Part A Thesis Statement
Topic: Capital Punishment
Research Question:
Should Capital Punishment be Abolished in United States?
Part A: Thesis Statement
Thesis statement:
Capital punishment can be perceived as well-deserved, reassuring and comforting method of punishment of individuals for committing heinous crimes. However, it is also perceived unlawful as it goes against the constitution regarding the right to life. Many people believe that capital punishment should be abolished since it is ineffective, inhumane and unconstitutional despite providing closure and comfort to the family of the victims and deterring crimes.
Part B: Locating Sources
Source 1:
Rigby, D., & Seguin, C. (2021). Capital Punishment and the Legacies of Slavery and Lynching in the United States. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 694(1), 205-219.
Abstract:
Capital punishment in the United States is racialized: those convicted of the murder of Whites are much more likely to receive the death penalty than those convicted for the murder of Blacks. Capital punishment is more commonly practiced in places where lynching of Blacks occurred more frequently and in states in which slavery was legal as of 1860. Accordingly, scholars have debated whether capital punishment reflects a legacy of lynching or a legacy of slavery. Our analysis shows that lynching on its own is a significant predictor of contemporary executions, but that once slavery is accounted for, slavery predicts executions, while lynching does not. We argue that slavery’s state-level institutional legacy is central to contemporary capital punishment.
How I will utilize this source:
The source highlights the history of capital punishment in the United States and how it was linked to slavery and lynching of people found guilty of murdering whites. Since the analysis provided in the source postulates that is the predictor of contemporary executions, the source will inform how current execution practices are racialized, having more black people put to death. Therefore, the source will be significant in deciding whether capital punishment is really necessary, or it is an ineffective punishment method targeting certain races.
Source 2:
Waldo, G. P., & Myers, W. (2019). Criminological research and the death penalty: has research by criminologists impacted capital punishment practices? American journal of criminal justice, 44(4), 536-580.
Abstract:
At the request of the SCJA president this paper addresses five questions. Does criminological research make a difference relative to the death penalty? – If criminological research does make a difference, what is the nature of that difference? – What specific instances can one cite of research findings influencing death penalty policy decisions? Why hasn’t our research made more of a difference? What can we do, either in terms of directing our research or in terms of disseminating it, to facilitate it making a difference? Specific examples of research directly impacting policy are examined. The evidence presented suggests that research on capital punishment has had some impact on policy, but not nearly enough. There is still a high level of ignorance that has limited the impact of criminological research on death penalty policy. The proposed solution is to improve the education of the general public and decision makers in order to increase the impact of criminological research on capital punishment policy.
How I will use this source:
The source focuses on criminological research conducted in the effort to inform policy making on capital punishment. According to the source, there has not enough research to influence death penalty decisions, and therefore, current research hasn’t made a difference. This source will be useful in my research as it highlights the existence of ignorance that has continued to limit the impact of criminological research. This implies that capital punishment is unnecessary, and more education is required to help the public see the evils of death penalty.
Source 3:
Thinley, T., & Ziegler Jr, A. H. (2020). Attitudes Toward Capital Punishment in America: An Analysis of Survey Data.
Abstract:
This study used quantitative analysis of survey data to examine the factors that account for differences in Americans’ attitudes towards capital punishment. A secondary analysis of the 2006 and 2008 General Social Survey was conducted. The primary findings were that political factors, for example, party affiliation, opinions on the courts, and confidence in government were much more significant than social and economic factors. Republicans favor the death penalty more than Democrats, those who have a favorable opinion towards courts are more willing to support the death penalty, and those who have high confidence in the government are more willing to support the death penalty. The factors such as education and religiosity did not have any effect on attitudes toward support for capital punishment; however, Whites do support capital punishment more than African Americans. Economic variables, such as income and opinion on the government’s crime spending do not have that much influence towards support for capital punishment. As politicians push their agendas, these findings may be useful in recognizing probable support among voters for the specific issue regarding capital punishment. The common logic from this research is that Republican executive and legislators will be affirming their support for capital punishment more than the Democrats, because of the strong support of the Republican voters toward capital punishment.
How I will use this source:
This source focuses on past literature on capital punishment and therefore, an effective source in informing my research on what has been done in the past, and how effective capital punishment has been. According to the literature, capital punishment is advocated by political parties and has been supported by more whites. The Republican Party is associated with whites, with both favoring death penalty to be implemented. This source helps inform my research on how capital punishment has been racialized, and therefore, no longer effective method of punishing offenders as it has been used to settle political scores.
