The Death Penalty By: Daniella Garisto
The Death PenaltyBy: Daniella Garisto
Introduction
I chose this topic because I wanted to present something original and extremely controversial. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to present, but once I figured out my topic was the death penalty, I was excited to learn more about it myself. When I was choosing my subject, I found it difficult to place the death penalty under just one of the umbrella topics so I put it under two: the problem of wellbeing as someone’s life is at risk and the problem of inequality and power as somebody has the right to say who lives and who dies. Although I do not agree with the death penalty, I do think that some people deserve it.
What is the Death Penalty?
The definition of the death penalty is:“A sentence of punishment by
execution” (The Free Dictionary, 2000)
Also known as capital punishment
Some States in the U.S. China Jamaica Trinidad and Tobago Egypt These are just some examples of countries that
still practice the death penalty. Worldwide there are 58 countries that actively practice this form of punishment.
(Infoplease, 2013)
Jurisdictions Where the Death Penalty is Legal
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment#Global_distribution
Canadian History of the Death Penalty
The first attempt to abolish the death penalty was in 1914
The last executions in Canada took place on December 11, 1962
The death penalty was abolished in Canada on July 26, 1976
(Correctional Service Canada, n.d.)http://forums.canadiancontent.net/canadian-politics/108930-canada-
not-only-country-dire-2.html
The Death Penalty Today in Canada
Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu said, “Basically I think that every murderer should have a rope in his cell and he can decide on his own life. But I’m against the death penalty” (February 2012)
62% of Canadians support capital punishment
The prime minster (Stephen Harper) expressed his personal support for limited capital punishment but also said his government would not introduce legislation (2012)http://www.radekaphotography.com/noose.htm
International Acceptance of the Death Penalty
On the website debate.org, 57% of people agree with the death penalty (2013)
In 1996, 78% of Americans favoured the death penalty for convicted murderers
According to a recent poll, a majority of people in the U.K. favoured reintroducing the death penalty (Cafe, R, 2011)
Pro Death Penalty Commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7SUJLd5-a4
The embed is disabled so I cannot add it to the power point.
What Americans Have to Say
Agrees with the Death Penalty
What comes around goes around. An eye for an eye. You take someone's life , I take yours. If you are against the death penalty, think of this question, "What if someone has done harm to your family?" I'm pretty sure your opinion would change. Everyone has a revengeful side. It is better to let court handle it rather than to let the victims carry out the sentence.
- Anonymous
Opposes the Death Penalty
Killing a murderer only makes you a murderer just like them. I think that keeping murderers in prison for the rest of their lives is a much better solution. They can't kill anybody else this way. Also who are we to take someone else's life? It just doesn't make sense to me.
-Anonymous
What Americans Have to Say Cont’d
Opposes the Death Penalty
No, the death penalty kills innocent people. Since 1973, there were 138 death row exonerations in the United States. That's 138 innocent people who were mistakenly sentenced to death in a U.S. Court room, and later had their convictions overturned due to further research in light of new evidence. The fact is: the death penalty is much more of a retribution measure than a preventative measure. There is no clear cut proof that the death penalty will prevent people from killing each other.
- Anonymous
Agrees with the Death Penalty
Show no Mercy! Throwing a man for life in prison is too expensive. It’s better if we just executed them all. For most prisoners, they would rather die than go to prison for life which means they are asking for death. Give them what they deserve and execute them. Its best for society.
- Anonymous
Methods of Execution
Lethal injection Electrocution Gas Chamber Hanging Firing Squad
Cost of the Death Penalty v.s. Life in Jail
It costs an average of $58,351.00 per
year - if a person is in jail for 30 years it costs approximately
$1,750,530.00
The cost of lethal injection
is $1,300.00
Ministry of justice (n.d.)Ministry of justice (march, 2012)
http://sydwalker.info/blog/category/world-politics/sweden/
http://www.deliberacion.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/
Is the Death Penalty or Life in Prison Worse?
