The culture of punishment in America. Deathpenalty Essay

The culture of punishment in America. Deathpenalty - Essay Example It has been observed that since the 1970s, the number of death penalty cases have increased manifold, and America continues to justify the use of cruel methods of punishment for those indicted for all sorts of crimes. â€Å"The use of mass incarceration and the use of torture in prisons including Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay are other shining examples of resurfacing of earlier held mentalities with regards to meting out of punishments.† (Silberman, pg154)But then, in the latter case, one has to take into account the fact that most of the prisoners were terrorists; what was at stake was the security of the citizens of America which had to be safeguarded under all circumstances! In this paper, the primary focus is going to be on the attitudes of the various states of America towards the use of the death penalty. The primary area of concern would be the justificatory statements pertaining towards the use of or abolishment of death penalty though initially the American attitude t owards the use of punishment techniques in general will be touched upon, for that has a strong bearing on present-day attitudes towards death penalty, and the use of numbers and figures would merely be to put the claims under clearer perspective. It would be well to learn about the general attitudes maintained by the federal and state machinery with respect to treatment of prisoners in American jails. The federal and many state prison systems have gradually done away with trying to rehabilitate prisoners, instead opting to keep them in prisons for longer periods of time. And the ones indicted of death penalty are finding it tougher to get their sentencing reduced to life-imprisonment. Throughout the 1970s, religious fundamentalism has played a major part in increasing the use of corporal punishment, long prison terms and death penalty. â€Å"Alongside, there is also evidence to show that America had never fully abandoned extreme forms of punishment before the 1970s, nor had she com pletely rejected the rehabilitative ideal since. The widespread abuse of the mentally retarded in institutions such as Willowbrook and the torture of prisoners in Arkansas and at other places showcases the contradictions in American culture with regards to punishment†. (Silberman, pg 155)Going by these incidents, the reader will have very less cause for wonderment as to the use of more innovative and sophisticated gadgetry to execute death row inmates. The Enlightenment philosophy and the religious traditions that has to do with the Universalist principles of famous political figures like Benjamin Rush have resulted in the â€Å"development of the modern penitentiary, designed to isolate prisoners from the negative influences of other prisoners and encourage them to seek redemption by reading the Bible. The restorative justice movement and its historical antecedents are as much a part of the American story as the moralism of the early Protestant settlers.† (Silberman, p g 155) â€Å"A growing chorus of voices is insisting on the re-examination of the death penalty in Ohio. Among the most powerful voices include Ohio’s Catholic bishops, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul Pfeifer; former attorney general Jim Petro; and former state prison director Terry Collins.†(McCarty pg A9) The only US manufacturer of pentobarbital--the drug Ohio