Capital punishment Essay Example for Free

Capital punishment Essay In every society there are laws that define what acts are considered crime. These laws also provide for the imposable penalty for their violation. The purpose of which is to maintain order within the community. Though there may not be rewards for compliance and observance with these laws, there are always punishment for their violation. Punishment is the effect of a violation of a law enacted by the duly constituted authorities of the state. Punishment can either be the payment of fine and indemnities for injuries caused. It could also be imprisonment of the individual which may last for several days or for several years or the imposition of what is considered as the ultimate form of punishment – capital punishment. This essay seeks to focus on the issue of capital punishment as the state’s response for the violation of its laws against capital crimes. Some argue against the imposition of capital punishment because it is mainly arbitrary while some argue in favor of capital punishment. I aim to discuss the arguments for and against capital punishment. In the concluding portion, I aim to take a stand on this issue. Capital Punishment Capital Punishment is defined as the execution of a convicted criminal by the state as punishment for crimes known as capital crimes or capital offences (â€Å"Capital Punishment†) It is also known as death penalty. The formal execution of individuals for violation of communal rules had always been practiced ever since the beginning of our history. Even when there were still no formal written laws, execution had always been a part of the communal justice system. This was used to regulate the behavior of the members of the community. This is usually imposed by the tribal leader against those who violate the laws of the tribe. Even in the past decades, capital punishment was still being practiced for those convicted of a particular crime. To date, capital punishment is still imposed by some countries, though fewer countries are imposing it. For those countries which still practice it, the trend today is the movement towards a less painful and more humane executions. Hanging and Guillotine which were being practiced before were gradually replaced by electrocution and gas chamber and later the lethal injection. (John J. Patrick, Richard M. Pious Donald A. Ritchie, p. 2) Arguments against Capital Punishment The main argument against capital punishment is that it is arbitrary. Perhaps, the strongest support for this argument is found in the Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution which states that: â€Å"No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. † It is the argument of the Abolitionists that capital punishment is tantamount to torture. It is cruel and inhuman. Further, citing Black’s Law Dictionary, they argue that capital punishment fits the definition of an arbitrary punishment since it is imposed in an unreasonable manner or it is something which is done at the pleasure, whims and caprices of the government authorities. Supporting this premise are studies which are cited by the Death Penalty Information Center. It is said that in a comprehensive study covering 20 years and thousands of capital cases in Ohio, the Associated Press found that the death penalty has been applied in an uneven and often arbitrary fashion. Offenders facing a death penalty charge for killing a white person were twice as likely to go to death row than if they had killed a black victim. Death sentences were handed down in 18% of cases where the victims were white, compared with 8. 5% of cases where victims were black. † (â€Å"Major Study Finds Arbitrary Application of Death Penalty, 2007) Arguments in Favor of Capital Punishment On the other hand, the retentionists argue that the US Supreme Court has already spoken on this issue and has already ruled on its constitutionality. As the highest court of our country, it is but proper that we give deference to their ruling. Initially, in the case of Furman v Georgia (408 US 238), the Supreme Court declared that the imposition and carrying out of the death penalty constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment. However in the latter case of Gregg v Georgia (428 US 153) the Supreme Court reversed itself and ruled that death penalty does not violate the US Constitution. It cannot be said that capital punishment is arbitrary because it is imposed only in cases of heinous crimes which are specifically defined by the legislature. It cannot be imposed for any other crime. Further, before capital punishment is finally imposed to a convicted prisoner, he must go through the usual lengthy process of prosecution and conviction. It must be stressed that even if the accused is convicted by the lower courts, once the case goes up on appeal to the United States Supreme Court the case may still be reversed if the court finds that the state fails to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. Thus, the defendant only has to instill doubt in the mind of the court to avoid capital punishment. It only goes to show that before the conviction is affirmed by the appellate court or the United States Supreme Court, they must have found strong and convincing evidence that the accused indeed has committed a heinous crime. Further, capital punishment as a penalty is imposed to all those prisoners who may be found to have committed a heinous crime. It is imposed regardless of one’s color, race, sex, financial capacity or social status. If there appears to be discrimination in its imposition, then the proper response would be to correct the error and not by abolishing the whole system of capital punishment. It cannot likewise be said that capital punishment amounts to torture or that it is cruel because any infliction of pain in capital punishment is merely incidental in carrying out the death penalty. Capital punishment does not fall within the constitutional prohibition against cruel, degrading and inhuman punishment. It may be said that anything that results in pain is cruel. But this does not that crime will go unpunished. The cruelty which the Eighth Amendment speaks of here is cruelty which is inherent in the method of punishment and not merely the suffering that is involved in any method employed to extinguish life humanely. In sum, capital punishment is not merely an act of violence imposed by the state. Rather, it is imposed by a legitimate authority based on a law passed by the Legislative Branch of our government. Capital punishment is not cruel and inhuman neither does it violate the fundamental human rights. Rather, it is the ultimate punishment for those who have severely disregarded the value of human life.

