Capital Punishment Annotated Bib

Chinmaya Sharma Field LNG 406 25 January 2011 Capital Punishment – Just: An Annotated Bibliography Capote, Truman. In Cold Blood: A True Account of A Multiple Murder and Its Consequences. New York: Vintage, 1994. Print. Crowe, Robert E. â€Å"Should Capital Punishment be Retained? Pro. † Congressional Digest Aug. 1927: 228+. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 26 Jan. 2011. Crowe believes the primary benefit of capital punishment is its usefulness in deterring any future criminal acts, particularly murders. He asserts the death penalty is the only punishment equal in value to the murders or other crimes for which capital punishment is sentenced. While attacking the United States government for its lack of criminal regulation, Crowe suggests capital punishment will instill fear in criminals and make them think twice before committing a violent crime. He states this fear of punishment is what protects citizens from the wrath of brutal murderers who, without the death penalty, would believe they have nothing to fear. Crowe proclaims someone who tries to nullify the death penalty in court is hampering the progress of the American government and is keeping the rest of society in danger. As the article continues, Crowe concurs that the feeling of being on the jury of a murder trial is one of the most difficult as you hold the life of a person in your hands. However, he believes people have the best interest of their society in mind. Crowe uses Chicago as an example of how capital punishment as resulted in the decrease in murders and other crimes. Throughout the rest of the article, Crowe discusses how the life of the victim is forever lost and the punishment should be proportionate to the rime, how even those who are deemed irresponsible should be sentenced to the death penalty for the better of society, and how there is proof of capital punishment deterring further crime. Crowe’s analysis of capital punishment and its justification is thorough, but only thorough in one aspect. The author focuses only on the deterring effect the death penalty has on crime and other murderers. His information is credible, but seems to be more focused on appealing to the emotion s rather than stating blatant facts. The source of this article is a congressional magazine. Therefore, staying within the limits of the slight bias, the information is coming from a credible source and should be valuable for my research and debate.. Due to the article dating back to the 1920s, the statistics and facts of this article may not be accurate. While some of my other research has focused on addressing counter-arguments, this article solidifies one strong point. Crowe’s argument revolves around the deterring effect of capital punishment on murders. Therefore, this article will provide a basis for my analysis of the societal results of the death penalty. I will also use the statements made by Crowe about how it is the moral duty of the justice system to protect and provide for the citizens for the country. By leaving these murders and criminals alive, he believes we are putting the rest of society at risk. This article will prove to be invaluable when addressing some of the issues such as societal safety and the overall effects of capital punishment on future criminal acts. Franklin, H. Bruce. â€Å"Billy Budd and Capital Punishment. † American Literature. Web. 02 Feb. 2011. . â€Å"History: Early World and American Death Penalty Laws.   Death Penalty. Web. 02 Feb. 2011. . Johnson, Robert, and Sandra Smith. â€Å"Life Without Parole, America’s Other Death Penalty. â€Å"The Prison Journal. Sage Publications. Web. 30 Jan. 2011. . Life without parole is examined as a form of death penalty. The authors declare how life without parole is a true life punishment because the prisoners must live their lives knowing that th ey will never be allowed out. The two interview many of the prisoners and prison officers to understand the conditions, both mentally and physically, of the prisons in which these criminals stay. Smith and Johnson indicate the conditions of the prisons are ideal because they include food, a bed, recreation and many other commodities. The true impact comes from the emotional turmoil from knowing that the prison is where they will die. While many assume the life without parole prisoners must be a threat to society within and outside of the prison, the authors prove the emotional impact changes the criminals and makes them more respectable people The article also shows how these people feel so lonely and that is why life without parole is a viable alternative for the death penalty. Overall, this source will probably be the least used source out of my entire bibliography. I chose this source when I knew that my part of the argument would be about the conditions of prisons. However, the article does satisfy the part of my argument that shows how the prisons of these criminals are actually in perfect condition and how the prisoners enjoy the conditions while living there. Robert Johnson and Sandra Smith both work at large universties and are publishing a significant article. Therefore, I believe this article is reliable and the information should be credible. The goal of the source is to show how life without parole is not as good as everyone believes it is. The source is objective because it shows both good and bad aspects of prison. I will use this source to help prove my point about the condition of the prisons. Johnson and Smith both indicate how the conditions are fantastic with food and recreation. These conditions are better than many of the conditions of people living in America. I will also utilize the first-hand account of one of the prisoners to back up my argument. It will fit perfectly into the body of my argument by shaping how I explain how tax-payers’ money is furnishing a lavish living style of these criminals compared to what