cruel and unusual punishment

Cultural  

1. Punishment prohibited by the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution. Cruel and unusual punishment includes torture, deliberately degrading punishment, or punishment that is too severe for the crime committed. This concept helps guarantee due process even to convicted criminals. Many people have argued that capital punishment (see also capital punishment) should be considered cruel and unusual punishment.

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cruel and unusual punishment

The excessive fines clause is the neglected middle child of the Eighth Amendment, wedged between excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment, and almost never litigated.

From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026

Inmates have challenged the use of lethal injections in the past on the grounds they may violate Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026

The Eighth Amendment to the Constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, including the denial of necessary medical care for inmates.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2025

The San Francisco-based 9th Circuit held it is cruel and unusual punishment for cities or their police to arrest or fine people who sleep in public because they have nowhere else to go.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2024

Since then, the courts have found the extremity of that kind of treatment to constitute cruel and unusual punishment.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover