AOW #27: Editorial

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/19/opinion/pennsylvania-and-the-death-penalty.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Summary: This editorial brings up the topic of the death penalty in our state of Pennsylvania.  When I first saw the title for this editorial, I figured it would be about an increased crime rate in Philadelphia, however the author seems to blame the increased use of the death penalty on bad lawyers.  The author sites other articles and appealed cases to show that more criminals are being convicted and receiving this sentence because their lawyers are "insufficient" to meet a defendant's needs.
Context: The death penalty has become a topic debated throughout the country.  Some states have even decided not to use the death penalty at all, and people continue to argue because of issues with morality and religion.  Most of the time people try to avoid using the death sentence as punishment, so an increase in the opposite direction tends to catch the attention of the country.  In Philadelphia, because violence and poverty have become extremely common, it is easy to understand why this person believes that bad lawyers are to blame, as many times lawyers who work with little pay end up defending these criminals.
Source/Author: This editorial comes from The New York Times, a newspaper that is recognized all over the world, and published for almost two centuries.  However this is an editorial, meaning the person is not necessarily an experienced or knowledgeable writer.  The author does include citations to other more credible articles, which make the argument more ensuring.
Purpose: The purpose of this article was not just to talk about a controversial topic, but also for the author to share their opinion of why they believed that the death penalty is more prevalent in a specific area.  I believe the author accomplished this purpose.
Rhetorical Devices: The author attempts to back up their augment using logic in order to be the most convincing.  Because the author is most likely not a professional writer, he/she also mentions other sources to back up their claims, in order for their argument to be more credible.  By referring to specific facts and other articles, the author makes it more difficult for a reader to find refutations in the argument and less likely to disagree with their opinion.