WRITING PROFILE - S2 Modern Studies

FUNCTIONAL
Report
NAME : ___________________________ SUBJECT: Modern Studies CLASS : _______

TASKTOPIC: The Death Penalty Report

Subject Outcomes: I can

I can evaluate conflicting sources of evidence to sustain a line of argument.

SOC 4-15a
I can compare and contrast two ideologies to express an informed view on how ideology
affects the lives of people. SOC 4-17c

Literacy Outcomes: I can .

Logically organise my report

Ensure no important information is left out or repeated
Express and justify an opinion using a clear line of thought
Use and acknowledge primary and secondary quotations/sources
Use my own words as often as I can in my report
Spell almost all words accurately, including more sophisticated vocabulary
Use good punctuation and structure for sentences and paragraphs

Comments:

1: Needs
improvement
2: Satisfactory
3: Excellent

Task - write a report on: Should the UK reintroduce the death penalty?
Discuss the different points of view on this issue.
Discuss the use of the death penalty in the USA and / or China.
Explain an ideology which supports the use of the death penalty.
Explain an ideology which opposes the use of the death penalty.
You must use some of the additional information on the back of this sheet.
What is your viewpoint? If you are for the death penalty explain what crimes
you think deserve the death penalty, what age and what method of execution
you would want used in the UK.
Justify your decision with clear arguments.
Your report should be between 250-600 words.

Use these sources and the work you have completed in class to write your report.
You may wish to complete additional research using the suggested websites.
Theories of Punishment
Retribution - Let the punishment fit the crime. If you take a life yours should
be taken.
Rehabilitation To correct / alter behaviour (e.g. drug-treatment).
Deterrent When the punishment puts others off the idea of committing the
same crime.
Incapacitation - Gets criminals off the streets and protects the public by making
it impossible for criminals to commit further crimes while in prison.
Information from http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/capitalpunishment/

Information from http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/thoughts.html

The most common and most persuasive argument

against death penalty is that sooner or later,
innocent people will be killed, because of
mistakes or flaws in the justice system.
Witnesses, prosecutors and jurors can all make
mistakes. Where capital punishment is used such
mistakes cannot be put right.

The death penalty permanently removes the worst

criminals from society and should prove much
safer for the rest of us than long term or
permanent imprisonment. A dead criminal cannot
commit any further crimes. Someone in prison can
commit further crimes within prison, they may
escape from prison or they may be released at
some point.

Everyone thinks human life is valuable. Some of

those against the death penalty believe that
human life is so valuable that even the worst
murderers should not be deprived of their life.
They believe that the value of the offender's
life cannot be destroyed by their crime - even if
they have killed someone.

Money is limited and the government should spend

our resources on the old, the young and the sick,
rather than on the costs of long term
imprisonment of murderers. Anti-death penalty
campaigners in the U.S. say that it costs more to
execute someone than life in prison, but this has
to do with the endless appeals and delays that are
allowed in the U.S. In Britain in the 20th century,
the average wait time for the death penalty was
3-8 weeks with only one appeal permitted.

Further information:
http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14402195

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/15007511
http://www.deathpenalty.org/
www.amnesty.org.uk

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2023306/More-half-Britons-want-return-death-penalty-reveals-shock-poll.html

Structure suggestions- Three reasons why the UK should introduce the death penalty are (with examples) .
(with mini conclusion at the end of each paragraph.
- Three reasons the UK should NOT reintroduce the death penalty are (with examples) ..
..(with mini conclusion at the end of each paragraph.
- Key findings- bullet point of each for both for and against.
-Overall conclusion (where you make your final decisions by giving the most influential point
that made you make up your mind- at the end)