g issue is whether the current methods used to execute criminals are painless and ethical. Todays methods are less painful than in the past. All methods result in pain for the criminal; some would say that it is wrong to put them through that kind of pain. Others say criminals who committed acts like rape or murder deserve to suffer like their victims suffered (Issue). Those who are in favor of capital punishment believe that all states should use the penalty and sentence criminals to death if they are convicted of rape or murder. People argue that the penalty stops others from committing such crimes. It is difficult to make the case for any deterrent effect from this," said Steven Messner, a criminologist at the State University of New York at Albany, who reviewed the analysis by The New York Times (Bonner & Fessenden)."Whatever the factors are that affect change in homicide rates, people don't seem to operate differently based on the presence or absence of the death penalty in a state." Rehabilitation is ineffective, people argue, and capital punishment is often the only penalty that matches the horrific nature of some crimes. Furthermore society has a right to retribution and the finality of an execution can bring closure for victims' families. There has been argument that innocent people are being executed (Pambiancon). No such evidence exists. Indeed, the very study that opponent use to support their argument pointed to the only one case since 1976 of a supposedly innocent person being executed. In fact, theres no proof of an innocent person being executed since 1900 (Pambiancon). Polls show that these views are shared by a large number of Americans. Then there are those who are not in favor of capital punishment and believe that it should be banned from society. One of the major arguments against capital punishment is that people feel that it violates the Eighth Amendment, which forbids cruel and unusual punishment. People against...
