Topic Chosen – Capital Punishment/Death Penalty
Is law an effective mechanism for social change?
Write a position paper that answers this question by exploring the interplay between legal frameworks and societal transformation through a substance focus, problem, issue, or constituency.
Topic Chosen – Capital Punishment/Death Penalty ( to examine the effectiveness of law as a mechanism for social change)
Your introduction should include a thesis that organizes the rest of your paper. Start simple and be clear.
Must include a conflicitng view
Is this (capital punishment/death penalty) a catalyst for social change? in a way that uses the death penalty as a lens to answer that question. Instead of “pros” and “cons” construct your paper to answer to this question.
Mention the legal aspects of the death penalty
I. Introduction
Notice that my thesis is clear: “…law is not an effective mechanism for social change…”.
I also said how I would do this: “Social movement changed public opinions…..Social movement
forced President Johnson to take action… Social movement used pressure of economic
sanctions……
A. Introduce the topic
B. Provide background on the topic
C. Assert the thesis (your view of the issue)
Counter Argument
A. Summarize the counterclaims
B. Provide supporting information for counterclaims
C. Refute the counterclaims
D. Give evidence for argument
Your Argument
Assert point #1 of your claims.
Give your opinion. (See introduction, where I say how I would support my position)
Provide support (Academic source 1- The use of statistical information should be based on your argument, topic, and information. Given my thesis, I would probably use statistical data here to show that public opinions changed before the Voting Rights Act was passed)
Assert point #2 of your claims
Give your opinion
Provide support (Informed opinion 1 – academic source 2)
Assert point #3 of your claims
Give your opinion
Provide support (Informed opinion 2 –academic source 3)
IV. Conclusion
Restate your argument.
Summarize what this means about law as a social product, process, and/or agent of social
change.
sources to use
1- https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/facts-and-research/dpic-reports/dpic-year-end-reports/the-death-penalty-in-2023-year-end-report
2- https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/death_penalty
3- https://www.britannica.com/topic/capital-punishment/Arguments-for-and-against-capital-punishment
4- https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/capital-punishment-or-life-imprisonment-some-cost-considerations
