1

Jashan Bola
Ms. Ahluwalia
ENG 2DR
November 3, 2015

The Death Penalty is Not Necessary

Every eligible criminal serving their time should be executed through
capital punishment. They deserve to be killed because of what they have
done to others. Criminals are not nt worthy of being released out on the
streets again because, they will only cause more damage to society. These
statements just mentioned were the views and opinions of many individuals
who are for capital punishment. They are based upon a one sided
perspective, meaning that these people most likely do notnt know the other
side of capital punishment, and so their points or arguments become invalid.
Capital punishment is the planned execution of a criminal, decided by the
prison themselves., and Iit can be much very unexpected because most
prisoners are told so soon to the date, that they do notnt have time to say
goodbye to their loved ones. Capital punishment is unnecessary in the
modernour world because it goes against modern human rights policies, it
does notnt deter crime, and is mostly racially biased.

The concept of capital punishment goes against multiple human rights

policies. Over the past yearsdecade, the system of capital punishment has
been proven to be unfair to the rights of humans, for example to the
mentally ill (Hudson 70). Johnny Paul Penry was sentenced to death 3 times by
Texas juries for the murder of Pamela Carpenter, but he pleaded mentally ill
each time, and now is serving a life sentence (Young, Jim). Johnny Penry was

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Jashan Bola
Ms. Ahluwalia
ENG 2DR
November 3, 2015

lucky in his trials because many people like him, who have no control over
their actions, are not given the same justice as him (Facts about the Death
Penalty).

Since it is a clear violation of the 8th amendment in The American

Constitution to execute a mentally ill man, the rights of the mentally ill
people when it comes to the judicial system are being compromised.
Although it is illegal for the death penalty to happen in Canada, prisoners still
face the possibility of them being killed, by execution in another country. This
method of execution explicitly goes against section 6 of The Charter of
Rights, which states that any Canadian convicted of a crime should not be
held in another nations prison and they shall have the right to stay in
Canada ("Constitution Acts, 1867 to 1982."). This other method of executing
used by the government is wrong because as Canadians, the prisoners are
having their rights taken away by the lawmakers themselves.

Lastly, the

universal Declaration of human rights is strictly against this controversial

topic, and consider it a violation to life. Shouldnt Tthose people have
another chance to straighten out their lives and start fresh. ? Along with it
being against many human rights policies, capital punishment doesnt deter
crime.

The death penalty is meant to reduce crime, but in reality capital

punishment does not deter crime. If the death penalty was effective, there
would not be as much crime as there is today, and there would have been a

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Jashan Bola
Ms. Ahluwalia
ENG 2DR
November 3, 2015

major decline in crime over the years. As Albert Camus said, The kinds of
people who commit crime arent going to be intimated by the death penalty
(Fridell, Ron). This clearly makes people realize the truth that criminals who
choose to go against the law are not afraid of the consequences that could
follow.if these criminals are not scared of it, then it does not deter crime.
The governments also need to realize this and put an end to capital
punishment because if the criminals are not scared of death, there is no
purpose for the system to be in place. There is an alternative as well,well,
the life without parole program and it has been proven to reduce crime rates
within certain states of The U.S (Coalition for Alternatives to the Death
Penalty). The criminal could be put onto the LWOP program, which is offered
in 46 states, and is life in prison. This program is more effective than the
death penalty at reducing crime because if the prisoner is killed, friends,
family or even gang members will want to take revenge, therefore possibly
increasing crime. With the life without parole program, the prisoner can keep
in touch with their loved ones, while serving their sentence. In fact, the North
Carolina crime rate had gone downdecreased significantly since they
abolished the death sentence (Coalition for Alternatives to the Death
Penalty). Given this information, there is no credible argument that the
death penalty deters crime, and instead does the opposite in some cases.
Along with it having no effect on reducing crime, cCapital punishment can be
very racially biased, and targets people of colour.

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Jashan Bola
Ms. Ahluwalia
ENG 2DR
November 3, 2015

In most cases, the death sentence is given primarily to people of

colour, and this makes the system is very racially biased or unfair. Studies
spanning over 30 years have shown that in every state that uses capital
punishment, race is a significant factor (Racial Bias). This shows that
people of white skin colour have a lower chance of being given a death
sentence, therefore making the justice systemdeath penalty unjustifiable.
Many sources also state that there is a higher chance for an individual to
receive the death penalty if the victim is white (Facts about the Death
Penalty). In some states, such as Louisiana, the racial bias is so prevalent
that there is a 97% more chance to be sent to death row if the victim was
white rather than black (Facts about the Death Penalty). This reveals that in
some cases, if the convicted is a person of colour, they have a very slim
chance to prove themselves, and avoid being sentenced to death row. It also
shows that a person of white skin colour can very easily avoid capital
punishment, and can potentially cause harm to society again. The
government needs to put an end to this unfair and racially biased system to
bring justice to people of colour. If the death penalty system causes this
much unfairness among the people, then the government should realize it is
unnecessary.
Many people need to change their views on capital punishment, and
realize the negative effects of it. It is not necessary in society anymore, as it
is currently useless at reducing crime, goes against multiple human rights

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Jashan Bola
Ms. Ahluwalia
ENG 2DR
November 3, 2015

policies, and overall is racially biased toward people of color. More people
need to realize these things, as together people can help abolish this old,
outdated and corrupted system.

