Gourt > Society > Issues > Crime and Justice > Death Penalty (8)
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 offenses. The word "capital" is derived from the Latin "capitalis," which means "concerning the head"; therefore, to be subjected to capital punishment means to figuratively lose your head. Historically, the execution of criminals and political opponents was used by nearly all societies both to punish crime and to suppress political dissent. Among democratic countries around the world, most European and Latin American states have abolished capital punishment while the United States, Guatemala, and most of the Caribbean as well as democracies in Asia and Africa retain it. Among nondemocratic countries, the use of the death penalty is common but not universal.
In most places that practice capital punishment today, the death penalty is reserved as a punishment for premeditated murder, espionage, treason, or as part of military justice. In some majority-Muslim countries sexual crimes, including adultery and sodomy, carry the death penalty, as do religious crimes such as apostasy, the formal renunciation of one's religion. In many retentionist countries drug trafficking is also a capital offense. In China human trafficking and serious cases of corruption are also punished by the death penalty. In militaries around the world courts-martial have imposed death sentences for offenses such as cowardice, desertion, insubordination, and mutiny.
Capital punishment is a contentious issue. Supporters of capital punishment argue that it deters crime, prevents recidivism, and is an appropriate retribution for the crime of murder. Opponents of capital punishment argue that it does not deter crime more than life imprisonment, violates human rights, leads to executions of some who are wrongfully convicted, and discriminates against minorities and the poor.
More on [ Capital punishment ]
california court records http://bit.ly/8inVgO Commentary: Death penalty is costly, inefficient ;P
Sarahsv92 (Anna Parker) Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:31:23 -0000
california court records http://bit.ly/8inVgO Commentary: Death penalty is costly, inefficient ;P
Commentary: Death penalty is costly, inefficient http://bit.ly/8inVgO catchup
Sarahsv92 (Anna Parker) Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:31:13 -0000
Commentary: Death penalty is costly, inefficient http://bit.ly/8inVgO catchup
;O swift punishment Commentary: Death penalty is costly, inefficient
Sarahsv92 (Anna Parker) Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:30:36 -0000
;O swift punishment Commentary: Death penalty is costly, inefficient
Uganda fear over gay death penalty plans: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8412962.stm. Unbelievable!
PernillaAfrika (Pernille Bærendtsen) Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:24:58 -0000
Uganda fear over gay death penalty plans: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8412962.stm. Unbelievable!
Homicide defendants could face the death penalty - Tracy Press http://tinyurl.com/Translation007
translator007 (Freelance Translator) Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:23:25 -0000
Homicide defendants could face the death penalty - Tracy Press http://tinyurl.com/Translation007
LGBT rights in Dubai. Death Penalty in most of the states :( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_United_Arab_Emirates
lgbt_dubai (sami sam) Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:22:40 -0000
LGBT rights in Dubai. Death Penalty in most of the states :( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_United_Arab_Emirates
Death Penalty Information - An interactive exploration of capital punishment, including arguments for and against, issues of ethics and justice surrounding the death penalty, and maps showing state-by-state data.
Meta Description: [ An interactive exploration of capital punishment: students act as jurors, legislators, concerned citizens; includes arguments for and against, issues of ethics and justice surrounding the death penalty, and more... ]
Almanac of Policy Issues - Bipartisan news, background information, and statistics.
Final Report of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court Committee on Racial and Gender Bias in the Justice System - An archive of the report. [In PDF format.]
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Focus on the Death Penalty - Offers history, statistics, death rows by state, issues under debate, and the international context.
Hangmans Knot - Book by Eliza Steelwater on a history of capital punishment practices in America. Contains news, a biography, and reviews.
Meta Description: [ A history of death penalty practices in America, focussing on lynchings, legal executions and America's struggle with capital punishment. ]
In Dark Sorrow - Features questions and answers from inmates, including personal stories of victims and execution dates.
Meta Description: [ Dark Sorrows of Victims and Prisoners of Crime ]
Punishment: The Death Penalty - Covers history, opinions, eye-witness reports, and trivia.
Meta Description: [ Punishment - The Death Penalty, examines the issues and real cases surrounding the execution of prisoners. It also explains why the death penalty is so expensive, and carried out more in some states than others. ]
The Death Penalty - Satirical pictures from newspaper editorial cartoonists around the world. Also covers abortions.
Meta Description: [ Political cartoons about the the abortion issue from top newspaper editorial cartoonists around the world. ]
US Death Penalty - A discussion group. Offers case histories, statistics, photographs, and a forum.
Meta Description: [ Serious discussion group regarding death penalty issues and case histories. ]
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