Capital Punishment and the World

World Statistics

Read the world trends sheet

What do you think it is telling us?

Lesson Key Question

Why should we accept or reject capital punishment?

Research TaskIn pairs or small groups make notes in your books

or highlight any important information you find.

You have 10 minutes to research. Add any important arguments to their opinion line

sheet that give an argument for or against capital punishment.

The Life of David Gale

David Gale

University professor

Anti-death penalty activist

Bitsey Bloom

Journalist

Film Objectives

• To enquire into the various arguments about capital punishment.

• To apply some of the theoretical arguments to a specific situation (just a story) and a location (Texas) where the death penalty is a very real option.

• To personally evaluate the necessity of capital punishment.

The Situation in Texas

Texas executions comparatively to all other States http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/number-executions-state-and-region-1976

Current executions list (state of Texas) http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/dr_scheduled_executions.html