The Death Penalty And Mental Illness - 1594 Words

The Death Penalty and Mental Illness Receiving the death penalty is the worst and final penalty that the United States Justice System can administer, especially for those who are mentally ill. Many Americans are questioning the morality of executing mentally ill convicts, as well as the validity of the death penalty itself. These are the questions Americans should be asking, or at least putting some thought into. One might be surprised at how much knowledge one has about the death penalty and very surprised at the many things that are not often discussed. The following research will examine what the death penalty is, what constitutes mental illness, how people with mental illness do not always have knowledge of what they are receiving or doing, how people with mental illnesses do not all have access to quality treatment and rehabilitation, and finally, the cost to carry out the death penalty. Sentencing a mentally ill patient to death is unjust. The death penalty should not be applie d to those with mental illness. The death penalty is a controversial issue that faces the United States legal system. Some people take the eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, literally. Some Americans feel that if someone commits a heinous crime, then the convicted should be put to death. Other people feel that when someone does something wrong, that person deserves to be rehabilitated. This becomes a problem because it is difficult to determine who deserves rehabilitation and who deservesShow MoreRelatedAn Argument For Exempting the Severely Mentally Ill from the Death Penalty1156 Words   |  5 PagesMental illness affects one in four adults every year (NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness | Mental Illnesses). Mental illness effects thousands who may not even be aware of it. Many who are aware do not receive treatment until something bad happens in result of not receiving treatment. These illnesses affect all aspects of the person’s life. They often do things without the knowledge of what they are doing. Many people who do have these illness commit crimes without the knowledge of the factRead MoreApproaching Death1369 Words   |  6 PagesThere are crimes in this world that people believe are so heinous that they are punishable by death. These crimes are called capital crimes and the gruesome punishment you go under is referred to as capital punishment. Some states have abolished capital punishment; many states still uphold this ancient practice. Thirty-two of the fifty states in the US still have capital punishment. With the death penalty such a controversial topic, there are bound to be pieces written on it. The books The LastRead MoreMental Disabilities And The Death Penalty1259 Words   |  6 PagesMental Disabilities and the Death Penalty Image a life where you have difficulty defending yourself and nobody can clearly understand you. Now visualize trying to convince others that you are innocent of a crime. Since the early 80s, more than sixty mentally ill criminals have been executed the US (Mental Illness on Death Row). This paper will discuss the relationship between the law and the challenges faced by mentally criminals from tries to appeals and execution. It provides examples of some ofRead MoreThe Last Day of a Condemned Man by Victor Hugo and In Cold Blood by Truman Caopte626 Words   |  3 Pagessurrounded by the death penalty is the humanity of it. Can we consider making someone wait for months, and even more realistically years, to be put to death? In the books The Last Day of a Condemned Man and In Cold Blood, both narrators tell the tale of impending death. While The Last Day of a Condemned Man is told in a first person view, In Cold Blood is told from a third person. Although from different views, each tells the trials and tribulations of approaching the death penalty. The Last DayRead MoreThe Man Who Killed A Colorado Movie Theatre1657 Words   |  7 Pagesindividuals whom have committed a crime and out of those people are those who cannot stand trial due to mental illness or not being competent to stand trial. Sometimes these individuals are not able to defend themselves against what they are being accused of. What I have taken an interest to in reference to what I addressed above are the individuals who utilize the insanity defense due to their mental illness. A case that represents my interest with this topic is a case that many have been following, theRead MoreDead or Alive: the Criminally Insane Essay820 Words   |  4 Pagescrimes. Many believe that these crimes deserve the death penalty; however, others believe that in certain circumstances the mentally ill should be exempt from capital punishment and believe that the punishment is too extreme for those who are not fully aware of committing their crimes. Many mentally ill individuals hav e been executed and some are currently on death row. All the while, this controversial issue is still being debated on. Mental illness is defined as â€Å"Any of various conditions characterizedRead MoreDeath Penalty : Are You For Or Against The Penalty?1724 Words   |  7 PagesPolanowski Philosophy 1111 21 October 2015 Death Penalty Are you for or against the death penalty? Do you even know what the death penalty is? The Death Penalty is when a person is charged for a crime and receives punishment such as execution, and is put on death row. It has been a back and forth argument over decades on rather or not we should instill the death penalty. A common belief among people is, if someone commits murder, then they need to be put on death row, but if someone commits a crime forRead MoreThe Death Penalty Laws Date1505 Words   |  7 Pagesestablished death penalty laws date as far back as the Eighteenth Century B.C. in the Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon, which codified the death penalty for 25 different crimes (History of the Death Penalty 1). Executions back then relied on more torturous methods without regard to the executed. As the use of the Death Penalty was issued out, its popularity spread throughout the neighboring countries and has become more refined for modern use. In June of 2004, â€Å"New Yorkâ₠¬â„¢s death penalty law was declaredRead MoreLife or Death: The Death Penalti1012 Words   |  4 PagesLife or Death â€Å"The death penalty is popular among politicians and the public in response to the escalating fear of violence. However, capital punishment actually makes the fight against crime more difficult. Executions waste valuable resources that could be applied to more promising efforts to protect the public. Additionally, innocent people are sometimes executed and the brutalizing effect executions have on society may result in more murders. For these reasons, the death penalty shouldRead MoreThe Argument Of The Insanity Defense895 Words   |  4 Pagescourse of time. The primary debate has now shifted from the sole focus on â€Å"insanity defense† to the idea of the death penalty and how it should be addressed in cases of serious mental illness or disabilities. Each state has specific laws surrounding all aspects of mental illness and how that should relate to the severity of the charges. â€Å"Currently in the United States, forensic mental-health professionals (psychiatrists, social workers, and psychologists) conduct the determination of whether the