Death Penalty

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Death Penalty

I . Introduction

Capital punishment , in law , is the imposition of the death penalty for the commission of a crime . In countries that permit capital punishment murder and treason are usually considered capital crimes (crimes for which the death sentence can be imposed . Other been specified in modern times include kidnapping , rape , air piracy , and espionage . Capital punishment for an offense may be either mandatory (required by the law to be applied upon conviction ) or discretionary (left to the jury or the

court to decide in passing sentence in individual cases . Among the methods used to carry out the death sentence are electrocutions asphyxiation with gas , injection of lethal drugs , hanging , beheading and shooting

Capital punishment has been a controversial issue since the 18th century . Opponents of the death penalty have argued that it is a throwback to the barbarism of the past and also that it has no effect on reducing violent crime . They have called for its abolition . Supporters of capital punishment have held that it serves as a deterrent to serious criminality and that it is essential to public safety (Meltzer 2004

Death penalty is considered as a capital punishment and is an execution of a convicted offender by the State which serves as chastisement for crimes committed which is recognized and called as capital offenses or capital crimes . Death penalty is the most discussed issue in penalizing or sentencing the convicted criminal . The term capital ' was taken from a Latin word...