punishment is obviously the most severe form of criminal punishment

(Encarta). Capital punishment is a highly controversial and emotional way of

dealing with violent criminals (Vila 25). The main alternative to the death

penalty is long-term or life imprisonment (Encarta). Capital punishment has

been around for thousands of years as a means of eradicating criminals. A

giant debate started between the people for or against the execution. The

earliest arguments both for and against capital punishment were taken

directly from the Bible (Vila 25). The supporters claim that if you take a

life you should pay with your life or an eye for an eye. The people against

the death penalty bring up a chance of sentencing the innocent and how the

The first evidence of capital punishment was mentioned in the Code of

Hammurabi in 1750 B.C. (Encarta). The Bible mentions death as the penalty

for more than thirty different crimes. For example, "Whoever strikes a

man so that he dies shall be put to death," is an example of murder

(Bible Exodus 21:12). The Bible also suggests stoning a woman for having sex

The gas chamber was first used in Nevada in 1923 (Encarta). The prisoner is

O.J. Simpson trial. If O.J. was a normal, middle to lower class person, he

first movement against execution. They supported life imprisonment as a more

humane justice. Cesare Beccaria wrote On Crimes and Punishment, a book

executed. However, this could never be proven since it would be very

crimes were believed to deserve the death penalty. By 1800, more than 200

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1412
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)