Controversy: The History Of The Death Penalty

Capital Punishment has been one of the most highly debated topics of all time. Many argue whether The United States government, or any government for that matter should have the ability to take someone 's life. Knowing this capital punishment is the legally authorized killing of someone as punishment for a crime. It is currently ranked with gun control and abortion as one of the most controversial issues in America. Many issues regarding its controversy include racial bias and morality.
In “The Encyclopedia of American Law Enforcement” it claims that capital punishment is, “ranked among the oldest punishments imposed for criminal behavior”(Capital 58). According to the article, “The History of The Death Penalty” the first laws regarding legalized executions can be traced back as far as 18th century B.C. During a period starting in the 17th century B.C. all crimes were punishable by death; some methods of punishment even included, burning to death, crucifixion, drowning and impalement. However, in the tenth century of this millennium hanging became the age standard of execution. This century was followed by a period where executions

Parks says, “Although historians have no way of knowing how long the death penalty has been an issue of controversy, they do know it has been debated for centuries”(Parks). Regarding this matter Amy Marcaccio published findings from polls that show around 70% of Americans support the death penalty (Marcaccio). Often times the death penalty is thought to deter criminals but others think that the death penalty is immoral and that the government has no right to determine whether someone should live or die. Capital punishment has been debated for centuries and will continue to be discussed for many years. While racial bias is considered a large issue, the process of being sentenced is far too extensive for this to be likely. Currently the death penalty is widely accepted and is expected to continue function for many years to