Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is legal in the state of Texas. Texas has a long history of using the death penalty and has carried out more executions than any other state in the United States.
The death penalty is a controversial and divisive issue, with proponents arguing that it serves as a deterrent to crime and a way to hold accountable those who commit the most heinous offenses. Opponents argue that the death penalty is costly, prone to error, and disproportionately applied to marginalized groups, and that it is a violation of human rights.
In the United States, the death penalty is legal in some states but not others, and the Supreme Court has ruled that it must be administered in a way that is not arbitrary or discriminatory. The use of the death penalty has declined in recent years, with fewer states imposing it and fewer executions being carried out.
The purpose of this research is to examine the psychological impact of capital punishment on the immediate family members of the victim in the state of Texas. In this state, capital punishment has been legal since 1982 and has been carried out on 578 individuals, with 5 executions taking place in 2022 alone. Prior to 2004, the death penalty could be imposed on juveniles, but it was revised to only apply to adults aged 18 and over due to controversies surrounding the execution of minors.
However, there has been little research on the effects of the death penalty on the immediate family members of the victim, including their psychological well-being. The research aims to fill this gap by investigating how families cope with the situation and the impact it has on their psychological well-being. To do so, the research will use The Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-Being to measure the psychological well-being of families before and after the execution of their loved one. The research will also use a qualitative approach to assess the situation and provide recommendations based on the findings.
