Wednesday, January 28, 2026

THIEL COLLEGE: Comment No. 1

 Why is there a death Penalty?

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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thiel Student 4:
The reason for the death penalty dates back to the Code of Hammurabi. During those times, it was used for" eye for an eye." It was ultimately used to seek justice for heinous crimes. With similar ideas, the death penalty is now used to stop heinous killings from occurring. The death penalty, overall, is used to bring justice and to stop very ill killers from killing again.

January 29, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Anonymous said...

Thiel Student 2:
The reason for the death penalty exists primarily for making one "pay" for their extreme crimes, but also as a reminder to the public that rules and laws can and will be enforced. It also has historical connections to retributive justice, where offenders were expected to have the same offense they committed committed to them. The death penalty itself exists as the highest level of punishment for extreme crimes, but also exists as a symbol of warning to the community. If people know their own life is on the line when they are choosing to commit a heinous crime, they may become more weary.

January 30, 2026 at 9:55 AM
Anonymous said...

Thiel Student 7:

The death penalty serves a variety of purposes. One is to satisfy the societal need for retribution, especially for those people who commit the most heinous crimes. Historically speaking, public executions are evidence for this idea. People would gather to witness the violent deaths of people who committed unforgivable crimes.

Another reason for the death penalty is the deterrence of crime. Again, people would historically be put to death in a public place as a warning to avoid committing crimes. People would ostensibly see one of their peers being hanged or beheaded, thus understanding the consequences of any potential crimes they may have committed otherwise. Whether this is actually true is unclear, but it was certainly a reason for the implementation of the death penalty.

This is true, even today. Although the US does not execute people publicly anymore, it is public information when someone is put to death. These announcements serve the same purpose as public executions.

February 2, 2026 at 10:19 AM
Anonymous said...

Thiel Student #1:
Historically, the death penalty was developed long before the modern prison system. It was one of the primary methods governments used to punish serious crimes and maintain social order. In ancient civilizations such as Babylon, Greece, and Rome, execution was codified in law, including in the Code of Hammurabi, which prescribed death for numerous offenses. Throughout medieval Europe and colonial America, public executions were common and served both as punishment and as a deterrent, reinforcing the authority of the state. These historical foundations explain why the death penalty became deeply embedded in many legal systems and persisted even as societies further developed.

Internationally, modern use of the death penalty reflects differing legal philosophies and cultural values. Many European nations abolished capital punishment in the aftermath of World War II, influenced by human rights movements and the recognition of how state power had been abused under authoritarian regimes.

In the United States, the death penalty is shaped primarily by constitutional interpretation and Supreme Court case law rather than by a single national statute. In Furman v. Georgia (1972), the Supreme Court ruled that existing death penalty laws were unconstitutional due to arbitrary application. This essentially stopped all executions. The precedent was later changed in Gregg v. Georgia (1976), when the Court upheld revised statutes that introduced procedural safeguards, ruling that the death penalty itself does not violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. As a result, capital punishment remains legal at the federal level and in some states, such as Texas and Florida, while others have abolished it through legislation or judicial decisions.

February 3, 2026 at 11:01 PM
Anonymous said...

Thiel Student 9:
The death penalty is a thing partly because of history and how early societies handled crime. Before prisons were that common, death was the punishment for serious crimes as a way to keep order and show that the crime was unacceptable. Along with that, it was also used to discourage others from committing similar crimes. Over time, some places chose to keep the death penalty because they believe it brings justice to victims and their families. Supporters argue that it helps keep people safe by permanently removing dangerous criminals from society and upholding long-standing beliefs about right and wrong. They also see it as a way to make sure the punishment fits the crime. Despite this, many places have chosen to end the death penalty. People argue that it is unethical, can be applied unfairly, and risks executing innocent people. Because of these concerns, a lot of places have made the death penalty illegal and, in place of it, give longer prison sentences.

February 4, 2026 at 10:30 AM
Anonymous said...

Thiel Student 3:
The death penalty was created as a greater punishment than jail or prison time. It has been around since the time of Hammurabi, where each crime had an according punishment. It then followed through the times leading to stoning, lynching, drowning, and other forms of capital punishment. When a heinous crime has been committed, and a jury decides that being locked up is not enough, then the convicted criminal will be sentenced to the death. That is why there is a death penalty.

February 4, 2026 at 11:33 AM
Anonymous said...

Thiel Student 6: The death penalty was made for a purpose. And that purpose is to make criminals who commit a great crime such as murder. I feel that the death penalty made an example out of someone. As if they were trying to get people to not do crimes such as great as that person. And that if people know if they commit such crimes, they will not do it knowing the consequences. The penalty is also a way of "retribution" for the victim's family. time in jail isn't enough in some people's eyes.

February 4, 2026 at 2:06 PM
Anonymous said...

Thiel Student 5:
The death penalty is applied to those that have committed brutal acts against an innocent person. Although executions have existed for centuries, the death penalty in the United States was reinstated after Supreme Court rulings in the 1970s. Those in favor of the death penalty see the ruling as the highest level of punishment and best deterrence to future violent crimes. Therefore, the death penalty delivers a legal and proportional response meant to reflect the severity of the crime(s) committed. Supporters of the death penalty ethically argue removing dangerous offenders from society will create the most security for the maximum amount of people. In addition, the death penalty is only used in cases that fit the extreme criteria and only used in some states, while others have abolished it. Ultimately, the death penalty can be applied to protect society and respond to crimes that cause permanent harm.

February 4, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Anonymous said...

Thiel Student 10:
The death penalty was created under the ideology that the punishment must reflect the crime, so when someone does such heinous crimes its only right to have a punishment fitting. Also hoping that just merely having the death penalty will be enough to make people not commit such cirmes.

February 4, 2026 at 4:57 PM

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