1188 people were executed in the US from 1977 through 2009, primarily by means of lethal injection. In this essay I will attempt to inform you about the meaning of death penalty, its origin based on history; the methods used to execute people, and the countries that allow them; and the reasons that support or oppose capital punishment a.k.a death penalty.
Death penalty meaning and its origins.
The death penalty is a form of punishment that involves executing a person after he or she has been found guilty of a crime by his or her legal system, according to wisegeek. Most death penalty cases are given to murderers, but it can also be applied for treason, espionage, etc. Death penalty can actually be traced back since the 18th Century B.C with
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In this case, the main reasons for people to support the capital punishment are the next ones. First and foremost, the Bible, it is explicitly stated in this ancient book that crimes such as evil sorcery, adultery, some form of homosexuality behavior, etc. should be punished with dead. Even though the majority of Christians no longer support these, the Bible´s passages are still used to promote death penalty for murderers. Another one would be the justice/vengeance feeling, many people are convinced that killing murderers will satisfy their need for justice. A rather convincing one is cost, because once a murderer is executed, there are no further maintenance cost for the state and citizens. Lastly, the most convincing one for a lot of people, public safety. When a convicted is no longer alive, people can be sure that the murderer won´t hurt anyone else. Now, from the other side of the page, the ones that oppose capital punishment have some arguments too. Firstly, the Christian New Testament convinces people that if Jesus saved the adulteress in the Gospel of John from her death sentence by stoning, they must do the same. Secondly, playing God, some Christians believe that if we end lives prematurely, we are attempting God´s will. As opposing with the ones that are for it, the cost would actually be beneficial, since prisoners would more than likely pay for being in prison instead of being