Capital Punishment

Capital Punishment could be an effective detterant to crime but not in all cases. Yes I do believe some people deserve to live with their mistakes no matter how much money they cost us to keep them in jail. Why wouldn't we make someone suffer and have their rights taken away and realize what they did....to me the death penalty can be seen as an easy way out. In some cases the death penalty is appropriate, someone who is uncooperative and is a complete threat to everyone in contact. Murderers could be put on death row because they took someone elses life, people who do not commit violent crimes do not deserve the death penalty, incarceration, jail time, probation, parole are all suitable punishments. What really shocked me in the findings is seeing that more whites are on death row and executed than blacks. This perception is due to the fact of stereotypes in society. On the news you mainly see crimes about the city and blacks. The methods of the death penalty were also shocking before researching this topic i never knew that gas, hanging, or firing squad were legal acts of the death penalty.

Insanity Defense

Personally I believe the insanity defense law is a good law as long as it is not abused. A Psychotic patient should have history and records of psychotic behavior. If there is no history and this was the first act of insanity then there should be tests to prove their plea. Insanity should be considered in criminal cases for those who are truly INSANE!....not people addicted to Twinkies or people trying to find an easy way out and get lucky. Insanity is constituted as someone who does not know their actions were wrong. Someone who is not insane knows their rights and wrongs. Andrea Yates deserves to be in a mental institution with high security for the rest of her life. I would not feel safe if I lived in society with her. Who is to say that she is not a harm to society? This raises the huge question of WHAT IF?! No one can prove that she will not relapse or harm other people, she could think that killing other people would only help them....hence the reason why her children are dead. Andrea Yates does not however deserve the death penalty. Make her realize what she did and make her live with it, the death penalty is just and easy way out.