Crime and the Death Penalty For most crime committed in the United States a fine, sentence of time in jail or execution is the punishment. However, the death penalty is the most questionable punishment. Is it morally right? Is it effective in deterring crime, primarily murders? Whether or not you agree if it is moral or not, one issue remains. The death penalty is not an effective way to deter crime. The death penalty has existed as long as humans have existed. The quote, an eye for an eye is found in the Bible. In the middle ages fines, public humiliation and imprisonment were appropriate punishments for all crimes, and the death penalty for all murders. Today, the Federal law states that the death penalty is to be enforced with convicted criminals for: treason, deserting armed forces during wartime; murder committed by a soldier; kidnapping and murder that involves crossing state lines; murder committed during an airplane hijacking; and of course, homicide. The death penalty is also called for punishment for: attempting to kill anyone investigating or prosecuting his or her activities; advising, directing, authorizing, or assisting in the murder of someone. Also, the Anti-Drug abuse act of 1988 calls for the death penalty or life imprisonment for certain drug related killings. Along with that, the bill amending section 848 of the controlled substance act calls for the death penalty or life imprisonment for certain drug offences. Such as for the possession of 10 or more kg of heroin, cocaine, phencyclidine, or analogue. Adding to that, another drug act states to use of the death penalty for convicted major drug dealers caught with huge quantities of drugs, over 66 lbs of heroin and 330 lbs of cocaine. Even though there are these federal laws requiring the use of the death penalty for the crimes, state laws only consider one crime, murder, to be a capital offense.In the United States alone there have been 4047 execution...
