The Barbaric Practice of Capital PunishmentRarely has an issue in the world been the subject of such fierce debate as the practice of death sentence for those found guilty. Capital punishment, or the death penalty, was until recent centuries a widespread and common occurrence, applicable even for a minor offense. However, as society and culture have evolved, these barbaric practices have come under scrutiny. Today, many developed countries have banned the death penalty except in the rarest cases, such as treason in war. The United States, however, which has been at the forefront of the fight for human rights around the world, still uses the death penalty. liberally, and can apply it to a large number of crimes. This archaic and primitive practice rightly leads other countries to question the United States' self-proclaimed leadership on global human rights. As many who have closely examined this practice have concluded, this practice in the United States is not only impractical, immoral, but also fraught with error to such a degree that it could easily be outlawed. The unfortunate thing, as many inside and outside our great nation believe, is that this is not the case. The development of societies and their governments naturally leads to systems of laws and sanctions. Originally, there were many more illegal acts than today, and the punishments were harsher, because an advanced prison system had not been developed. However, the basic principle of any legal system in the world has always been simple: eliminate those who pose a threat to society and exclude them from it. The next act of choosing to kill these people was never a necessary act for society. Instead, it was a form of retributive justice,...... middle of article...... Campaign to End the Death Penalty: Illinois Moratorium, “Moratorium Victory In Illinois” December 13, 2000 http://www. nodeathpenalty.org/ilmoratorium.htmlDieter, Richard C., The death penalty in black and white: who lives, who dies, who decides, June 1998, December 13, 2000 http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/racerpt.htmlGenesis and John. Holy Bible (Chicago: Good Counsel Publishers, 1966) Hook, Donald D. and Lothar Kahn, Death in the Balance, (Lexington: Lexington Books, 1989) John, Mark and Alastair Macdonald, “Bush Hard Line on Executions Will Trouble Europe” December 14, 2000, December 14, 2000 http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20001214/pl/bush_death_dc_1.htmlNational Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, “Deterrence… Fact or Fiction? December 13, 2000 http://www.ncadp.org/fact5.htmlSellin, Thorsten, Capital Punishment, (NY: Harper & Row) 122-124 and 239-253