The evolution of the criminal justice systems punishments

first punishment

18 BCE

The first estab­lished death penal­ty laws date as far back as the Eighteenth Century B.C. in the Code of King Hammurabi of Babylon, which cod­i­fied the death penal­ty for 25 dif­fer­ent crimes. Death the only pun­ish­ment for all crimes. (“Early History of the Death Penalty | Death Penalty Information Center”) The death penalty is still apart of the criminal justice system but they do it in a more humane way.

Hanging

10

In the Tenth Century A.D., hang­ing became the usu­al method of exe­cu­tion in Britain. In the fol­low­ing cen­tu­ry, William the Conqueror would not allow per­sons to be hanged or oth­er­wise exe­cut­ed for any crime, except in times of war. (“Early History of the Death Penalty | Death Penalty Information Center”) People can still be sentenced to death for capital crimes.

Captain George Kendall is the first recorded execution in the new colonies.

1608

He was executed by firing squad for allegedly being a Spanish spy. It highlights the early use of the death penalty in the New World and its role in shaping the legal and social landscape of the colonies.

Michigan becomes the first state to abolish the death penalty.

1847

Michigan was the first state to abolish the death penalty, this happened in 1846, as part of a broader revision of the state's criminal code. While treason remained a crime punishable by death in Michigan at the time, no one was ever executed under that law. The death penalty was later permanently banned in Michigan's constitution in 1963

The founding of the juvenile court marked a shift towards reforming rather than punishing juvenile offenders

1899

juvenile courts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries represented a significant shift in how juvenile offenders were addressed, moving away from punishment towards rehabilitation and reform. These courts emphasized individualized attention, guidance, and support for youth, recognizing the developmental differences between children and adults.

Furman v. Georgia

1972

the death penalty, as then applied, was unconstitutional under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments because it was arbitrary and disproportionately affected minorities and the poor, effectively halting executions nationwide.

Oklahoma becomes the first state to adopt lethal injection as a method of execution.

1977

the first state to adopt lethal injection as a method of execution in 1977. This method was implemented to replace other more cruel methods of execution, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

The Supreme Court rules in Ford v. Wainwright that executing the mentally insane is unconstitutional.

1986

the case of Ford v. Wainwright, ruled that executing an inmate who is mentally insane is unconstitutional, citing the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment

The Supreme Court rules in Thompson v. Oklahoma that executing individuals under 16 at the time of their crime is unconstitutional.

1988

the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that executing individuals who were 15 or younger at the time of their crime constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, violating the Eighth Amendment.

The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act expanded the federal death penalty to a broader range of crimes.

1994

the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, specifically Title VI, which is the Federal Death Penalty Act, expanded the federal death penalty to cover a broader range of crimes, including those not involving murder.