...Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is a Government department of the U.S. state of Texas. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is responsible for the entire states criminal justices for all adult offenders, including governing offender in state prisons, jails and other private correctional facilities, funding and certain oversight of community supervision of offenders released from prison on parole or mandatory supervision. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice runs the largest prison structure in all of the United States. Texas Department of Criminal Justice houses death row inmates in the Polunsky Unit and female death row inmates in the Mountain View Unit. The Huntsville Unit is the location of the state of Texas execution chamber The Polunsky death row has about 290 prisoners. The State of Texas began housing death row inmates in the Huntsville Unit in 1928. In 1965 the male death row inmates moved to the Ellis Unit. 1999 the male death row moved Polunsky. Capital punishment has been used in the state of Texas since 1819. As of April 2014 1,270 people have been executed. The state of Texas has executed more inmates than any other state in spite of that two states California and Florida have a larger death row population than Texas. Since 1923 TDCJ has been in charge of executions in the state. TDCJ houses death row prisoners after they are transported from their counties of conviction, and administers the death penalty on a condemned person’s...
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...Evan Stabolitis Professor Max Seymour Political Science 6th April, 2014 Case Cameron Willingham Willingham was immediately prosecuted for arson and the murder of his three little girls to cover up the supposed “abusing” of them. Stacy Kuykendall said there was no way he abused the children and that they were spoiled rotten. Think about it, how could a man abuse two twin one year old little girls and a two year old little girl. According to his wife he was also the best the father she had ever seen and the most loving man she’d ever met. When these things are put together, there is no way he could have done it, there is no reason why. Some of the evidence gathered against Willingham was charcoal starter fluid which was under the grill under the front porch which was melted, but some starter fluid was found inside the door next to the grill. This evidence shouldn’t have held any weight because of the fire hose pressure probably blowing some of the fluid into the house while trying to put the fire out. There was three starting points in the house where an accelerant was supposedly put to start the fire because of the marks of a “fast and hot” start of the fire. Later in the case a fellow inmate of Willingham testified against him saying that Willingham had indeed told him he did start the fire. The inmate that gave this information should have not have been of any importance because him and Willingham had gotten into an argument days before. The inmates background was not...
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...Capital punishment By Silvia Lamp Møller 1.e In the United States of America, death penalty has been used as far back as the eighteenth century B.C. This was under the rule of King Hammaurabi of Babylon ruled, who codified the death penalty for twenty-five different types of crimes. Within the US, there are 32 states who employ death penalty, and only 18 who don’t. Death penalty has been an ordinary way to deal with extreme criminals in order to end their crimes, for a longer time. Capital punishment has for long been a component of the government. In American history, there have been numerous methods of capital punishment. Everything from electrocution, hanging, firing squad to beheading, and even gas chambers. Capital punishment has always been a brutal and unnatural thing. Luckily, lethal injection is what most states use today. They have done since post-Gregg (Gregg v. Georgia), but electrocution, gas chambers and hanging are still practiced as well. One large motive for supporting capital punishment is economy. It is much cheaper to have someone executed than having him or her imprisoned. This is, though, extraordinarily inhuman. What about the family and friends of the executed? This is where the ethical aspect begins to play a role. The government needs to think about whether this should be accepted as being ethically correct. Because of the ethical aspects, capital punishment is one of the few massively discussed subjects in American politics. In the southern...
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...unique traditions and beliefs regarding death and dying; but ultimately they are driven by the conscious and unconscious realization of one’s own mortality and inevitable death. These culturally significant beliefs can be seen through the laws enacted within each country. Since laws differ from country to country are sometimes viewed as reprehensible by societies with opposing societal norms. Two highly controversial laws deal with euthanasia for terminally ill patients and capital punishment. A comparison between societies that are polar opposites on these issues, such as the State of Texas within the USA and the Netherlands, reveals the unique ways people react to the unconsciousness...
