The Death Penalty as a ritual

In recent years the death penalty has been a topic of heated debate and controversy. The purpose behind it to some seems unclear, while to others it seems as a blatantly obvious solution to violent crime. There is a belief among many that it is impossible to reform a cold-blooded killer. One solution, the death penalty is the most extreme form of justice and is often a sensitive subject to many. The process of determining and carrying out the fate of the convicted is an intricate and extensive process with many certain rituals. The functions and meaning of the ritual elements of the death penalty in modern history is to make it less arbitrary and more humane than it has been in the past.
The first step in the death penalty process is the trial and sentencing of the accused. The legal processes of the death penalty are a rigorous process that is used to determine the guilt or innocence of a defendant and whether a convicted defendant acted out of cold blood or distress. The proce...