Life in Prison Death Penalty1. Rape and
molestation2. Physical abuse3. Sleep deprivation4. Subjected to
scientific experiments
5. Forced into flight clubs
6. Solitary confinement
7. Nutraloaf (all a person’s dietary needs into a loaf)• Called a form of
cruel and unusual punishment
The fear
of the
unknown
Listverse (march 2013)
China - 1,718
Iran - 346
Saudi Arabia - 102
Untied States - 37Pakistan -
36
How Many People were ExecutedLast Year?
The exact number of people subjected to the death penalty is unknown as most countries do not keep records.
China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the United States, combined, were responsible for 93% of all executions.
How many people worldwide are killed by the death penalty each year? (n.d.)
Can Children Receive the Death Penalty?
Democratic Republic of Congo
Children aged 16 and over are considered to be adults for the purpose of the death penalty
Nigeria
A person can be sentenced to the death penalty when he/she is responsible for his/her own actions Which means people under the age of 18 can be executed
Pakistan
Child execution is illegal but still practiced
Saudi Arabia
Children cannot be sentenced to execution until the age of majoritySaudi Arabian law does not specify what the age of majority is so people under the age of 18 can be put to death
United States of America
The U.S. has the most child executions prior to 199082 children were on death row in 2002Some States still practice child execution
http://personalitycafe.com/art-museum/31542-sad-pictures.html
(Amnesty international, 2002)
The judge
The jury
The Power to Decide
A judge or a jury can decide who receives the death penalty in the USA but it all depends on the case
African-Americans are 1.7 times more likely be sentenced to death
African-Americans that murder Caucasians are 4.3 times more likely to receive the death penalty
Racism and the Death Penalty
The New York Times (July, 2011)
Since 1973, 143 people on death row have been proven to be innocent
The last person to be wrongfully convicted was a man named Reginald Griffin - he spent 30 years in prison and was released October 30, 2013
WAIT I’m Innocent!!
ReferencesDeath Penalty. (2000) . The Free Dictionary by Farlex. 10 November 2013
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/death+penaltyThe Death Penalty Worldwide. (2013). Infoplease. 10 November 2013
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0777460.htmlAbolition of the Death Penalty 1976. (n.d.). Csc-scc. November 10, 2013
http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/pblct/rht-drt/08-eng.shtmlDo you support the death penalty? (2013). Debet. November 10, 2013
http://www.debate.org/opinions/do-you-support-the-death-penaltyCafé, R. (2011 August, 4). Does the public want the death penalty brought
back?. BBC News UK. November 13, 2013http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14402195
How much does it cost to keep someone in prison for a year?. (n.d.). Ministry of justice. 15 November 2013
http://www.justice.govt.nz/publications/publications-archived/2002/parole-act-2002/how-much-does-it-cost-to-keep-someone-in-prison-for-a-yearSafdar K. (march, 2012). Legally killing people has gotten A LOT more expensive. Ministry of justice. 15 November 2013
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/30/lethal-injection_n_1391408.htmlChildren and the death penalty (2002) Amnesty International. 19 November 2013
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ACT50/007/2002/en/9b708ffd- d7c4-11dd-b4cd-01eb52042454/act500072002en.pdfHow many people worldwide are killed by the death penalty each year? (n.d.) Answers
19 November 2013http://wiki.answers.com/Q/
How_many_people_worldwide_are_killed_by_the_death_penalty_each_year?#slide3
Reference
Gurney M. (February 2012). Bringing back the death penalty a debate worth having. National Post. 19 November 2013
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/02/01/matt-gurney-bringing-back-the-death-penalty-a-debate-worth-having/Smallwood K. (March, 2013). 10 horrifying things done to prisoners behind bars. Listverse. 21 November 2013
http://listverse.com/2013/03/15/10-horrifying-things-done-to-prisoners-behind-bars/Dow, D. (July 2011). Death Penalty, still racist and arbitrary. The new York Times. November 21, 2013
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/09/opinion/09dow.html?_r=1&The Innocence List. ( 2013) Death penalty information center. 21 November 2013
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/innocence-list-those-freed-death-row