The death penalty.

The state of Wisconsin has been without the death penalty since 1851, and with good reason, here is the case of the last man who was put to death under Wisconsin law. "John McCaffary's execution on August 21, 1851 was the last execution to be carried out under Wisconsin law. McCaffary's trial and execution played a key role in the campaign that ultimately succeeded in completely abolishing the death penalty in Wisconsin." (A Brief History of Wisconsin's Death Penalty Alexander T. Pendleton & Blaine R. Renfert)"The facts of McCaffary's crime are as follows: Around midnight on Tuesday, July 23, 1850, the neighbors of John and Bridget McCaffary were awakened by Bridget McCaffary's screams. The neighbors heard Bridget yell "John, spare me," and "John, save me," and rushed to the McCaffarys' backyard. In the corner of the yard a very large barrel, which served as a shallow well, was sunk in the ground? John McCaffary was seen climbing out of the barrel, wet and covered with mud." "As he headed toward his house, a neighbor stopped him and asked if he had put his wife in the well; McCaffary replied that someone was in the well. McCaffary returned to the barrel with another neighbor and told him there was nothing in the well but a shirt. The neighbor reached into the barrel and found the body of Bridget McCaffary. The body was pulled from the well and a physician pronounced her dead by drowning. McCaffary was arrested and placed in the Racine County Jail." (A Brief History of Wisconsin's Death Penalty Alexander T. Pendleton & Blaine R. Renfert)Now McCaffary was ultimately guilty of killing this wife, as he said something was in the well, and her body was found in the well. Does this mean that he should have been put to death? Well at the time the law would have justified it, but does not make it right. "Despite the failure of reformers to include a ban on the death penalty in Wisconsin's first constitution, the lack of such a ban did not lead to a wave of executions. The McCaffary execution was the first execution under Wisconsin law after statehood.11 His death revived the abolition campaign and led to a significant number of editorials in Wisconsin newspapers against the death penalty. Perhaps the most eloquent was by the editor, inventor, legislator and eyewitness to McCaffary's execution, C. Latham Sholes:" (A Brief History of Wisconsin's Death Penalty Alexander T. Pendleton & Blaine R. Renfert)The law legally committed murder against a man that killed his wife willingly. How can we justify the wrong doing of a person by legally committing the same crime? I do not believe that it is justifiable really, it makes no sense. In turn I believe that giving someone the death penalty to prove that killing is wrong is not sending the right message. There are many arguments for and against the death penalty. "The United States remains in the minority of nations in the world that still uses death as penalty for certain crimes. Many see the penalty as barbaric and against American values. Others see it as a very important tool in fighting violent pre-meditated murder. Two things have once again brought this issue to national debate. One is the release of some highly publicized studies that show a number of innocents had been put to death. The second is the issue of terrorism and the need to punish its perpetrators." (Joe Messerli Page Last Updated :) The death penalty is supposed to be a very important tool in fighting violent pre meditated murder which seems to be working. "The rate has steadily decreased since the early 1990s to 6.8 per 100,000 in 1997 and to 5.6 in 2002. In actual numbers of murders, there were 18,210 in 1997 compared to 16,204 in 2002."The murder rate has gone drastically down from 1933 to 2002, going from 18,210 murders in 1997 to 16,204 murders in 2002. That is a drastic change in the murder rate in 6 years. Who is to say that the death penalty has a play in the drastic change in murder rates though? A good portion of these probably resulted in execution due the violent nature of the crime. Here is a table of the good and bad things about the death penalty. Con:1. Financial costs to taxpayers of capital punishment are several times that of keeping someone in prison for life. 2. It is barbaric and violates the "cruel and unusual" clause in the Bill of Rights. 3. The endless appeals and required additional procedures clog our court system. 4. We as a society have to move away from the "eye for an eye" revenge mentality if civilization is to advance. 5. It sends the wrong message: why kill people who kill people to show killing is wrong. 6. Life in prison is a worse punishment and a more effective deterrent. 7. Other countries (especially in Europe) would have a more favorable image of America. 8. Some jury members are reluctant to convict if it means putting someone to death. 9. The prisoner's family must suffer from seeing their loved one put to death by the state, as well as going through the emotionally-draining appeals process. 10. The possibility exist that innocent men and women may be put to death. 11. Mentally ill patients may be put to death. 12. It creates sympathy for the monstrous perpetrators of the crimes. 13. It is useless in that it doesn't bring the victim back to life. Pro:1. The death penalty gives closure to the victim's families who have suffered so much. 2. It creates another form of crime deterrent. 3. Justice is better served. 4. Our justice system shows more sympathy for criminals than it does victims. 5. It provides a deterrent for prisoners already serving a life sentence. 6. DNA testing and other methods of modern crime scene science can now effectively eliminate almost all uncertainty as to a person's guilt or innocence. 7. Prisoner parole or escapes can give criminals another chance to kill. 8. It contributes to the problem of overpopulation in the prison system. 9. It gives prosecutors another bargaining chip in the plea bargain process, which is essential in cutting costs in an overcrowded court system. (Joe Messerli Page Last Updated :)Well according to this chart there are more devastating effects due to the death penalty than there are good. Number 5 of the chart is what I really agree with. There is never any reason to kill to show killing is bad. It is like telling a kid that it is wrong to steal and then their parents do the same thing. It shows that we can pick and chose who can commit a crime and who can't. In conclusion there is no right or wrong when it comes down to the death penalty, it is the choice of each state and country to determine. There is good and bad things about it, and if it is helping lower the crime rate than the government is going to allow it. It is up to us as a country to keep fighting for what we believe in, regardless of our position on the death penalty. ReferencesViolent Crime: Crime Against a Person - Crimes Against Individuals, Hate Crime, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Forcible Rape, Stalking, "three Strikes" Laws http://www.balancedpolitics.org... Written by: Joe MesserliPage Last Updated: A Brief History of Wisconsin's Death Penalty by Alexander T. Pendleton & Blaine R. Renfert