The Death Penalty

Learning Objectives

To identify supported and asserted claims and arguments To identify underlying assumptions and values in arguments

To create alternative explanations for evidence in order to question its significance

What is this story about?

What are two perspectives?

Who are the people involved?

Why is it important?

Is there any evidence of values?

News ReportRead the report, on the GP website, about

Tommy Lynn Sells

The Death Penalty1,188 people were executed in the US from 1977 through 2009, primarily by means of lethal injection. Most death penalty cases involve the execution of murderers although capital punishment can also be applied for treason, espionage, and other crimes.

Proponents of the death penalty say it is an important tool for preserving law and order, deters crime, and costs less than life imprisonment. They argue that retribution or "an eye for an eye" honors the victim, helps console grieving families, and ensures that the perpetrators of heinous crimes never have an opportunity to cause future tragedy.

Opponents of capital punishment say it has no deterrent effect on crime, wrongly gives governments the power to take human life, and perpetuates social injustices by disproportionately targeting people of color (racist) and people who cannot afford good attorneys (classist). They say lifetime jail sentences are a more severe and less expensive punishment than death.

Find two blogs in the United States, one that supports the death penalty and one that opposes it. List the key ideas of each perspective. Identify facts, opinions, and value statements.http://www.criminaljusticedegree.com/the-50-best-blogs-discussing-capital-punishment/http://deathpenaltynews.blogspot.com/http://civilliberty.about.com/od/capitalpunishment/tp/blogs_capital.htm

Find and write a short paragraph about which countries execute people and how many executions there were in 2013 and what crimes are punished with the death penaltyhttp://www.worldcoalition.org/worldwide-database.html

Write a summary of the main points for and against the death penalty.

HistoryEarly Death Penalty Laws - http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/part-i-history-death-penalty#early

The first established death penalty laws date as far back as the Eighteenth Century B.C. in the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon, which codified the death penalty for 25 different crimes. The death penalty was also part of the Fourteenth Century B.C.'s Hittite Code; in the Seventh Century B.C.'s Draconian Code of Athens, which made death the only punishment for all crimes; and in the Fifth Century B.C.'s Roman Law of the Twelve Tablets. Death sentences were carried out by such means as crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burning alive, and impalement.

In the Tenth Century A.D., hanging became the usual method of execution in Britain. In the following century, William the Conqueror would not allow persons to be hanged or otherwise executed for any crime, except in times of war. This trend would not last, for in the Sixteenth Century, under the reign of Henry VIII, as many as 72,000 people are estimated to have been executed. Some common methods of execution at that time were boiling, burning at the stake, hanging, beheading, and drawing and quartering. Executions were carried out for such capital offenses as marrying a Jew, not confessing to a crime, and treason.

The number of capital crimes in Britain continued to rise throughout the next two centuries. By the 1700s, 222 crimes were punishable by death in Britain, including stealing, cutting down a tree, and robbing a rabbit warren. Because of the severity of the death penalty, many juries would not convict defendants if the offense was not serious. This lead to reforms of Britain's death penalty. From 1823 to 1837, the death penalty was eliminated for over 100 of the 222 crimes punishable by death.

Draw a timeline to summarize the key dates and eventsChoose one of the methods of execution and write a short paragraph to describe the process of executing people. Use who, what, when, where, how and why questions to help you.

Case Study

• Choose a country (other than the United States) that still carries out the death penalty and research the death penalty in that country.

• List the crimes that result in the death penalty• Describe the methods of execution• Provide details of any innocent people who

have been executed• Identify two perspectives on the death penalty

in that country

TasksDebate preparation the death penaltyChoose one of the following ideas and prepare arguments for and against the proposition• The death penalty does not deter crime• The death penalty is immoral• The death penalty is unconstitutional• Life in prison without parole is a better option that the

death penalty• In the USA a person’s sex and race affects whether they

receive the death penalty• Victims opinions should be considered when using the

death penalty

Select a topic

• Find a partner and select a topic to debate.• Use the resources at procon.org to prepare

arguments and counter arguments• Write notes that can be displayed• Use your own language – do not cut and

paste• Cite your sources

Essay ‘A personal perspective on capital punishment.’

• Write an essay describing and reflecting upon your opinions of capital punishment

• What is the influence of other people and the research had upon your perspective.

• The essay should give reasons and evidence to support their views.

• Acknowledge the influence of other perspectives and opinions, especially from research.

• The essay should be cited, referenced and a bibliography included.