Works Cited
"Amnesty International." Death Penalty. N.p., 15 Mar. 2014. Web. 17 Oct. 2015.

"Constitution Acts, 1867 to 1982." Legislative Services Branch. N.p., n.d. Web. 31
Oct. 2015.
<http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/page-15.html>.

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Jashan Bola
Ms. Ahluwalia
ENG 2DR
November 3, 2015
Facts about the Death Penalty. Washington, DC: Death Penalty Information
Center, 2015.
Deathpenaltyinfo.org. 30 Oct. 2015. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.
<http://deathpenaltyinfo.org/documents/FactSheet.pdf>.

Fridell, Ron. Capital Punishment. New York: Benchmark, 2004. Print.

NC Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

"Racial Bias." Racial Bias. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2015.

<http://www.ncadp.org/pages/racial-bias>.

"The Death Penalty and Deterrence." Amnesty International USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 01
Nov. 2015. <http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/death-penalty/usdeath-penalty-facts/the-death-penalty-and-deterrence>.

The Death Penalty and the Disadvantaged. Hudson, WI: GEM Pub., 1997. Print.
"Upcoming Executions." Upcoming Executions. N.p., 21 Oct. 2015. Web. 21 Oct.
2015. <http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/upcoming-executions>.

Young, Jim. "What Good Are Charter Rights to a Canadian Facing the Death Penalty
Abroad?" University of Alberta, 26 May 2010. Web.

Debate Essay (Secondary Source Argumentative Essay)

Criteria

Achievement Level
Achievement
Achievement
Jashan
Below
LevelBola
1
Level 1
0 toAhluwalia
49
50-59
Ms.

Understanding
of essay
structure
(introduction,
thesis,
arguments,
analysis,
conclusion)

Achievement
Level 2
60 - 69

Achievement
Level 3
70 - 79

Achievement
Level 4
80 to 100

ENG 2DR
November 3, 2015
Shows very
Shows limited
limited
understanding of
understanding of structure
structure

Shows some
understanding of
essay structure

Shows considerable Shows thorough

understanding of
understanding of
structure
essay structure

(25% Weighting)
Critical thinking
Arguments
skills

support thesis
Arguments with little to no
effectiveness

Arguments support
thesis with limited Arguments support
thesis with some
effectiveness
effectiveness

Arguments support
thesis with
considerable
effectiveness

Arguments support
thesis with a high
degree of
effectiveness

Evidence
Analysis

Evidence supports
Evidence supports Evidence supports Evidence supports
Evidence
arguments with
limited effectiveness arguments with
arguments with
arguments with a
(25% Weighting) supports
some effectiveness considerable
arguments with
high degree of
little to no
effectiveness
effectiveness
effectiveness
Analysis
Analysis
demonstrates a
limited relationship demonstrates
Analysis
Analysis
between evidence, somewhat of a
demonstrates a
relationship
Analysis
demonstrates argument, and
considerable
between evidence, relationship between demonstrates a
little to no
thesis
argument, and
relationship
evidence, argument, thorough relationship
thesis
between evidence,
between
and thesis
argument, and thesis
evidence,
argument, and
thesis

Communication
using formal
essay structure
(third person, no
contractions,
mature
vocabulary,
appropriate
paragraphing,
appropriate
incorporation of
quotations/evide
nce)

Communicates Communicates
Communicates
Communicates
formality with
formality with limited formality with some formality with
little to no
effectiveness
effectiveness
considerable
effectiveness.
effectiveness

Communicates
formality with a high
degree of
effectiveness

(25% Weighting)
Application of
language
conventions:

Uses language Uses language

conventions with conventions with
very limited
limited accuracy &
accuracy &
effectiveness.
comma rules,
effectiveness. Errors often distract
independent/
Errors prevent from meaning.
readers
dependent
clause rules, and understanding.

Uses language
conventions with
some accuracy &
effectiveness.
Errors occasionally
distract from
meaning.

Uses language
conventions with
considerable
accuracy &
effectiveness. Minor
errors but do not
distract from
meaning.

Uses language
conventions with a
high degree of
accuracy &
effectiveness. Little
to no errors.

other grade level

conventions

MLA citations,

MLA works cited

format, and
list and in-text
MLA citations,
Works Cited
citations
page (not used format, and Works MLA citations,
(25% Weighting)

at all) contain
many errors

Cited page (not

format, and Works MLA citations,
used at all) contain Cited page contain format, and Works
many errors
some errors
Cited page are
mostly correct

MLA citations,
format, and Works
Cited page do not
contain any errors

Total