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Outline:CapitalPunishment

I. Introduction
A. Background
1. AccordingtotheUSdeathstudy,4%ofdefendantsthataresentencedto
diearefoundinnocent.Thisnumbermayseemsmalltosome,butwhatif
itwastheirfamilymembersortheirONLYfamilymember?Howwouldit
makethemfeelaboutthis?
2. Background
a. Today38ofthenations50states(andthefederalgovernment)
havethedeathpenaltyalthoughinmanyofthedeathpenaltystates
actualexecutionsarerare(Henderson4)
b. Itisalsoarguedthatthedeathpenaltyismuchmoreexpensive
thanlifeimprisonmentandthusdivertsscarceresourcesthatcould
beusedforfightingcrimesandhelpingvictims(Henderson4)
c. Theextensiveuseofthedeathpenaltyandthebrutalmannerin
whichiswasadministeredweredenouncedbysuchleading
thinkersastheFrenchphilosophersMontesquieuandVoltaire
(Henderson7)
d. Historically,opponentsofcapitalpunishmenthadworkedto
eliminatethepracticethroughthelegislativerepealofdeath
penaltystatutes(Henderson11)
e. Thedeathsentence,oncecarriedout,isirrevocable.Ifsociety
executesaninnocentprisoner,thereisnowaytoundotheerror
(Henderson19)
3. ThesisStatementCapitalpunishmentshouldnotbeadministeredin
Americansocietyduetogreatexpense,nonuniformityinpractice,andits
barbaricnature.
II. Bodyofresearchpaper
A. ThesisSupport#1Expensive
1. FirstmainideaofcategoryThedeathpenaltyismuchmoreexpensive
thanlifeimprisonment.
a. Twoattorneyswillbeappointedforthedefense,andacomparable
teamfortheprosecution,comparedtooneinanondeathpenalty
case(Henderson23)
b. Thetrailwillbelonger:thecoststudyatDukeUniversity
estimatedthatdeathpenaltytrialstake3to5timeslongerthan
typicalmurdertrials(Henderson23)
c. Dieterpointsoutthatwhileexecutingsomeonepermanentlyends
thestatesexpensefordealingwiththatperson,onlyabout10
percentofcaseswithadeathsentenceactuallyresultin
executionmostareeventuallyoverturnedonappealorconverted
tolifesentences(Henderson23)
d. Twotrialsinsteadofonewillbeconducted:oneforguiltandone
forpunishment(Henderson23)

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B. ThesisSupport#2Nonuniformityinpractice
1. FirstmainideaofcategoryNonuniformitycreatesinconsistencyin
practice.
a. Opponentsofcapitalpunishmentpointfirsttothefactthatthe
deathpenaltyisdisproportionatelyimposedonthelessadvantaged
membersofsociety(Henderson21)
b. Theproblemoftheunevendistributionofjusticebecomeseven
morepronouncedinthecaseofracialminorities(Henderson22)
c. Incasesinwhichsomeonewhowasblackwasconvictedofkilling
someonewhowaswhite,thedeathpenaltywasgiven22percentof
thetime(Henderson22)
d. Blacksinparticularmakeupamuchlargershareofthedeathrow
population(42percent,asof2005)thanthepercentageofthe
populationasawhole(about12percentin2005)(Henderson22)
C. ThesisSupport#3Barbaricnature
1. FirstmainideaofcategoryCapitalpunishmenthasnoplaceinasociety
whereweshouldlookatrehabilitatingpeopleinsteadofkillingthem.
a. Theinflictionofdeath,themaintain,hasnoplaceinan
enlightenedsociety(Henderson18)
b. Itisallegedthatcapitalpunishmentbrutalizesasociety
(Henderson18)
c. Intheview,useofthedeathpenaltyaccustomsasocietyto
violence,upholdsviolenceasawaytosolvesocialproblems,and
hardenspeopletothesufferingofothers(Henderson18)
d. Thedeathpenaltyhasbeeninflictedinmanywaysnowregarded
asbarbaricandforbiddenbylawalmosteverywhere,including
crucifixion,boilinginoil,drawingandquartering,impalement,
beheading,burningalive,crushing,tearingasunder,stoning,and
drowning(Funk&Wagnalls)

D. Counterargument
1. MainideaCapitalpunishmentshouldbemadelegalineverystateand
shouldbeusedinallcasesinwhichfirstdegreemurderwascommitted
becauseitprovidesjusticeforthevictimsfamily,itdeterscrimes,and
preventstheprisonerfromthechanceofescaping/restartingtheirlife.
2. RebuttalCapitalpunishmentshouldbeillegalbecausecontraryto
supportersofcapitalpunishment,itbringsexpenses,nonuniformityin
practice,andhasabarbaricnature.
III. Conclusion
A. RestatethesisInthe21stcentury,capitalpunishmenthasnoplaceinsocietydue
itshighexpense,lackofuniformityinpractice,anditsbrutalnature.
B. TieThesistopicstogether
1. Thedeathpenaltyismuchmoreexpensivethanlifeimprisonment.
2. Nonuniformitycreatesinconsistencyinpractice.
3. Capitalpunishmenthasnoplaceinasocietywhereweshouldlookat
rehabilitatingpeopleinsteadofkillingthem.

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C. Concludingthoughts:Capitalpunishmentdoesnotbringbackthelifeofavictim
thatwasmurderedbytheoneondeathrow.Idontthinknooneshouldeverbe
puttodeathbyaninjection,gasorevenelectricitybecauseanythingcould
possiblygowrongandthatwouldawastemoneyandthegovernmentdoesnot
havealotofthat.Sentencingthemtolifeinprisonwithoutparolewouldbebetter
becauseittakeslesstimeandlessmoneythanadeathpenaltycase.Lastly,weare
acivilizedsocietyandweshouldmovepastaneyeforaneyeandlife
mentality.Whoarewetojudgebetweenwholivesorwhodiesoreventoplay
God?