Apples’ Current Position as a Socially Responsible Business Essays

Apple Corporation is a computer company that sells consumer electronics and computer hardware/software. Three men started the corporation in Cupertino, CA: Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. The three men wanted to make and sell personal computers. Later, Ronald Wayne sold his share to Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. It was a very risky investment and too much of a risk for Ronald Wayne back then. Apple is one of the biggest computer companies in the world. Today they said to be worth around $705 Billion (Finger, 2013). It has very loyal customers that trust and buy only Apple products. The company is well known for its quality electronics. Despite its rather high prices, people will wait in line and pre-order Apples’ â€Å"Next big thing†. This company is well respected and well known. It must adhere to ethical business practices by being a socially responsible business. This paper will examine Apples’ current position as a socially responsible business. We will start by determining if Apple meets the standards it has made for itself as well as legal standards. Then we will look at the impact of supplier violations of Apples’ ethical and social responsibility policy and discuss ways to ensure fewer violations in the future. After establishing ways to regulate and implement more cooperation from suppliers, we will analyze Apples’ current marketing strategy and determine if customers will pay more for a product from an ethically and socially responsible company. Examine Apple’s Current Position on the Company’s Ethical and Social Responsibilities, and Determine Whether or Not the Company Has Met These Responsibilities. Provide Two (2) Examples That Support Your Position Apple’s US facilities are ethically and socially sound in... ...exposed or genuinely caring about the employees that make their product. References Boon, L.E. & Kurtz. D.L(2013). Contemporary Business (15th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Jiang, S. (2011). Green activists in China target alleged Apple Suppliers. Retrieved from cnn.com Apple (2014). Apple and the Environment. Retrieved from apple.com Barboza, D. (2011) Explosion at Apple Supplier Caused by Dust, China Says. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://nytimes.com/2011/05/technology/25foxconn.html Apple (2011). Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results. Apple Press Info. Retrieved from Apple.com Vause, J (2010). Inside China factory hit by suicides. Retrieved from cnn.com Cary, J. (2012). Apple, consumers must urge worker justice. Retrieved from cnn.com Armstrong, P. (2012). Report: Poor conditions at Apple’s China suppliers. Retrieved from cnn.com

Effects of Mass Media Worksheet Essay

What were the major developments in the evolution of mass media during the 20th century?| The major developments in the evolution of mass media during the 20th century included the radio, television, and communication gadgetry, such as personal computers, cable TV, DVDs, DVRs, direct broadcast satellites, fax machines, cell phones, smartphones, and PDAs.For a large part of the 20th century, televisions and radios where stationary devices. More recently, devices such as, laptops, ipads, and smartphones allow people to view magazine articles, radio programs, songs, TV shows, and movies, from almost any location they want. On the Internet, multiple images, texts, and sounds are digitally reproduced and transmitted globally. These devices are constantly being update to provide consumers with the newest technologies possible. The Internet and social media, such as Facebook and e-mail are other large developments in the evolution of mass media. In fact, Facebook alone has more than 500 million users worldwide. Social media allows people from all over the world to connect through ongoing online conversations, share stories and interests, and to produce their own media content. This also gives people the choice to upload photos and homemade videos, and share them with others around the world.The media convergence has allowed media marketers to consolidate multiple media services such as, cable connections, phone services, television transmissions, and Internet access, under one corporate umbrella. For example, when a company owns more than on media outlet they can have a reporter or producer to create multiple different versions of the same story for multiple media outlets. This helps companies to manage resources and maximize profits. How did each development influence American culture?| The rapid development of cable television and the Internet have caused traditional leaders in communication to lose some of their control o ver information. For example, ABC, CBS, and NBC lost some of their audience to other networks, like MTV, CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, Comedy Central, and radio talk shows. Internet Bloggers have become a large factor in the news as well because blogging allows anyone to speak  their mind at any time. The Internet and social media are changing the ways in which we absorb and interact with the media culture. Sending letters through the mail has, to some, become a thing of the past, as e-mail has become the quickest way to send communication to one person or a group of people in a matter of seconds. In addition, several repressive and totalitarian regimes have had difficulties with controlling messages sent through the borderless Internet.Along with these types of developments, we have also seen differences in the types of content that is put on news shows, television shows, video games, radio shows, and the Internet. From personal problems to dangerous stunts, this type of content has consumers worried about the overwhelming amount of information now available. Research indicates that there is a connection between aggression in children and violent games and entertainment shows. According to Campbell (2012), â€Å"children, who watch nearly forty thousand TV commercials each year, are particularly vulnerable to marketers selling junk, food, toys, and â€Å"cool† clothing†. The evolution of mass media has come a long way, but it plays a controversial role in society. | Resource Campbell, R., Martin, C.R., & Fabos, B (2012) Media & culture: An introduction to mass communication (8th.) New York, NY: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

A Woman s Experience Of Slavery Essay - 1377 Words

In history, a woman s experience of slavery is presumed inadequate and useless. Unfortunately, there are many experiences of women during slavery that is untouched and needs some highlight. For instance, did enslaved women work as much as enslaved males? If so, did they work in the same field or was there a difference. Women grew burdensome in that they would spitefully work inefficiently and slower than needed, leading to the resistance. Specifically, this paper s discussion why are similarities and differences in the roles of enslaved women who resided in both Jamaica and Barbados bring complications to slave owners. I will attempt to understand the percipience of female slaves in the Caribbean, in order to gain a better insight into their lives and daily experience that may or may not have been similar or different as well as what are some possible reasons why an enslaved females’ history is ignored and often generalized. In the reading Laboring Women: Reproduction and Gender in New World Slavery, it sheds light on the fact women worked as hard as men in the field work made available to them in Barbados. For instance, men worked jobs considered â€Å"skilled† while women in comparison got jobs that were not primarily for reproductive purposes as assumed from past slavery readings, but instead women performed â€Å"women’s work† (Morgan, 2004). Slave owners often refused to allow enslaved women to occupy â€Å"skilled or artisanal positions† which were more common for men meant thatShow MoreRelatedOverview. Octavia Butler’S Kindred Focuses On The Perspective1731 Words   |  7 Pageschange and acceptance. Butler utilizes Dana’s position in society to portray the cruelty of slavery and the power that society can have on the ideals and morals of individuals, such as the developing character of Rufus. 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