... War II, there was a decline in executions mainly due to a heightened awareness about injustice and inequity during the civil rights movement. Apprehensions concerning the unfair application of the death penalty were addressed in a landmark decision in 1972, Furman vs. Georgia. In this case, the Supreme ... Texas quickly responded. It proposed legislation instituting the use of lethal injection, but more importantly passed House Bill 200, which clearly defined the six homicides eligible for capital punishment: murder of a peace officer or fireman; murder during the course of kidnapping, b...

• Word Count: 4933
• Approx Pages: 20
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... of capital punishment in many countries including Australia. The deterrence theory proposes that a sane person will avoid criminal behavior if the severities of the punishment are greater than the benefits of the illegal act. It is believed that fear of execution discourages people from committing crimes. Studies of the deterrent effect of ... justify the most severe punishment. Whole life imprisonment could fit the bill for the worst murderers with suitable graduations for less awful murderers. Imprisonment whilst expensive and largely pointless except as means of removing criminals from...

• Word Count: 3217
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: Undergraduate