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...Running head: CAPITAL PUNISHMENT Capital Punishment [Name of Customer] [Name of Institute] [Law] Capital Punishment Introduction Capital punishment that also known as the death penalty or sentence has been one of the most widely debated and contentiously oriented topic in countries and diverse societies in terms of its promulgation, legitimacy, conformity towards humanitarian principles and norms and its abolishment. Argument regarding the topic has been segregated on the basis of its advocacy and opposition. Since we all constitute an integral part of a democratic system where people are provided the autonomy to voice their opinion and perspectives irrespective to the nature of the issue and hence being a part of the system I could cast my vote in favor and advocacy of capital punishment. (Hodgkinson and Rutherford, 1996) The Dual Analysis of Capital Punishment There are a number of reasons behind my perspective related to the advocacy and support of capital punishment. One of the simple and straight forward reasons for voting in favor of this form of punishment which is viewed as discordant and diabolical by many is my strong adherence towards the famous quotation which says ‘One thief dead, is one thief less’ it is a self-evident fact that a dead criminal does not possess the tendency of committing any more crime and hence the fear and the intimidation that he has created will cease to exist with his death. It is worth mentioning here...
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...1. Philadelphia County ranks third among counties in the country in terms of the number of people on death row. However, capital convictions there are frequently reversed on appeal and later reduced to life sentences because the county did not provide adequate representation to many defendants. According to a 2011 study by the Philadelphia Inquirer, 69 Philadelphia death penalty cases have been reversed or sent back by state or federal courts after findings that the defense attorney’s inadequate performance deprived the defendant of a fair trial. When these cases were retried, almost all of the defendants received a sentence less than death, and some were acquitted altogether. Maricopa County in Arizona ranks fourth among counties in the country...
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...Oral Article Rebuttal - Capital Punishment BCOM/275 18 October 2012 Debra Brown Capital Punishment Article Rebuttal This paper is to examine an article based on an argument that a 23 –year- old Texas mom of five children received 99 years for gluing her two –year- old hands to the wall and beating her. The child suffered bleeding in her brain, which put her in a coma for a couple of days; a broken rib, multiple bruises, and bite marks, and skin torn from her hands on the wall. * Elizabeth Escalona savagely beat her two- year- old child to the edge of death because of potty training issues. * For this monstrous crime Elizabeth received 99 years in prison with eligibility of parole in 30 years. * Lawyer asked for probation or a prison sentence of fewer than 10 years. My argument is the crime Elizabeth Escalona committed was so heinous she should be punished by death. Remember, this happen in the Texas judicial system that is known to have the highest number of executions per year in the United States. Because Texas is the capital of capital punishment Elizabeth Escalona should receive the death penalty. Her lawyer asked the judge for probation or a prison sentence of less than 10 years stating that she came from a broken home, abuse and childhood of drug use and gangs. This is no excuse for the crime committed. The state of Texas has established government assistance...
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...Texas Death Penalty – Deterrent or Not Extra Credit Essay GOVT 2306-21402 Autherene E. Webster November 26, 2013 Throughout the history of time the death penalty has always been a hotly debated topic. At one point every state in the nation banned it through a federal mandate but later dismantled the ban and state by state began bringing it back. The state of Texas is well known for being the state which has executed more people than anyone in the history of the nation. Texas, known for its penchant for enforcing laws and carrying out sentences has long since had the reputation for executions that are done more swiftly and more often than anywhere else in the nation. When the nation reinstated the death penalty in 1976 each state determined whether or not they wanted to reinstate it. Since its reinstatement there have been 1335 executions. The state of Texas was responsible for 507 of those executions. Prior to 1976 the death penalty had been made illegal in every state. The 1972 United States Supreme Court banned death penalty executions because it felt there had been many years of racial bias and other procedural faults within the capital punishment system (Nolen 2000). Interestingly enough, that is still the feeling surrounding death penalty executions today. The punishment was banned until 1976, when the court ruled that applying capital punishment to first degree murder was not a violation of...
