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Angela Rodgers
English 1010
Final Project
Annotated Bibliography
Jonsson, Patrik. "Why the Death Penalty Is at Historic Low in the US." Christian Science
Monitor. n.p., 05 Dec 2011: n.p. SIRS Issue Researcher. Web. 02 Apr 2012.
In this article written by Patrik Jonsson, it talks about why the death penalty is at
a historic low in the United States. Americans still support the death penalty; however,
concerns about the fairness of its application, and even its costs, are playing a role in the
steep drop in executions and convictions. As the idea for life without parole becomes
more and more popular, people are changing their views about capital punishment. This
would sentence a criminal to remain in prison for the rest of their life, saving money
that would be spent on inmates on death row. A study in 2010 by the University of
Michigan, found that North Carolina murder convicts were 2.6 times more likely to
receive a death sentence if one of the victims was white. Capital punishment should not
be based on race; racial prejudice should have no role with the death penalty.
Many statistics and research-based studies were used in this article to lay down
the facts for the readers. When an article and/or website stays on focus and solely
states facts, it becomes easier to read and gather the information presented. The most
helpful information that I found in this article was how significantly the number of death
penalty sentences dropped in America. It stated that, “sentences dropped below 100--to
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78--for the first time since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.”
With the information given, readers may be persuaded against the death penalty.
Kovaleski, Serge F. “Killers’ Families Left to Confront Fear and Shame.” nytimes.com. The
New York Times, 04 February 2012. Web. 28 March 2012.
In today’s society, news of violence is very common; however, the families of the
perpetrators are often unknown and usually unheard from. In an article written by
Kovaleski, I found how some relatives who have decided to speak out and share their
stories after their loved ones were sent to prison. Ms. White has had a very hard
struggle since her brother, Mr. White, was sentenced to life in prison after being found
guilty of three murders in 2004. She had never prepared for the emotions she would
have to deal with after her brother’s crimes. It is said that Ms. White has been treated
with anxiety and depression through the years following her brother’s arrest.
I found this article very helpful to my research because it brought in another
perspective for my paper. It is true that we rarely hear about the perpetrators’ families,
and I feel that they have a big impact on how capital punishment should be viewed.
Hearing their hardships after dealing with their circumstance brings a new view into my
mind. One thing in the article that stood out to me was, “In the flash of a horrifying
moment, they said, their lives had become a vortex of shame, anger and guilt.” I never
thought about where this feeling of guilt went after an execution took place. I now
realize that both families are left with someone missing, and now the blame has
nowhere to go but back to the convict’s family.
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Rankin, Bill. "Death Row May Feel Cuts' Impact." Atlanta Journal-Constitution. n.p., 01
Jan 2012: B.1. SIRS Issue Researcher. Web. 02 Apr 2012.
According to Bill Rankin’s article on capital punishment, some inmates on
Georgia's death row may soon find themselves without lawyers to represent them,
potentially halting their appeals and delaying their executions. This is due to the
historically low interest rates that we are dealing with in America today. Since so many
employees are losing their job at resource centers, fewer and fewer cases are
represented. State Rep. Jay Powell states, “It costs at least $18,000 a year to house an
inmate on death row, so if a case gets delayed five years because there are not enough
lawyers to handle appeals, it will cost the state $90,000."
I am noticing with my research that it is hard to find a specific amount it costs to
house an inmate since the cost is different for all of the states. For example, in this
article written by Bill Rankin, it is reported that it cost $18,000 a year in Georgia. And in
another article I read in the Los Angeles Times, it was estimated to be around $100,000
for California to house an inmate over a year. This is interesting to my research because
it makes me question why the housing cost wouldn’t be equal in every state.
“Should the Death Penalty be Allowed.” ProCon.org. ProCon.org, 13 Mar. 2012. Web. 14
Mar. 2012.
According to ProCon.org, 1,188 people were executed in the US from 1977
through 2009. Not all executions were due to murder; some cases of capital punishment
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some were for treason, espionage, and other crimes. Some of the opposing and
supporting viewpoints were brought up in this webpage. It stated that the supporting
people felt that it was a way to help console grieving families. It also was an assurance
that the perpetrators would never be able to cause a crime in the future. On the other
side, people that oppose capital punishment feel that it gives the government too much
power over a human’s life.
I did not find this source to be very helpful. I was not told where ProCon.org got
their information. I think it would have been more helpful if their sources on surveys
had been available for me. Also, I did not have the greatest understanding on who the
“people” from either sides were. I feel that if they clarified who the asked, whether
being random people on the street, politicians, or experts, their words would be more
meaningful and credible. Also, this source did not effectively provide an argument. The
information was very simple and did not include very much detail. It only stated a few
ideas from the opposing and supporting views on capital punishment. I think that more
credible information would help this source out a lot. It had some good ideas; however,
the ideas were not really that developed yet. I would take this source and use it to
further research my topic. I think it was a good place to start and get a background on
why capital punishment is debated, but this website did not give me any more
knowledge that I had previously learned.
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“Working for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.” deathpenalty.org. Death Penalty Focus,
31 March 2009. Web. 28 March 2012.
Deathpenalty.org was a website that had a list of 10 facts for the death penalty
to be abolished. The first fact listed talked about how executions cost a lot for
taxpayers. “A recent New Jersey Policy Perspectives report concluded that the state's
death penalty has cost taxpayers $253 million since 1983.” It went on to talk about how
it was more expensive to execute a person than to keep them in prison for life. Another
fact brought out the point that capital punishment goes against almost every religion. A
fact that caught my attention was that the most important factor in determining
whether a defendant will receive the death penalty is the quality of the representation
he or she is provided. This is an element that we cannot control, so I can see the
problem that this creates for capital punishment.
