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!!

Conclusion

YOU DECIDE...

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