Thursday, December 17, 2009

Death Sentences Dropped, but Executions Rose in ’09

The death penalty is a very important issue today.

In the New York times, an article stated that although there has been a drop in death sentences, the number of executions rose.

Over the past seven years, the number of death sentences has been steadily decreasing. Today, the number of death sentences is one third of what it was in 1994. Basically, the number has been going down for about a decade.

However, the number of people being execute has been slowly growing. In 2009, 59 people have been executed, which is ten more then last year.

10 comments:

Dana said...

I just hope that these executions aren't being done too hastily and that none of the people who were executed were innocent like the man in Florida who spent 35 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit.

Lily said...

There is no way to really tell if the executions are being done hastily. These people can live their whole life in prison and die there without being found guilty. So I guess the question is more of.. did people actually look into the case thoroughly enough before deciding to execute prisoners? Either way it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I don't oppose it though. ;/ (for extreme cases)

Lauren Nishizaki said...

At the time the trials occurred, enough evidence was produced to prove that the criminals were guilty and deserving of the death sentence. However, it is only with the emergence of new technology, such as DNA testing, that old trials are being revisited and those slated for execution/life imprisonment are found innocent.

Jane said...

I believe that this is not too reliable. We should compare the number of death sentences given, not the number of people that are executed each year. The people who are executed per year, were not necessarily tried that year. They could have been tried years before and were just waiting for their deaths in prison. I hope that the people sentenced to death have not been wrongly accused, and that if they were, justice will be served to them.

-Jane Hayashi-

Brian Stephens said...

I'm not going to comment on whether or not I support the death penalty, but I think its rediculous that it takes years to finally go through with it.

If the court decides to put an end to somebody's life, they shouldn't drag out the proccess.

The person given the death penalty has most likely already recieved a sufficient punishment, and a grueling wait for a certain death is unneccessary.

Sarah Jacobs said...

I think it is ridiculous that our country still allows the death penalty. Except in extreme circumstances, when is there ever really enough evidence to sentence someone to death? Like Dana said, there are always cases like the Florida man, who was found innocent after 35 years in prison. There is always the chance that an innocent man can be convicted wrongly. I feel like the death penalty is barbaric, and should be made unconstitutional. By punishing people with death, we are reducing ourselves to criminals

Joe Seiden said...

Even in extreme cases, the death penalty is abhorrent and absurd. Books have been written about this kind of thing (like Crime and Punishment and The Stranger). I say do away with the death penalty and give them "a square foot of space" to stand on. Taking someone's life for what the judicial system has determined a crime (I'm not defending the nature of the crimes punishable by capital punishment, just commenting on the nature of the punishment) seems to me like people's sick way of playing God; using the government for all the power but none of the responsibility. Besides, the cost of bringing a capital case and all the appeals associated with it is actually more expensive than sentencing someone to life without possibility of parole.

Katrina said...

Yeah I agree with Sarah on being against death penalty. I think death penalties are really pointless because the criminal won't learn any kind of lesson. Plus intentionally killing someone just doesn't seem moral to me. But yeah, I guess under REALLY extreme circumstances it can be considered..

Chris said...

I think it all depends on the states that decide to have a death penalty or not. With death sentences being dropped I think that society is leaning towards having people executed, but the executions rose probably because they were decided that they received the death sentences before 09 and now they are receiving their punishment, which is execution. :(

Colin Yan said...

That is very insightful of you all. I agree with you all. Its terrible that a man was executed for a crime he did not do. I do not feel taht executions is really necessary, as many of you do.