In 1973 author Shawcross was convicted of raping and killing two children in upstate New York; however, after serving 15 years, Shawcross was paroled in 1988. In a horrific 21-month killing spree, Shawcross took 11 more lives. These are 11 innocent people who would be alive today if justice had been done (Pataki, Deterrent 2). The topic of the death penalty brings with it many controversies that have their roots in issues such as: the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment, it is useful in crime control, adequate representation is applied to these cases and it should be implemented a reform in the judicial system? areas of punishable crimes and methods? Although some argue that the death penalty is inhumane and contrary to human rights, crime rates could be lowered through the use and reform of the death penalty. Since the 1700s forms of the death penalty have been used for one reason or another, but today some disagree with this judicial practice. The death penalty is the final punishment imposed for murder or other capital crimes, and in Alabama a capital crime is murder with eighteen aggravating factors. In 1972 the Supreme Court moved away from abolition, finding that “the death penalty does not invariably violate the Constitution” (Bedau, Case v. 2). Since 1900, in this country, there have been on average more than four cases each year where a completely innocent person has been convicted of murder (Bedau 7) and because of these startling numbers people are against capital punishment. It is a horrible reality to convict an innocent person of a crime and, even worse, put that person on death row. There are even more horrific stories, such as that of Roger Keith Coleman, who was executed in Virginia despite being widely published...... Death Penalty” American Civil Liberties UnionEd. Michele Legno. July 1992. Web. 24 July 2014. D'Alembe, Talbot “Understanding the Death Penalty Study Commission Report” Raising the Bar in Capital Cases. 34.2 (2007): page n. Network. July 24, 2014. Liptak, Adam “Does the death penalty save lives? A new debate. New York Times. New York Times, November 18, 2007. Web. July 9, 2014. Pataki, George E. “The Death Penalty Is a Deterrent.” USA Today magazine. USA Today, March 1997. Web. July 26, 2014. Peirce, Gleen L., and Michael Radelet “Monitoring Death Sentencing Decisions: The Challenges and Obstacles to Equity.” 34.2. No. page Network. July 26, 2014. Templeton, Jean M. “Death Row Reforms May Lead to a Fairer Criminal Justice System.” Capital punishment. Ed. Mary E. Williams. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2008. Current Controversies. Gale Opposing views in context. Network. February 28. 2014.