Capital punishment - One of the most controversial debates that rages constantly in this country is the argument over whether capital punishment should be outlawed.

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Capital punishment essay

One of the most controversial debates that rages constantly in this country is the argument over whether capital punishment should be outlawed.

There are two basics arguments within the debate over capital punishment: First is the question of whether capital punishment is moral, or more simply put, whether it is right. And second is the question of whether capital punishment is constitutional. Although the death penalty has come far into the forefront recently, the constitutionality of the death penalty is not a new question.

The death penalty has never been outlawed nationally per se, but for a period in the mid 1970's the Supreme Court changed the rules about capital punishment so that it was nearly impossible for a state to put a prisoner to death under any circumstances. The problems that death penalty opponents have with capital punishment can be found in the Bill of Rights, or more specifically, the fifth and eight amendments.

The fifth amendment gives every citizen of the United States the right to "due process of law", meaning full access to courts and proper representation, etc. Many believe that a great number of inmates