I am interested in the US Constitution as well as the Death Penalty in the USA. In addition, since I am studying law, human rights in practice is incredibly important and to be able to research and write about such a fundamental area of international law and the implications for a leader in the Western world is something which is exciting for me. Ever since a young age, I have been involved in a number of death penalty petitions including sending emails to various authorities including in the case of Troy Davies in order to try and halt the execution due to a lack of evidence. Therefore, now I can combine both my theoretical interest in the US Constitution and the different states and their considerations and attitudes towards the death penatly with the practical element of being able to talk and expose myself to some of the most experienced death penalty attorneys whilst in the United States. My particular interest in the State of California is because the state currently has the largest death row population in the country, but also, there is an upcoming referendum in the Autumn 2016 which could see the death penalty abolished, thus, it is a more relevant state in recent times in the ongoing debate/

I am hoping to understand the constitutional implications of the death penalty. In the initial stages of my report and poster, i hope to further outline the history, social and political background to the death penalty as well as become more relevant and detailed. I would like to state why the death penalty could be constituitonal or could not be constitutional using special information obtained during my internship in the Federal Office in Northern California. I also hope to learn more about the geographical, monetary and ethical considerations. After discusisng these implications with various attorneys at a Santa Clara Death Penalty College which will take place in August, I would like to combine and immerse a variety of views and facts to come to a considered conclusion. Is the death penalty unconstitutional in merely a political sense but also in an economic, ethical and social sense? it is necessary for me to explore these other avenues.

I would like to improve my legal research skills as well as how I collect and analyse data. In addition, I would hope to be able to develop my analytical thinking skills in reading and reviewing a number of legal cases. I would like to improve my organisation skills and being able to condense a large amount of information into a report which can detail and outline the most fundamental elements of my research findings.

It could add extra view in the debate for and against the constitutionality of the death penalty. I hope to further advance on the views towards why the death penalty is against the Eighth Amendment using considerations from federal death penalty cases but also judicial opinion and facts from the cases within the State of California. My contribution can be unique since I have exposure and access to unique documentation, attorneys and other outlets which I can then use and combine with argumentation to come up with a reasonable conclusion which can then be used as an example not just for California but other state which retain the death penalty.