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...

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...

Death Penalty for Juveniles: Is it Right? In October 1989, a month after turning seventeen, Dwayne Wright went on a violent crime spree that lead to a robbery, attempted rape, and shooting of thirty-three year old Saba Tekle. When caught the next day, Dwayne confessed to the police and was t...

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...

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...

"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...

Law constituting various sets of rules and regulations survives to date and came into existence in order to safeguard the rights of its people, its followers. However, how these laws are formulated and used in order to defend the innocent and punish the guilty still depends largely on judg...

"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 ...

Should Euthanasia be Legal? Throughout the twentieth century, major scientific and medical advances have greatly enhanced the life expectancy of the average person. However, there are many instances where doctors can preserve life artificially. In these cases where the ...

What is the best way to deal with people who prey on our children? Should we send them away forever or should we brand them sex offenders for the rest of their lives. Do the sex offenders have rights? The government feels that the best way to deal with this type of criminal is to brand them. Mega...

Griswold v. Connecticut Griswold v. Connecticut appealed to the Supreme Court on errors of the state court of Connecticut. This case deals with the right to prescribe the use of birth control to a married female. This action is found unconstitutional under the state laws, but this law invades...

Hate Speech is an area in modern society that has taken on diverse aspects due to the changing standards of correct social behavior, and the lack of precise legislation dealing with this subject. Recently the most debated topic in this area has been the censorship of Hate speech on the Int...

As a response to the intrusive presence of the British forces of occupation before the American Revolution, the framers of the United States Constitution took care to be sure that any indigenous government would be permanently enjoined from imposing itself in unwarranted ways on the citize...

The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America reads: " Congress shall make on law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." This amendment is commonly called the Establishment Clause. It forms the foundation of the ...

Mapp vs. OhioThe Mapp Vs Ohio Supreme Court Case was a turning point in our nation's history. It changed our legal system by forming the exclusionary rule, which in turn changed the way prosecution of a criminal is performed. On May 23, 1957, three Cleveland police officers arrived at Dolly Mapp's h...

The Federalist Papers were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in order to garner support for the soon to be Constitution of the United States. In 65, Hamilton discusses the powers of the senate in relation to the impeachment process. The Senate is designated as "sufficiently...

Is it right? Is it moral? Questions that have passed through many great minds for decades now, and a common conclusion is still yet to be reached. Ever since the first act of Euthanasia was completed, it has become one of the most controversial issues among politicians, movie stars, and commoners ...

The Case for Euthanasia: Should Physician-Assisted Suicide be Legalized?Throughout the twentieth century, major scientific and medical advances have greatly enhanced the life expectancy of the average person. However, there are many instances where doctors can preserve life artificially. In thes...

Euthanasia is the Individual's Right In recent years, Euthanasia has become a very heated debate. It is a Greek word that means "easy death" but the controversy surrounding it is just the opposite. Whether the issue is refusing prolonged life mechanically, assisting suicide, or active euthanasia, we...

The one of the most important thing that we have to keep us safe form the govenerment is the bill of rights. No one wants the government to be able to take advantage of his or her power. The bill of rights is the rights that are given to an individual that gets in trouble with the law. In 1791 the f...

Religion in Public SchoolsThe question "Should prayer be allowed in public schools" is one of the biggest debates in the minds and lips of Americans today. The open practice of religion in publicly funded schools is not a new debate, nor a simple one. Americans have been fighting about the separat...