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...Capital Punishment In the United States there have been many controversies and disputes of issues ranging from abortion, gun control, health care and immigration. But possibly, capital punishment is the most widely discussed issues because of the range of questions that arise stemming from legal, philosophical, social, practical, political and moral aspects. Capital punishment is defined as the legal infliction of the death penalty on persons convicted of a crime. It is a form of retributive justice that some feel is justified when proportionate to the crime committed. In the United States capital punishment is not intended to inflict and physical pain or torture but rather just used as another form of punishment. Many civilizations such as the ancient Romans and Egyptians used capital punishment to punish citizens form crimes such as blasphemy, treason, theft and murder. They believed in the “eye for an eye” doctrine. These ancient civilizations would perform capital punishment in the forms of stoning, burning, garroting, beheading, decapitation and crucifixion. Unlike how capital punishment is used today these methods were used to humiliate and inflict pain; they would be considered as cruel, barbaric and unusual punishment. Most deaths resulting from capital punishment in ancient civilizations were very slow instead of immediate. Two of the most popular cases of ancient capital punishment are that of Socrates and Jesus Christ. Great Britain originally brought the death...
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...Death Penalty. Death penalty, capital punishment, or execution is the legal process of putting a person to death as a punishment for a crime. It is an issue that has the United States quite divided, while there are many supporters of it, there is also a large amount of opposition. But like in the United States, death penalty has been traditionally used in almost every country. One of the most common method of execution has been lethal injection. Europe is one of the countries that is opposed to the death penalty yet they manufacture many of the drugs used in lethal injections. Yet they prohibit exporting said drugs for executions. Although the United States is not opposed to the death penalty, it is not legal in all States. Current inclinations suggest that the number of States that execute prisoners is decreasing, in 2013 the executions dropped by 10%. Executions were carried out in 9 states, with 59% occurring in Texas and Florida. One of the reasons for fewer executions in 2013 was the continuous problem that States have had in finding an unfailing method of carrying out executions. The eight amendment to the United States Constitution prevents cruel and unusual punishment but it is likely these trends will continue as more States will likely reconsider the decision of keeping this expensive and useless practice. I believe the death penalty should be legal throughout the nation. I’m a strong believer that the death penalty saves lives and give closure to the victim’s...
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...Death Penalty 1 Death Penalty CJ526: Academic and Professional Communications in Public Safety Dr. Ron Wallace December 17, 2012 Death Penalty 2 The Death Penalty is a violation of human rights. Capital Punishment has been practiced in just about every society. It is a debate that brings about feelings that many believe capital punishment is unfairly imposed, while others believe that it is justified for human crimes. The death penalty is handed down for first-degree, premeditated murder. There are different forms of execution that are used today: Lethal Injection, gas chamber, electrocution, hanging, and the firing squad. Today, (USDOJ, 2010) Hanging is the oldest method of execution in the United States, and was replaced by electrocution as the most common method. There have been only 3 executions by hanging since 1977: Westley Dodd (WA, 1993), Charles Campbell (WA, 1994), and Billy Bailey (DE, 1998). “The first established death penalty laws date as far back as the Eighteenth Century B.C. in the Code of King Hammaurabi of Babylon, which codified the death penalty for 25 different crimes. The death penalty was also part of the Fourteenth Century B.C.'s Hittite Code; in the Seventh Century B.C.'s Draconian Code of Athens, which made death the only punishment for all crimes; and in the Fifth Century B.C.'s Roman law of the Twelve Tablets. Death sentences were carried out by such means as crucifixion, drowning, beating to death, burning alive, and impalement.” http://www...
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...Since 1976, in the U.S alone, a total of 1414 people that have been deemed too dangerous to remain in society, and have been forced to prepare their deathbeds early, loosing their lives via a judicial ruling by a supreme court. Although, capital punishment is by no means a new idea to be presented in human history, our moral adaptation through time has brought it back onto the a scale of controversy, questioning its integrity and effectiveness in the world of today. Capital Punishment, although continuing to be an active form of discipline in modern day, has outstanding drawbacks to its performance. It has, in over half of its applications, endorsed wrongful prosecution, in-humane killing tactics, and it costs the states millions per year just to execute an offender. With the consideration of the following factors, one would be obliged to agree with the statement that Capital Punishment should very well be abolished. Throughout its lifetime, Capital punishment has seemed, in many cases to be the most sane and respectable thing to condemn on a person, deserving of such direct discipline. For example, a case held in 1977 that had eventually resulted in the accused's death, was the case of Coker v. Georgia, an alleged murderer, and rapist. In 1974, he was given several sentences on murder, rape and assault charges. He then 3 years into his sentence, escaped Georgia prison, and after breaking into the home of Allen and Elnita Carver, raped Elnita, and stole the family’s vehicle...
