the deterrent effect of the death penalty

Death Penalty

Deterrent Effects Your name Name and Section Number of Course

Instructor 's Name

November 29 , 2006

Abstract

Deterrent effects of capital punishment or the death penalty can only be evaluated fairly by

thoroughly defining the terms and understanding the theories of deterrence . The act of taking a

person 's life for a crime that person has been accused of and convicted of perpetrating is not the

only consideration in determining deterrence . How and when the punishment is administered is

just as significant . No

matter what side of the issue one upholds , that capital punishment is a

deterrent or is not a deterrent , all should agree that this is a vastly complex and superlatively

serious issue that needs to be contemplated with as much knowledge as possible to take a

responsible stance

Death Penalty

Deterrent Effects

Definitions

According to Wikipedia , Capital punishment , or the death penalty is the execution of a

convicted criminal by the state as punishment for crimes known as capital crimes or capital

offences (http /en .wikipedia .org /wiki /Death_penalty . So we acknowledge by this definition

that capital punishment is not a federally mandated law . It is a sentence that is ed by the

state for such crimes that are most serious in nature such as murder The crimes that are eligible

for capital punishment do vary from state to state . The legal definition of a capital offense given

by The Free Dictionary is : In some American states these offenses may include first degree

murder (premeditated , murder with special circumstances (such as intentional , multiple

involved with another crime , with guns , of a police officer , or a repeat offense , and rape with

additional bodily harm , and the federal crime of treason (http /legal-dictionary .thefreedictionary .com /capital offense . Arson and other serious crimes

can also be considered capital offenses , especially if the life of a person was taken or

compromised . It is also important to note that capital offenses for which capital punishment is

prescribed is also not set in stone . The definition says that these offenses may include ' but it

does not say that these offenses are the ones for which capital punishment is the result . That is

because the prosectuors of the case make the final decision as to whether the crime will be

judged as a capital crime or not

Now that we have defined capital punishment and the kinds of crimes that may warrant

its sentence we shall define the deterrent effects so that we can fully analyze whether these

effects are or are not going to be substantial in determining whether criminal activity will be

lessened , remain the same , or increased , by the enforcement of capital punishment

Clarification of Deterrence

The theory of deterrence is based on the idea that the threat of punishment must be

severe enough to counter the benefits or pleasures that the criminal would receive from the

crime . In addition , the punishment must be administered swiftly so that potential criminals will

see a clear cause and- effect relationship between...