The Death Sentence For Committing A Crime Essay - 1750 Words

In Plato’s Crito and Antigone by Sophocles, both Socrates and Antigone face a dilemma about whether it is worth violating the law no matter how unjust or unfair it can get. Although some may claim that violating the law is wrong because it is our duty as citizens to obey the law, I claim that complying with immoral laws is wrong because it corrupts and defeats the justice system. Antigone, a young girl playing the main character in the play Antigone by Sophocles, faces the death sentence for committing a crime. King Kreon, the prosecutor at the trial and King of the city decides that one of her brothers is a traitor while the other is an honored man, without any real reason. Therefore, when they kill each other in a fight, King Kreon only allows one of them to be buried, and declares that the other one remain untouched. Antigone, in desperation to let her brother Polyneices move on into the afterlife, buries him anyways, knowing full well that the crime is punishable by death. At the trial, Creon asks: Kreon. And yet you dared defy the law Antigone. I dared. It was not God’s proclamation. That final Justice That rules the world below makes no such laws. Your edict, King, was strong, But all your strength is weakness itself against The immortal unrecorded laws of God. They are not merely now: they were, and shall be, Operative for ever, beyond man utterly (2.56-64 Sophocles) Antigone knows that she has every right to defy the law in order to do what she thinksShow MoreRelatedThe Deterrence Theory : Deterrence And Punishment831 Words   |  4 Pagesthe severe, certain, and swift punishment was the key to deterrence. A rational person is thought to measure both the gains and losses before committing a crime and would more than likely to be deterred from violating the law, they believed the loss was greater than the gain. Classical philosophers thought that certainty was more efficient in preventing crimes than the severity of punishment. They rejected capital punishment as a practical method for punishing murderers and perpetrators of other seriousRead MoreDeath Penalty1135 Words   |  5 PagesNovember 2012 The death penalty was reinstated in the United States in 1977, and since then murderers and rapist have been executed for the violent and harsh crimes they were found guilty of committing. In the past thirty years over 1,200 prisoners have been put to death for crimes in which they were convicted. The government of each state executes these prisoners by way of the electric chair, gas chamber, and the most common way lethal injection. A survey, from the Death Penalty Information CenterRead MoreWhy the Death Penalty is Ineffective1552 Words   |  6 Pages Why the Death Penalty is Ineffective The society constantly tries to reason with an effective way to respond to violence. Differences in opinion on the use of death as punishment arise from differences in religious, ethical, cultural, and morale perspectives. The role of death as a punishment for an offence has not been solved today, and remains a dilemma for the citizenrys political, legal, social, and religious thought. This is because an answer to the question is the death penalty effectiveRead MoreThe Deterrence Theory Vs. Deterrence853 Words   |  4 Pages Classic Deterrence Theory A rational person is thought to measure both the gains and losses before committing a crime and would more than likely to be deterred from violating the law they believed the loss was greater than the gain according to the deterrence theory. The deterrence theory is based on the belief that humans control their behavior based on the perceived rewards and punishments that would result from such actions. Which has led many theorists to believe that the proper to punish, aRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is Justified1184 Words   |  5 PagesThe death penalty has been implemented in the world since the early eighteenth century. 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Many murderersRead MoreThe Three-Strike Law: The Purpose of Sentencing1473 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstand the seriousness of their actions before committing them. According to the Portland State University (2012), the three strikes law means that a person convicted of three or more serious crimes can receive a life sentence, usually with the possibility of parole. The purpose of this law is to increase the prison sentence for those who repeat serious offenses. In addition, it is assumed that this law would deter criminals from committing further felonies once they have been convicted onceRead MoreThe Death Penalty Does Not Deter Criminals From Committing Crime1477 Words   |  6 PagesThe death penalty does not deter criminals from committing crime. Most criminals who commit crimes do not have intentions of being caught and believe that they are invincible from the repercussions of their actions. Because of this, the death penalty really does not deter criminals from committing a crime. In fact, the death penalty could be considered an â€Å"easy way out† because the criminal does not have to spend several months, years, or even the r est of his or her life behind bars with little contactRead MoreCapital Punishment Should Be Allowed Or Not?927 Words   |  4 Pagesideologies of people. Many support the use of death penalty but other oppose the use of this form of punishment because they think it’s barbaric. There are numerous reasons why some individuals believe that capital punishment should be allowed or not. Most of these individual’s beliefs are influenced by religion, the Constitution, and deterrence. This research paper will show who qualifies for capital punishment and will provide reasons why the use of the death penalty will be more beneficial to the countryRead MorePersuasive Essay On Capital Punishment1414 Words   |  6 PagesAmerica. Capital punishment is the repercussion of a capital crime; most capital crimes committed in America are murders. The crime of murder can be punishable by the death penalty. A great way to stop future killing from happening is capital punishment but it is only currently allowed in 32 of the 50 states. Murder in America is at such a high rate that there needs to be something done to help stop the climbing rate. In Edward Koch’s essay â€Å"Death and Justice†, he states, â€Å"A study at M.I.T. showed that