The Death Penalty in Korea and the Us

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The Death Penalty in the United States: A Literature Review Marie-Pierre Higgins Concordia University-Portland Abstract The purpose of this literature review is to establish why the death penalty is an important topic, review the literature surrounding it and discuss the validity of the articles reviewed. Research shows that the death penalty and its ramifications impact society. Public opinion is divided between the proponents and the opponents of the death penalty, its application, and the methods of executions. Some articles survey the philosophical aspect of the death penalty while others explore the financial cost of the death penalty. Some pieces address the deterrence effect and others the unfair racial division among death row inmates. The Death Penalty in the United States: A Literature Review A review of the literature surrounding the death penalty in the United States discusses why the death penalty is a relevant and important topic. The death penalty is an issue that separates the United States from other democracies. Among the Western nations, The United States is the only country that still practices capital punishment. Another important issue surrounding the death penalty is the notion of cruel and unusual punishment. Touching the subject of the death penalty, proponents argue that capital punishment is less costly to the tax payer than incarceration for life although literature shows otherwise. Because of the length of time death row inmates spend on legal procedures, sometimes they become senior citizens before their sentence is carried out (Gerard, 2005). This literature review will establish why the subject of the death penalty in the United States is a salient issue and discuss the validity of the reviewed articles. It is important to investigate the death penalty in the United States because of the United States’ perceived

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