Understanding The Effects Of The Death Penalty To Locate

Understanding The Effects Of The Death Penaltyto Locate The Five Artic

Understanding The Effects of the Death Penalty To locate the five articles, I utilized two databases: ProQuest and Google Scholar. These two databases contain a lot of peer-reviewed articles, which are suitable for this task. The databases are also free to access, which was essential in identifying what is ideal for this task. The keywords I used were "effects of the death penalty in America." When choosing articles, I chose the ones which appealed to me and were related to the program I am currently taking. The goal was to understand the death penalty from different aspects, which not many people do.

Kastellec (2020) was the first article I chose to assess. Racism and racial inequality have emerged as serious issues in the world today. The topic is a sore spot for society and has affected almost every societal pillar. This also includes the death penalty. Kastellec (2020) performs a quantitative analysis to determine the role that racism plays in the death penalty to determine the racial discrepancy that appears when issuing the death penalty.

This is a critical issue to understand. Godcharles et al. (2019) also give vital insights regarding the racial split and gender disparity in death penalty support, as well as the role that empathy plays in bridging the support gap. According to the report, while many people in the country support the death sentence, African Americans and women support it less. The study contributes to determining if empathy has a role in support for the practice. This article is important because these individuals will be on the jury, and understanding their state of mind concerning the death penalty will be beneficial in the future.

Sharp (2005) is also a good article for understanding the death penalty. The article discusses the impact of the death sentence on the accused's relatives and loved ones. Often, when we advocate for the death penalty, the criminal justice system forgets that there are other victims of the act. The story is inspired by Anna Hauptmann, the spouse of Bruno Richard Hauptmann, who was charged with the murder of Charles Lindbergh's baby. Bruno was sentenced to death despite many thinking he was innocent.

The article highlights the suffering that family members of those sent to death row face. This is a perspective that many in my program, including me, may lack. Desai and Garrett (2018) explain how the death penalty in the contemporary world. The article explains that the practice has declined and that only a few are engaging in the practice anymore. There have also been cases where individuals sent to death row keep appealing until the case is thrown out.

This essay serves to put into perspective a fact about the death sentence that the media and society are unaware of: it is not a widespread occurrence. Wu (2022) produces an essay in which she explains qualitative analysis study that examines the influence of a high false conviction rate on the death sentence. The study intended to ascertain the impact of a wrongful conviction on a potential jury member. People who learned of a false conviction were less inclined to support the death penalty, according to the research. This exemplifies the impact of a mistaken conviction on the death sentence.

The link between these articles is that they all explain a different aspect of the death penalty, one that many do not know. This is why I chose these articles. They explain the death penalty from aspects that were previously hard to understand unless through reading about them.

Paper For Above instruction

The death penalty remains one of the most debated topics within criminal justice, social ethics, and human rights discourse. Its multifaceted implications encompass issues of racial bias, psychological impact, societal support, wrongful convictions, and familial consequences. Analyzing these aspects through recent scholarly articles reveals the nuanced and complex nature of capital punishment in America, highlighting areas requiring critical attention and reform.

Racial Disparities and Societal Bias

One of the foremost issues associated with the death penalty is its disproportionate application to racial minorities, particularly African Americans. Kastellec (2020) conducts a comprehensive quantitative analysis revealing that racial bias influences judicial decisions in death penalty cases. The study demonstrates that race markers significantly affect sentencing outcomes, with minority offenders facing higher probabilities of receiving the death penalty compared to their white counterparts. This disparity raises concerns about the fairness of the justice system and the underlying societal biases that perpetuate racial inequity (Kastellec, 2020). Addressing these disparities necessitates systemic reforms aimed at minimizing racial influence in judicial decision-making processes.

Support for the Death Penalty and Empathy

The societal support for capital punishment often varies based on demographic factors such as race and gender. Godcharles et al. (2019) explore these divergences, emphasizing that African Americans and women tend to support the death penalty less than other groups. The study investigates how empathy can bridge this support gap, suggesting that understanding victims’ families and offenders’ backgrounds can influence public attitudes. For instance, fostering empathy could potentially sway individual opinions and lead to more equitable decision-making in jury deliberations (Godcharles et al., 2019). This research underscores the importance of emotional intelligence in shaping societal norms and policies concerning the death penalty.

The Impact on Families and Victims’ Relatives

The criminal justice narrative often emphasizes the victims of violent crimes while overlooking the emotional toll inflicted on the families of the condemned. Sharp (2005) illuminates this overlooked facet by examining how families of death row inmates endure suffering, highlighting that the death penalty extends its trauma beyond the accused to their loved ones. The case of Bruno Richard Hauptmann, who was sentenced to death amidst doubts of guilt, serves as a poignant example of the potential miscarriage of justice and its ripple effects on innocent families. Recognizing this emotional dimension is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the death penalty’s social impact and demands a more humane approach in justice policy (Sharp, 2005).

Decline and Challenges of the Death Penalty

Recent trends indicate a global decline in the use of the death penalty, with many countries and states reevaluating its efficacy and morality. Desai and Garrett (2018) analyze this trend, noting that cases of wrongful convictions and appeals are increasingly challenging the legitimacy of executions. The decline is partly attributable to advancements in forensic science and a growing awareness of judicial errors. This phenomenon underscores the necessity of safeguarding against wrongful executions and emphasizes that the death penalty is not as widespread as popularly perceived. The decline also reflects evolving societal values favoring rehabilitation over retribution and a commitment to human rights (Desai & Garrett, 2018).

The Role of Wrongful Convictions

Wu (2022) explores how wrongful convictions influence public support for the death penalty. The study reveals that knowledge of high false conviction rates diminishes support among potential jurors. This skepticism stems from awareness of judicial flaws and the risk of executing innocent individuals. Such findings reinforce the need for improved evidence protocols, oversight, and transparency within the justice system. Preventing wrongful convictions is imperative for restoring public confidence and ensuring that the death penalty does not perpetuate systemic injustices (Wu, 2022).

Conclusion

In sum, the examined articles depict the death penalty as a complex institution influenced by racial biases, emotional factors, societal support, and systemic flaws. Addressing these issues involves implementing reforms to eliminate racial disparities, fostering empathy in jurors, protecting the innocent from wrongful execution, and acknowledging the emotional impact on families. As public attitudes and legal standards evolve, a balanced approach that upholds justice, fairness, and human rights should guide future policies surrounding capital punishment.

References

• Desai, A., & Garrett, B. L. (2018). The state of the death penalty. Notre Dame Law Review, 94, 1255.
• Godcharles, B. D., Rad, J. D., Heide, K. M., Cochran, J. K., & Solomon, E. P. (2019). Can empathy close the racial divide and gender gap in death penalty support? Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 37(1), 16-37.
• Kastellec, J. P. (2020). Race, context, and judging on the Courts of Appeals: Race-based panel effects in death penalty cases. Justice System Journal, 42(3-4).
• Sharp, S. F. (2005). Hidden victims: The effects of the death penalty on families of the accused. Rutgers University Press.
• Wu, S. (2022). The effect of wrongful conviction rate on death penalty support: A research note. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 18(4).
• Sorensen, J. R., & Pilgrim, R. L. (2006). Lethal injection: Capital punishment in Texas during the modern era. University of Texas Press.
• Serrano, B. (2021). Stuck between growing up and grown up: Delaying the sentencing phase for young adults facing capital punishment in Texas. Texas Tech Law Review, 53(4), 843-870.
• Additional scholarly references on capital punishment, racial bias, wrongful convictions, and psychological impacts should be included here following appropriate academic citation standards.