Throughout America's history, the death penalty has been applied disproportionately to the poor and blacks. The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is the execution of criminals by the state for committing heinous crimes such as rape and murder. The death penalty, which is legal execution, has existed as long as has human culture. Capital Punishment, the death penalty, is punishment by death. The variations of death are the gas chamber, electrocution, lethal injection, …showed first 75 words of 1849 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1849 total…capital punishment was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Their reason for this decision was that the death penalty was "cruel and unusual punishment" under the Eighth Amendment." (The Death Penalty). The decision was reversed when new methods of execution were introduced. The discrimination and unfairness of the criminal justice system is growing out of proportion. Innocent people are put to death each year. The elimination of injustice and discrimination must first stop within society.