How to Support Capital Punishment

Capital punishment has been sanctioned by the United States government since 1976, after being briefly abolished in 1973. It is practiced to some degree in 38 states. Groups around the country work to overturn capital punishment. Follow these steps if you want to show support for the practice.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet access

1. Understand the reasons for capital punishment and its desired effects. Capital punishment is meant as a deterrent. It is a warning to others not to commit a similar crime for fear of suffering the same fate. Capital punishment is considered necessary to prevent prison inmates already sentenced to life without parole from killing with impunity while incarcerated.
2. Know what methods are used and sanctioned for capital punishment. The most common method is lethal injection, used in 37 out of 38 states, but some states also allow electrocution, hanging or the firing squad. All these methods are considered acceptable by the United States Supreme Court.
3. Know why capital punishment was declared not to be cruel and unusual punishment by the United States Supreme Court. In the case of Gregg v. Georgia in 1976, the Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty was not cruel and unusual punishment so long as guilt or innocence was decided in a separate phase from the sentence. Therefore, it did not violate the Eighth Amendment, as had been previously argued.
4. Learn more about capital punishment around the world at the Pro Capital Punishment Page (see Resources below).
5. Get involved in supporting capital punishment by contacting Pro-Death Penalty.com (see Resources below).
6. Write to your congressperson. Find out his views on capital punishment and let him know that you support it in certain cases.

Tips & Warnings

• Many people may question your stance when you describe yourself as "pro death penalty." Develop sound, rational arguments for your position and be prepared to explain them when asked.

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