Oral Presentation- Death Penalty

1. Introduction: In this presentation, our subject will be the death penalty. We will
see what this is and analyse the different opinions about it.
2. Definition: Starting with the definition, death penalty, also known as capital
punishment, is the heaviest punishment a person could get if he commits a crime
that cannot be restored by years of imprisonment and bail.
3. History: This punishment was first established under the rule of King Hammurabi
of Babylon in the eighteenth-century B.C., which codified the death penalty for 25
different crimes. This manner of criminal punishment has been used in almost all
societies at one point or another throughout history – in some cases, dating back
to ancient times. Over the centuries this practice has been abolished in several
countries. Nowadays, there are 55 countries that still retain the capital
punishment some significant ones include Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Japan,
and the United States.
4. Methods of execution: Moving to the methods, the most common practices are
lethal injections, electrocution, lethal gas, hanging and firing squad. The most
used method is lethal injection, counting with 1360 since 1976.
5. Arguments: Capital punishment has long engendered considerable debate about
both its morality and its effect on criminal behavior. There several opinions about
this moral issue. Begging with the arguments in favor of execution:
a. “The Death Penalty is an Effective Deterrent”- the most common
argument in favour of capital punishment, and there's actually some
evidence that the death penalty may be a deterrent to homicide.
b. "The Bible Says 'An Eye for an Eye'" - Actually, there is little support in
the Bible for the death penalty.
c. "Families Deserve Closure" - Families find closure in many different ways,
and many never find closure at all. This isn´t a strong argument because
vengeance is not justice. 
What about the against arguments?
a. “It’s inhumane”- Lethal injection has the highest rate of error despite
being the most “humane” – and most common – option. When
injections go wrong, it can take a long time for a prisoner to die.
 Exams after death show serious chemical burns and other injuries.
Opponents of the death penalty say this demonstrates cruel and
inhumane punishment.
b. “The death penalty can be used as a tool for control, not justice”- In
theory, the death penalty is only intended for use as punishment for
the most serious crimes, like murder. However, in places around the
world, governments use executions for non-lethal crimes.
c. “It can’t be undone if new evidence is revealed”- What makes the
death penalty distinct from life in prison is that the judgement can’t
be reversed. It’s a final punishment. However, what if new evidence
is discovered and it turns out the prisoner was innocent?
6. Our position: Sofia- I take a stand against the death penalty because it´s basically
retribution and I don´t see how can murder can be right even though it is used as
a method of punishment.
João-
7. Conclusion: In conclusion,