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  1. Should the death penalty be legal in the United States? Why or why not?
  2. If the death penalty is legal, which forms of execution should be legal? Explain your answer.
  3. If the death penalty is illegal, what (if any) forms of punishment should replace capital punishment? Explain your answer.

Take Action

  1. Ask yourself “whether we deserve to kill” via the Equal Justice Initiative.
  2. Explore the information in the Execution Database provided by the Death Penalty Information Center.
  3. Consider former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen’s argument that the death penalty is “straightforward” legally.
  4. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? If so, how? List two to three ways. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the other side of the issue now helps you better argue your position.
  5. Push for the position and policies you support by writing U.S. senators and representatives.

Sources

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  2. Amnesty International, “Death Sentences and Executions 2022,” amnesty.org, May 2023
  3. Jonathan Allen, “U.S. to Carry Out 13th and Final Execution Under Trump Administration,” reuters.com, Jan. 15, 2021
  4. Barbara Campbell, “U.S. Executes Dustin Higgs in 13th and Final Execution Under Trump Administration,” npr.org, Jan. 16, 2021
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  52. William Yardley, “Oregon Governor Says He Will Block Executions,” nytimes.com, Nov. 22, 2011
  53. Joe Sutton, “Maryland Governor Signs Death Penalty Repeal,” cnn.com, May 2, 2013
  54. Julie Bosman, “Nebraska Abolishes the Death Penalty,” nytimes.com, May 27, 2015
  55. “Pennsylvania Governor Halts Death Penalty While ‘Error Prone’ System Reviewed,” cnn.com, Feb. 14, 2015
  56. “Connecticut’s Top Court Bans Death Penalty in State,” reuters.com, Aug. 13, 2015
  57. Whitney Ray, “Attorney General Bondi’s Statement on Today’s U.S. Supreme Court Ruling,” myfloridalegal.com, Jan. 12, 2016
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  60. Jessica Masulli Reyes, “Supreme Court: Executions off for Those on Death Row,” delawareonline.com, Dec. 15, 2016
  61. Rachel La Corte, “Washington Justices Toss Death Penalty as Arbitrary, Unfair,” theolympian, Oct. 11, 2018
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  74. Jonathan J. Cooper, “Brown to Preserve Death Penalty Ban,” mailtribune.com, Feb. 20, 2015
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