There are many methods of execution used in the U.S. today. Hanging, firing squad, gas chamber, electrocution, and lethal injection are a few common ones. Most laws limit the death penalty to murder an

d other specific crime's that result in a person's death. The death penalty is reserved for a small number of convicted first-degree murders whose crimes are extremely severe. Murder is divided into degrees. First degree is characterized by intention or deliberate acts. It usually includes the killing of another while committing a felony. Out of 5,580 persons given death sentences from 1973-1995, just 313 had been executed at the end of 1995. During 1995, 310 condemned persons entered the nation's prisons, while just 56 convicts, all convicted killers, were executed.

The death penalty brings up many issues such as the cost, risk of executing an innocent person, morals, and whether it is unconstitutional. The annual cost of incarceration is $40,000 to $50,000 a year for each prisoner or more. There is a risk that an innocent person will be killed for a crime they did not commit and also the real murder is out on the streets able

Some common words found in the essay are:
Supreme Court, Grand Jury, , death penalty, capital punishment, innocent person, controversial issue, people death,
Approximate Word count = 642
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)