I understand that this website was very biased since it was all about why the
death penalty should be abolished; however, I still feel that it was useful. This website
was helpful because it was based on facts. I appreciated that when a fact seems biased;
information is provided that backed up their position. For example, the website stated
how life without parole is a fair alternative to capital punishment. Not only is this
alternative saving money, but it also allows for mistakes to be corrected. Ideas weren’t
completely shut down in this website; they were revised and proven with statistics,
leaving the reader with the ultimate decision on how they view capital punishment.
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Capital Punishment Debate: More than Just “Right or Wrong”
It is safe to say that capital punishment is considered one of the most debated
issues in the Criminal Justice System. Capital punishment is also referred to the death
penalty, which means “the lawful infliction of death as a punishment” (The People’s Law
Dictionary). All of but 13 states continue to use capital punishment despite the
controversy. But have you ever thought that this debate could be based less on for or
against? This summary analyzes three perspectives on capital punishment, one of which
is hardly thought of at all.
We have all heard it before; capital punishment is a way for families to cope.
Many supporters of the death penalty believe that it helps console grieving families, and
ensures that the perpetrators of heinous crimes never have an opportunity to cause
future tragedy because it is typically violent criminals who receive the death penalty.
Supporters view the death penalty as a logical punishment for crimes. These people
believe in “eye for eye” justice; the punishment for a crime should be equal to the
crime. Therefore, it is believed that reasonably death is the appropriate penalty for
murder.
At first glance, the cost of imprisoning someone for life is much more expensive
than executing that same person. Which is another reason for supporters to agree with
capital punishment; however, with the expensive costs of appeals in courts of law, it is
arguable if capital punishment is truly cost effective when compared with the cost of life
imprisonment. But prison is usually thought of a place to rehabilitate prisoners, which
would logically make prison not be where convicts who will never leave be kept alive.
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When dealing with such a controversial subject, people should to try to keep an
open mind. According to ProCon.org:
1,188 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. (ProCon)
Since the death penalty is not solely used for punishment of murders, people
should really look into what they support. Before believing and saying that you are for
something, it is always best to completely understand the entire issue and what that
side is all about.
The many people who oppose the use of capital punishment in our Justice
System, strongly favor the idea of life without parole as a fair alternative. This is
believed to be sensible because the sentence is cheaper to tax-payers and keeps violent
offenders off the streets for good. Unlike the death penalty, a sentence of life without
parole also allows mistakes to be corrected. When dealing with life or death, the error
of unjustly convicting and executing is unacceptable. In 2009, four men may have been
wrongfully executed for crimes that they did not commit.
It is sad to admit, but race still plays a role in who dies and who lives in our
country today. The race of the victim and the race of the defendant in capital cases are
major factors in determining who is sentenced the death penalty. In an article written
about why the death penalty is at a historical low in the United States, Patrik Jonsson
states:
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A 2010 study by the University of Michigan found that North Carolina murder
convicts were 2.6 times more likely to receive a death sentence if one of the
victims was white. (Jonsson)
There should be no place for racial prejudice to be a part of the imposition of the
death penalty, but it is a sad truth that Americans must deal with.
Americans must also deal with bad lawyers in capital cases. Since a majority of
defendants in capital cases cannot afford their own attorney, it is hard to say that the
quality of their representation provided is fair. If attorneys or lawyers appointed are not
suited for the job, then many convicts are left in an unjust case.
With hardly any area for in between on this issue, it is hard to not just choose a
side based on your religious and/or political views. But have you ever stopped to think
of the families that are stuck in the middle of capital cases? In an article from The New
York Times:
In the flash of a horrifying moment, they said, their lives had become a vortex of
shame, anger and guilt. Most said they were overwhelmed by the blame and
ostracism they had received for crimes they had no part in. (Kovaleski)
Most people can’t say that they stop to think of how the convict’s or victim’s
families deal with the tragedy. In our society, we like to think that if we deal with one
aspect of something the rest will just go away. But in the many cases where the death
penalty is used, many emotions are just pushed aside and left to be forgotten. When a
murderer is executed, there is no justice for their family. They now to have to deal with
the loss of a loved one just like the victim’s family. The perpetrator’s family now also has
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to deal with the guilt of their loved one’s actions on their shoulder. It is a never ending
battle with grief or guilt for the family. So some may say that capital punishment is a
coping mechanism for the victim’s family, but if they were to stop and really think about
the outcome of the death penalty, they might not be so level headed on the issue.
It is hard to say that there will ever be a single way to view capital punishment,
whether even supporting it at all in the future, but hopefully by truly understand what
and who is affected by the outcome of the issue.
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Works Cited
"Capital Punishment." The People's Law Dictionary. 2005. Gerald N. Hill and Kathleen
T. Hill. 01 May 2008. Web. 04 April 2012.
Jonsson, Patrik. "Why the Death Penalty Is at Historic Low in the US." Christian Science
Monitor. n.p., 05 Dec 2011: n.p. SIRS Issue Researcher. Web. 02 Apr 2012.
Kovaleski, Serge F. “Killers’ Families Left to Confront Fear and Shame.” nytimes.com.
The New York Times, 04 February 2012. Web. 28 March 2012.
“Should the Death Penalty be Allowed.” ProCon.org. ProCon.org, 13 Mar. 2012. Web.
14 Mar. 2012.