Capital Punishment: Is it effective in discouraging crime? Is capital punishment moral or immoral? That's the question that's being brought up in today's society. I believe that capital punishment isn't right. Taking someone's life will not solve any problems that t...

Cruel and unusual punishment is the term used to describe criminal punishment which is considered unacceptable due to the suffering or humiliation it causes on the person. Cruel and unusual punishment has a very long history and is now noted in the constitution. There are several cases that deal wit...

On June 11, 1993, the United State's Supreme Court upheld Wisconsin's penalty enhancement law, which imposes harsher sentences on criminals who intentionally select the person against whom the crime is committed, because of the race, religion, color, disability, sexual orientation, nationa...

Article VIII: What Does It Really Mean? Article VIII states: " Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment" (American Experience, p. 22). Excessive bail was borrowed with a few slight changes from the English Bil...

The Right of Criminally Abused Due process of law is commonly defined as the right of every citizen against arbitrary action by national or state governments. This law was created to protect the personal liberty of every citizen. In court matters involving crime, the state is the party charg...

Consensual Crimes A consensual crime is a crime with no victim. That, in itself, is a contradiction. How can you have a crime if there is no victim? I am sick and tired of the American government trying to play baby sitter. They have systematically imposed on almost every right the Bill of Righ...

The U.S. Supreme Court will later this year hear a case that will use our scientific advantages to determine the outcome. Researchers are looking further into whether a teenager convicted of murder should receive capital punishment or not. J. Anthony Movshon, a neuroscientist from New York Universit...

The Death Penalty The argument for the death penalty would suggest that one who has murdered an innocent individual should not be allowed to live. Often times, those who commit murder sit in prison and watch television, play cards, or go outside to play games such as basketball with other inmates...

Capital Punishment Capital Punishment is a term used for criminals who are punished by being put to death. Ever since the early 1800's, most executions have been a result of murder convictions. Some other crimes that have invoked the use of the death penalty are; robbery, kidnapping, rape, ...

During his time in office, President George W. Bush has led the American people through trials and hardships unseen since Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency: An attack on American soil. Through his devotion to the safety of America in the War on Terrorism, as well as his attention to key do...

Introduction The definition of euthanasia means "easy death". Today we refer to euthanasia as mercy killing "the voluntary ending of a life of someone who is terminally or hopelessly ill." Thesis Today I am here to persuade you to support the group known as the "Pro-Life...

Rule of Law is a very important value to the United States. The Core Democratic Value of Rule of Law states that everyone, including government officials must follow and obey the law. This includes the President, Senators, normal citizens and other important officials. Rule of Law is on the minds of...

Beginning in Chicago, Illinois in 1899, a distinction was made between crime committed by adults and crime committed by juveniles. With the help of Jane Adams and other reformers, a separate court was set up for juvenile offenders. This new court for youthful offenders was designed to "place g...

Is executing the mentally retarded Unconstitutional? Is sentencing execution upon a mentally retarded individual unconstitutional? This is a question that has recently been answered by the United States Supreme Court. According to Justice John Paul Stevens executing the mentally retarded is unc...

In 1927, the use, selling, and growing of marijuana became illegal. With the passing of these restrictions, there were several direct violations of the United States Constitution. The Constitution was put in place to guarantee that all Americans would be protected under it. Not being able to use,...

"Freedom of speech, freedom of expression, both oral and written, from governmental prior restraint, except as such expression constitutes libel, slander, obscenity, sedition, or criminal conduct such as bribery, perjury, or incitement to riot." In the U.S., this freedom is protected by...

The Fifth Amendment dates back to the seventeenth century. It was first used in England to protect their citizens. The Fifth Amendment is designed to protect us basically the same way the English used it to protect them. The Fifth Amendment requires indictment by a grand jury on a federal offenc...

Major issues state governments confront in the U.S. are basic issues that people have a lot to say about. These issues are interest group pressure, waste management, gambling, abortion, gun control, capital punishment, and emergency services. But first let's look at why people vote or do not ...

Constitution Review 1. Government in which two levels of government shared fundamental powers. State governments were supreme in some matters, while the national government was supreme in other matters. It was designed this way to prevent one of the governments from overpowering the other. 2. pa...

Regardless of how people might promote the role of the judiciary in curbing racial discrimination, there will always be some people who would complain of lack of judicial assistance and some might even claim that justice system is designed to keep the racial order intact. Despite these claims, it is...

"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." Those words make up the Second Amendment of the Constitution. Those are the words our country's founding fathers wrote when the United Sta...

Executing Mentally Retarded Individuals is Unconstitutional Every year there are multiple cases brought to court. Most individuals accused of crimes are competent to understand the charges brought upon them and if they are guilty of them or not. There are a few exceptions to this. C...

We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal." Thomas Jefferson wrote these immortal words in the Declaration of Independence in 1776. One has the right to impose the question "Are we truly equal?" simply by taking a look at American society. Presently, the United ...

The Acquittals Abuse of power has never been welcomed by society. Whether it is in the home, on the job, in our schools or in our government, society subjects these abuses of power to investigation and prosecution. The penalties can be a dismissal from their position, court marshal or imp...

Today the office of the United States President is considered the most powerful elected position in the world. Unfortunately it was not always so powerful. In 1789 the United State was a nation of only four million people. It had a new and untried government and also it had an agricultural econom...