Practice 15: Death penalty outline

    Today we reviewed what an outline is and was commanded to create one of our own based on a text about the death penalty.

DEATH PENALTY TEXT

    An outline is like a scheme to show how the ideas work together; to do that, it is necessary to number them:

• Roman numerals (I, II, III...) for the main ideas
• Capital roman letters (A, B, C...) for more information
• Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3...) for details

MY DEATH PENALTY OUTLINE:

I. Introduction
    Death Penalty should be completely abolished in our society owing to the fact that it doesn’t decrease crime rates, costs a lot of money and puts innocent lives at risk.

II. First main idea: The death penalty doesn't decrease crime rates
    A. Society would be afraid of committing a crime
            1. There is no evidence
            2. NC Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
    B. Why people commit murder (irrationally)
        1. In the heat of passion
        2. Under the influence of drugs or alcohol
        3. Mental illness
    C. Sates without the death penalty have a lower murder rate

        1. The US (example)

III. Second main idea: Death penalty costs a lot of money
    A. Why does it costs money
        1. Extra measures are taken in judicial proceedings
        2. Lawyer fees
        3. Extended trials
        4. Expert witnesses
    B. Murder cases cost more than $1.5 million
    C. Other ways to spend that money
        1. Invested in the Judicial Department
        2. Donated
        3. Spent on someone who deserves it

IV. Third main idea: It puts innocent lives at risk

    A. 138 innocent men and women have been released from death row.

        1. Other techniques that work better than the appeals process

            1.1. New scientific techniques

            1.2. Investigations by journalists

            1.3. Expert attorneys

        2. Missouri, Texas and Virginia

    B. We cannot risk executing an innocent person

V. Conclusion

Death Penalty should be completely abolished in our society owing to the fact that it doesn’t decrease crime rates, costs a lot of money and puts innocent lives at risk.

OUTLINE CORRECTED IN CLASS

I. Death Penalty should be completely abolished in our society owing to the fact 
that it doesn’t decrease crime rates, costs a lot of money and puts innocent lives at risk. 

II. It does not decrease crime rates.     
        A. Society would feel afraid 
            1. No evidence
            2. NC Coalition
        B. States without the death penalty have a lower murder rate.
            1. The US

III. It costs a lot of money
    A.Extra measures add costs. 
            1. Oregon
    B. A total prosecution and defence costs… 

IV. It puts innocent lives at risk.
    A. 138 innocent men released.
            1. No formal process, but as a result of an investigation….
            2. Missouri, Texas and Virginia
    B. To execute an innocent person…. 

V. We have all the right reason to live. May it be a criminal, a priest or just an ordinary person?  (…) Death Penalty should be completely abolished in our society owing to the fact that it doesn’t decrease crime rates, costs a lot of money and puts innocent lives at risk.