Methods of ExecutionThe act of one man taking the life of another is generally considered an unforgivable act which is punishable by death. However, when this is done as punishment, it is considered an act of honor in removing that criminal from the world and making it a much safer place to live. Thinking about executions, it is amazing what ingenious methods can be thought up by the human brain and the fact that the idea is centered around the murder of a single man doesn't even change how stupendous these innovations are considered to be. . Many different enforcement techniques and procedures are used around the world, revealing much about a country's culture and its concern for the well-being of its citizens. Electrocution is by far one of the most well-known and publicly glorified methods of execution. Present in nine American states, it was first used in New York in 1890. When a condemned man is to be executed, he is taken to the death chamber and strapped until immobility on a chair reinforced with belts going across his chest, groin, legs and arms. Two copper electrodes, soaked in brine or treated with Eletro-Cream to increase conductivity, are attached to him, one on his leg and the other on his head. The first shock, between five hundred and two thousand volts depending on the size of the prisoner, is given for 30 seconds. Smoke will begin to come from the prisoner's leg and head and these areas could catch fire if the victim has been sweating profusely. A doctor will examine him and if he still shows signs of life, additional shocks of two thousand volts will be administered to finish the job (Matthews). One of the main reasons for the initial use of electrocution was the thought that death was immediate. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Doctors estimate today that the victim “feels burned alive and suffocated since the shock causes respiratory paralysis as well as cardiac arrest. The energy of the shock paralyzes the muscles, she cannot scream and is therefore presumed dead ("This is your death..."). How ironic that one of the reasons the electrocution was maintained was because, although expensive, it was extremely serene as far as the prisoner was concerned. Still used widely throughout the world today and in its only representative state of Utah, the firing squad has. much more pretension to being humane, as bullets directly to the heart usually cause instant death Utah uses an extremely precise and well-practiced method, extremely focused on caring for the victim while taking almost every precaution..