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...Supporting a Position There are several problems with capital punishment used in this country. In addition there are several issues with the State of Florida's implementation of Lethal-Injection. Florida's procedure for the use of lethal injections is the principal issue in both the NPR Podcast (Which is incorrectly labeled as a podcast as it is streaming only and you can not download it.) and the St. Petersburg Times article. The State of Florida uses outdated and inhumane procedures when administering lethal injections. They do so without a doctor present to insure that the proper steps are taken to prevent what happened to Angel Diaz from happening again. The excuse that it is hard to find doctors that are willing to violate their ethics is inexcusable. The are more issues at hand then just the correct administration of capital punishment. Many of the people executed in this country are innocent. The legal system direly needs to be reworked. There should be protections in place to protect innocent people from being murdered by the courts. The amount of legal red-tape in the appeals process is excruciatingly high. The case of Leo Jones is one example. On May 23, 1981 patrolman Thomas Szafranski was shot by high-powered 30-30 rifle while he was stopped at a traffic light. Leo Jones who lived in apartment near by was later arrested (Mills, 2008). That night he was beaten until he confessed to the murder (Mills, 2008). Retired police officer Cleveland Smith testified...
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...William Polk Mr. Taborn ENG. 100 July 25, 2012 William Polk Mr. Taborn ENG. 100 July 25, 2012 ------------------------------------------------- Pro Capital Punishment ------------------------------------------------- Pro Capital Punishment ABSTRACT Capital Punishment is a highly controversial and emotional issue which most people seem to have strong arguments for and against. In the United States, controversy over capital punishment began in colonial periods when, against the consents of the English Crown, some settlements enacted only a few capital laws. Soon after the War for Independence and the adoption of the Constitution, America’s death penalty debate started in earnest. Capital Punishment is a subject that must be addressed with today’s violent society. The use of Capital Punishment in America has become a controversy among Americans. Controversy whether to ban Capital Punishment or not has become a top priority for most politicians. On one hand it brings justice, yet on the other its taking a life. After examining the benefit of capital punishment, one will likely conclude that the benefit of capital punishment outweighs the harm of expenditures, deterrent compensations, and retributions. The economic argument that people must always consider is the cost of the death penalty opposed to life imprisonment. According to California state records, the operating expense to finance the penalty costs...
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...explanations for why Texas executes far more people than any other state and is doing so at a pace that has no parallel in the modern era of the death penalty in the U.S. What follows is a summary of the analyses. Texas has become ground zero for capital punishment. Between 1976 (when the Supreme Court lifted its prohibition on the death penalty) and 1998 Texas executed 167 people. Next in rank was Virginia which executed 60 during the same period. (**my note** as of today, Texas has executed 237 individuals, and Virginia has executed 80) Why do capital murder cases proceed through the Texas state court system with a speed unimaginable in other parts of the country? Brent Newton, in an article entitled "Capital Punishment: Texas Could Learn a Lot from Florida,"1argues that there are three procedures unique to the state's judicial system that enable it to execute convicted murderers with astonishing frequency: 1. Texas' appellate judges are elected to office and hence serve according to the pleasure of the public. Not surprisingly, they require a record of toughness on criminals in order to win re-election. Also, there are many indications that elected appellate judges generally are of a lesser quality than their appointed counterparts in other states. Newton even claims that these elected judges do not carefully consider the complexities of each specific death penalty case. As evidence, Newton argues that "[e]specially during the past few years...the Texas Court of Criminal...
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