Capital Punishment

13 Pages 3322 Words

2000) The writers did not consider death by itself in the same category as the above, as long as the legal process that determined justice was fair. Since then, the death penalty has been accepted by thirty-nine states in America. Studies done since then have showed that raising the number of death sentences by only one percent would prevent one hundred and five murders. However, only thirty eight percent of all murder cases result in a death sentence, and of those only 0.1% are actually executed. (Newton, 1983)
One of the ways to better understand capitol punishment is by understanding the methods used to execute these murders. In the United States today, there are five existing methods of execution. The different methods are: lethal injection, electrocution, gas chamber, hanging, and firing squad shootings.
Lethal injection is currently used by thirty-six states in America. It is the most commonly used form of execution in the United States. During a lethal injection the convict is tied to a gurney by wrist and ankle straps. They then attach a cardiac monitor and a stethoscope. They then start a saline intravenous line in each arm. The convict is then covered with a sheet. The first injection received by the convict is Sodium Thiopental. This puts the convict to sleep. They are then injected with Pavulon, which relaxes all of the muscles in the body, including those used for breathing. The convict stops breathing and shortly after that, dies.
The next method of execution used is electrocution. This is done by putting the convict in a wooden chair and strapping them with leather straps. The electric current is then run through the head and out the leg. The first current is two thousand or more volts of electricity that last approximately three seconds. The voltage is then lowered to prevent external burning of the body. The initial shock of the electricity causes the convicts body to serge forward. The shock ...