Journal Entry 3

Frankie Cudney

English 1000

Journal Entry 3

            My article titled Rethinking the Death Penalty has been the most informative article I have read so far. It discusses a lot of statistics and the history behind the death penalty. In the article it informs us on how the death penalty started out and all the different methods that have been used. In pervious times hanging was a common method when used for capitol punishment. We have changed from this and  now most frequently use lethal injections for those on death row. This article also discusses the increase in people sentenced to death compared to the rise in mistrials and wrongful accusations in the court systems. Inmates on death row are given a lot of privileges to look into their cases and research ways to try and appeal their case. The government is responsible for taking care of those sentenced up until they are executed.

            This article pointed out something to me that none of the articles I have read so far have. A big controversy with the death penalty is whether or not it is moral. Those who are for it say that it brings justice for the families of the victim to have the murderer of their loved one killed. People argue that it makes it okay to sentence individuals to death row because they are likely to continue killing if they are allowed to live. Another big issue that is discussed that goes along with the death penalty is the fact that the person convicted isn’t always guilty. Dozens of cases yearly are discovered where the wrong person was accused and sent on death row for a crime they didn’t commit. The idea that this article points out is when these two situations meet. People say the death penalty is fair because a killer is being killed, but what happens when an innocent man is sentenced to death and is later found innocent? This idea raises a huge controversy when it comes to the topic of the death penalty and causes a lot of people to be on the fence with their opinions on it.

            For me, I go back and forth on the death penalty and what my opinion is on it. While I feel it is not morally right to murder someone especially with the high rate of wrongful convictions, I feel the government has an obligation to provide this as a method of punishment for the safety of our country. This is a big point the article I read makes. It talks about how for heinous crimes the government should have the power to use the death penalty if necessary. When I read this I agreed with the author because I feel there are some circumstances when the death penalty is understandable. However, when you look at all of the smaller crimes committed where the death penalty is ruled, I have to disagree with the idea that someone has the power to admit a person to death row when that person could be innocent. What I really liked about this article was how it talks about not only how people feel towards this issue but why as well. This topic is such a serious topic and it is very difficult to have a ‘for or against’ opinion on it because it is such a heavy, complex subject. I think that I need to read more articles to gather more information but after reading this on I have a better understanding of the death penalty and all the complexities that come along with it.

            Now moving forward with my research I plan to look into some actual cases and see what the severity of the crime has to be for the death penalty has to be used. I also want to look into the regulations that follow the death penalty and why is it that there are so many people sent on death row and later found innocent. This article helped me to see that the death penalty is a necessary evil. It is something that needs to be available and legal in the United Stats for those extreme cases where it could be needed. It also made me feel however that it should be more regulated and not on a state level but federal. Because each state is able to make their own decision on where of not they use the death penalty, it makes it seem like it is used far too much in the states that do allow it and they have more room for a wrongful conviction. I plan on looking into more articles that talk about rules regarding this issue and hopefully come to a more definite conclusion on how I feel towards this subject.