Assignment

The death penalty remains a very controversial element of the criminal justice system. This assignment will provide students the opportunity to explore opposing arguments about death penalty policy and explain how this policy fits within the framework of justice.

In this writing assignment, students will need to:

• Identify two arguments in support of the death penalty and two arguments in opposition to the death penalty. Can these arguments be supported with verifiable data? Explain. (For example, if someone supports the death penalty because they believe the costs to taxpayers are less than housing someone in prison, do the facts support that claim?)

• Explain how the concept of justice can be achieved in a federal system that permits differences in criminal penalties (including the use of the death penalty) between states.

• Describe the level of support for the death penalty in Texas, as well as nationally.

• Identify the top ten nations that conduct the most executions. Does the United States share much in common with the other nations on that list? What are your thoughts about the U.S.'s death penalty policy after discovering the other nations on the list?

Paper requirements:

• Paper must be at least 2 pages and no more than 3 pages, double-spaced with 1 inch margins
• Font must be Times New Roman and 12 point
• Students must use MLA or APA format
• Students must have at least two peer-reviewed or scholarly journal articles, one for each argument they present with in-text citations and a works cited or references page at the end of the paper (the citation page is not included in the page minimum or maximum).