proven to deter murders, wrongly convicted people have been executed, it has become more expensive to carry out a death sentence than to impose a life sentence, and the shortage of lethal injection drugs has caused some states to turn to some shadier methods of acquiring drugs. On one side, we have people armed with pro death penalty arguments who argue that it’s a necessity if we are to ensure that a crime-free society prevails. It says that capital punishment serves as retribution for victims and their families, as well as a deterrence for other murders. The Depression-era 1930s, which saw a historic peak in executions, was followed by a dramatic decrease in the 1950s and 1960s. The New York Times penned in its  op-ed "High Cost of Death Row": In a 2016 California had the unique situation of having two ballot measures up for a vote that purported would save taxpayers millions of dollars per year: one to speed up existing executions (Proposition 66) and one to convert all death penalty convictions to life without parole (Proposition 62). No executions occurred in the United States between 1967 and 1976. It is perhaps easier to forget someone who is already dead, doesn’t matter if he or she was a victim of a heinous crime. If they realize that committing a serious crime will take them to the gallows, they are bound to think twice before acting. If you near the end of your essay and don’t feel confident that you have enough support, or are just unsure about your grammar, send it to one of the Kibin editors. “Executions Overview.” Death Penalty Information Center, 23 Oct. 2017. When she's not working, she's constantly trying to expand her creativity through music, writing, art, and animation. “What Americans Don’t Understand About the Death Penalty.” The Atlantic. The New York Times Company, 28 Sept. 2003. New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2013. Cohen, Andrew. 14 Jan. 2015. It also means using articles from both points of view. Gibson, Kyle. They’ll look over it and give you suggestions to make it the best it can be. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. States and U.S. territories with no current death penalty statute are Alaska (abolished in 1957), Connecticut (2012), Delaware (2016), Hawaii (1957), Illinois (2011), Iowa (1965), Maine (1887), Maryland (2013), Massachusetts (1984), Michigan (1846), Minnesota (1911), New Hampshire (2019), New Jersey (2007), New Mexico (2009), New York (2007), North Dakota (1973), Rhode Island (1984), Vermont (1964), Washington (2018), West Virginia (1965), Wisconsin (1853), District of Columbia (1981), American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. He was nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize and four times for the Nobel Literature Prize. If an individual involved in a crime as heinous as homicide, is not given harsh punishment, people are bound to lose faith in the judicial system. 2014. “In Death Penalty’s Steady Decline, Some Experts See a Societal Shift.” The New York Times. What it’s about: Jacoby’s article tells of then-governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney’s plan to create a fool-proof, error-free death penalty. You might argue that life in itself is sacred, but how do you choose someone who has been convicted of snatching someone’s life over someone who has lost his life? The Atlantic Monthly Group, 30 Oct. 2013. Biography of Joe Biden, Former Vice President of the United States, Pros and Cons of Gun Ownership and Use Laws for Individuals, The 7 Most Liberal Supreme Court Justices in American History, Pros & Cons of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Profile of Christiane Amanpour, ABC "This Week" Moderator, What Is Gun Ownership Like State by State, Biography of Elizabeth Warren, Senator and Scholar, Barack Obama's Inspiring 2004 Democratic Convention Speech. Web. What it’s about: This article, like the one above, is more concerned with problems within the structure of the death penalty than with whether or not there should be a death penalty. Why it’s a good source: Though the article does not include links to the studies and polls it references, it gives substantial statistics and cites where they came from–Duke University study and a Gallup poll. Williams, an author and Nobel Peace and Literature Prizes nominee who was put to death on December 13, 2005, by lethal injection by the state of California, brought capital punishment back into prominent public debate. Per Amnesty International's 2017 death penalty annual report, "Amnesty International recorded at least 993 executions in 23 countries in 2017, down by 4% from 2016 (1,032 executions) and 39% from 2015 (when the organization reported 1,634 executions, the highest number since 1989).