they were in before. Hopefully, this evidence will help convince people that the minor cost difference that may occur at times between life without parole and capital punishment is miniscule when considering the broader aspect. Sharp, Dudley. â€Å"Death Penalty Paper. †Ã‚  Pro-death Penalty. Web. 30 Jan. 2011. . Sharp’s article assesses every aspect of the capital punishment argument. He starts by indicating how the anti-death penalty movement has overwhelmed the debate and has filled people’s minds with lies which have no substantial evidence. He states how capital punishment is the only punishment which fits the amplitude of the crime. When addressing the risk of a innocent man being executed, he explains how the statistics given by most people are incorrect. In the United States, there have only been a minute amount of cases where an innocent man was executed. Sharp illustrates the lack of mistakes involving the death penalty. Sharp continues to summarize how the death penalty is a deterrent to crime and how this fact is conclusive and irrefutable. He also states how capital punishment makes American society a safer place to live. Throughout the rest of the article, Sharp talks about a variety of topics including race and the death penalty, cost of capital punishment versus life without parole, death penalty procedures and the relation between Christianity and capital punishment. Sharps analysis of every argument makes this article absolutely perfect for the debate supporting capital punishment. For every point he makes, he provides a resource and occasionally a justification if numbers should be altered. Since this site is primarily about supporting capital punishment, a small bias maybe evident in his writing. He seems to be a credible source because he works as the Death Penalty Resources Director at Justice For All. I think his article could be used for a variety of purposes because he encompasses all of the major points supporting capital punishment. He frequently takes information from the Death Penalty Information Center, reinforcing his credibility. I think this article will be valuable to be because of the statistics and information it uses to show how capital punishment is actually cheaper then life without parole. Unlike most of the other sites I have looked at, it actually provides calculations step by step and justification if certain numbers are only estimates and how these estimates were made. Sharp does not leave any part of the argument with a weak end. Since my argument is the cost between death penalty and life without parole, this article will almost suffice as all I need. I believe it will be very difficult to refute evidence which is so precise such as the information Sharp has provided. This article will help show that the death penalty is cheaper than life without parole. Stanton, Edward C. â€Å"Should Capital Punishment be Retained? Pro. † Congressional Digest Aug. 1927: 232+. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 25 Jan. 2011. Stanton’s article assesses each specific argument made by people supporting the abolishment of capital punishment and provides a logical and complete rebuttal. After reviewing past articles and statements made by these abolitionists, Stanton states that most of these people are sentimentalists who have completely battered the minds of readers into a state of submission. Through the use of two court cases in the past few years in which murderers were given a lighter sentence than they deserved, the author reiterates sentimentalists brainwash and destroy the backbone of juries. Furthermore, Stanton provides statistics demonstrating the increase of homicides in the United States. Stanton declares most of the sentimentalists lack experience dealing directly with murders which makes their statements difficult to believe. Throughout the rest of the article, the author indicates several of the arguments these sentimentalists put forth and counters with his own support of capital punishment. Stanton includes counter-arguments against all of the following: choosing life-imprisonment over capital punishment, giving opportunities to the criminals, capital punishment being a practice of the past, and the chance of having an innocent person convicted and executed. Stanton provides a substantial and thorough analysis of why capital punishment should be maintained as a policy in the United States. His information seems credible as he uses several statistics and court cases to reinforce his statements. Stanton may be slightly biased because he has dealt with murders in the past, but this also contributes to his authenticity. The information is quite reliable as it comes from a congressional magazine. This article primarily focuses on telling the complete truth about capital punishment and convincing people capital punishment is a just form of punishment. Stanton tries to eliminate the flowery and false information sentimentalists provide for readers. The only negative aspect of this article is it dates back to the 1920s. Therefore, the statistics cannot be used for present-day. Stanton’s article on capital punishment satisfies one of the requirements for my debate. He provides an answer for many of the points the other team may use. The article shapes how I will write my rebuttal by providing information which would counter most of the arguments put forth by those arguing capital punishment as an unjust form of punishment. Stanton solidifies my view that capital punishment deters criminals from committing the worst crimes because they fear the death penalty. He also addresses the fear of executing people are innocent of a crime. Since the chance of a false conviction is so small, any doubt that the death penalty is a proper form of punishment for those criminals with unforgiveable crimes should be forgotten. Stanton’s views coincide with my own and provide a solid base for a rebuttal in the debate.