How Capital Punishment Works In The United States :: essays research papers fc

     One would define capital punishment as the penalty ofdeath for violating a law. close to half the nations of theworld utilize the death penalty, while the rest eliminatedits use. The United States, an industrialized nation, breaksthe pattern that exactly developing countries retain capitalpunishment (" cap" Encarta 1). The United States usesfive techniques for execution hanging, firing squad, lethalgas, electrocution, and lethal injection (Snell 16). Ofthese methods, each moderate in death for the prisoner indistinct ways.      in the lead hanging, application of a measuring process,based on weight, yields 1260 foot- pounds of force to thecondemned persons neck (Bobit 5). Blindfolded (McCuen 19),the convict stands with a noosed rope or cord ("Hanging"Encarta 1) well-nigh their neck, behind the left ear (Bobit 5).Positioned upon a trap door (McCuen 19) of a gallows, aframe with a crosspiece, the criminal anticipates the suddendrop. Death can result from compression of the windpipe,obstruction of blood flow, rupture of nerve structures inthe neck ("Hanging" Encarta 1), severing of the spinal cordfrom the brain by dislocating the third and quarter cervicalvertebrae, or by asphyxiation. But if not properlyperformed, strangulation, obstructed blood flow, or evenbeheading could occur (Bobit 5). In the United States, onlythree executions by this manner took place, as of 1996,since 1977 (Snell 16).     From 1977 to 1996, the firing squad killed twoprisoners (Snell 16). If shot at the head from close range,death occurs almost immediately, for "the bullet penetratesthe medulla, which contains the alert respirator and cardiaccenters, among others" (McCuen 20). Generally, a team offive executioners take aim at the jaileds chest. Somerifles contain a blank so they dont know who in truth killedthe convict (Bobit 4). With the several shots fired at once,death comes abruptl y. Known as cavitation, the heat releasedfrom the bullets evaporate tissues and water in the body,leaving a large put down space. "When the bullet has passedthrough, the cavity collapses, and sucks in dead tissue andcontaminated air" (McCuen 21).     Since 1924, when first used in Nevada, execution ofthirty one convicts by the operator of lethal gas occurred(Bobit 3). Strapping the prisoner into a chair inside anairtight chamber takes place first. Then, by pressing alever outside, either sulfuric (McCuen 24) or hydrochloricacid flows into a pan. Upon pressing another lever, eitherpotassium cyanide or sodium cyanide crystals fall into theacid. This mixture creates noisome fumes, which end lifewithin six to eighteen minutes (Bobit 3). If the prisonertakes deep breaths, death advances briskly and with littlesuffering ("Gas" Britannica 1). But if the captive resists