The use of death to punish criminal behavior is a controversial topic in modern society, however the use of capital or corporal punishment is not a modern phenomenon. The so-called death penalty has been used since before written history began among humans, and has been a primary crime deterrent in cultures and societies that have ranged from what we today would call primitive, to those which we consider advanced and highly "civilized." The debate rages on in our society as part of the human rights movement and as a question of defining morality for the institution of American justice. The greater good for society, according to those supporting use of the death penalty, is to be reached by utilizing this form of punishment; however, the same goal of benefiting the greater good of society is believed by those against use of the death penalty to be reachable only by stopping this practice. Supporters of the death penalty believe that an overall more peaceful and safe society is created when criminals are executed, while abolitionists will argue that using the death penalty devalues human life and creates a violent environment for everyone. In order to understand this issue, it is necessary to examine some historical points about capital punishment, and to then take a look at the arguments made on both sides of the capital punishment debate today and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of both the pro and con points of view.

             The death penalty has been a regular part of the justice systems in many cultures throughout all of human history. However, the application has varied greatly; the governmental involvement in the use of capital punishment has only existed in societies with a powerful central government. In other cases, personal retribution was simply a way of life, and individuals would take the life of another person when the situation seemed to warrant this kind of action.