Introduction: In addition to the death penalty laws in many states, the federal government has also employed capital punishment for certain federal offenses. For example, between 1927 and 1963, the U.S. executed 34 individuals, including two women. There have been no federal executions since Victor Feguer was hanged in Iowa for kidnapping in 1963. (Bureau of Justice Statistics 1960-2000)Thesis: The status quo regarding State and Federal capital punishment statutes should be maintained.Preview: I am going to explain why it would be against the 10th Amendment to allow Capital Punishment on just a federal level, how the overcrowded federal courts couldnt possibly try such a large flow of capital cases, and why the state statute can better reflect the geographical areas majority and why federal statutes need to remain as they are.The 10th Amendment states, The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. The death penalty falls within the police power of the state reserved to it by the 10th amendment.The Amendment expressly declares the constitutional policy that Congress may not exercise power in a fashion that impairs the States' integrity or their ability to function effectively in a federal system. Therefore not only would it be unconstitutional to make the federal government the sol capital punishment enforcer it would be undermining the idea of federalism. The United States Government was built so that the Federal Government would not become too strong. States interest in promoting a civil society and enforcing its laws (to provide deterrence) Each execution of a criminal is a positive proof of the state's moral and legal authority to carry out the punishment; and a validation that the process works. The conviction in itself may not deter the criminal, but the execution always does. Although neither mandated by law nor re...
