If you’re anywhere near a criminologist’s head at the moment, it’s advised that you take cover.
“Science does really draw a conclusion. It did. There is no question about it,” said Naci Mocan, an economics professor at the University of Colorado at Denver. “The conclusion is there is a deterrent effect.”
A 2003 study he co-authored, and a 2006 study that re-examined the data, found that each execution results in five fewer homicides, and commuting a death sentence means five more homicides. “The results are robust, they don’t really go away,” he said. “I oppose the death penalty. But my results show that the death penalty (deters) — what am I going to do, hide them?”
Statistical studies like his are among a dozen papers since 2001 that capital punishment has deterrent effects. They all explore the same basic theory — if the cost of something (be it the purchase of an apple or the act of killing someone) becomes too high, people will change their behavior (forego apples or shy away from murder).
To explore the question, they look at executions and homicides, by year and by state or county, trying to tease out the impact of the death penalty on homicides by accounting for other factors, such as unemployment data and per capita income, the probabilities of arrest and conviction, and more.
Among the conclusions:
# Each execution deters an average of 18 murders, according to a 2003 nationwide study by professors at Emory University. (Other studies have estimated the deterred murders per execution at three, five and 14).
# The Illinois moratorium on executions in 2000 led to 150 additional homicides over four years following, according to a 2006 study by professors at the University of Houston.
# Speeding up executions would strengthen the deterrent effect. For every 2.75 years cut from time spent on death row, one murder would be prevented, according to a 2004 study by an Emory University professor.
richfisher: your 16 1/2 tons pro CP are reversible. Comparing apples and oranges. You are basically saying that we should execute on the spot instead of bothering with trial. I rest my case.
“You too, Ted. Executions deter repeat offences.”
Well that’s the issue we debating here isn’t it, Phantom. Your gut tells you that a possible punishment of death would surely make someone think before killing. Frankly, my gut tells me that that kinda makes sense too. We learn good behaviour from fear of punishment as much as or probably more than model behaviour.
Except…
for something that seems so obvious to so many…
… there is no solid evidence. If it was even half as clear as you want to make it then you would think that there would be way more studies showing a link because the evidence would be overwhelming. But that’s not the case. Anywhere.
The few, occasional, re-hashed studies like this one are consistently weak on their methodology and evidence (like including all homicides in the calculation even those that would never end up in an execution). There are simply too few executions to make any kind of statistical conclusion. On a basic level, the kind of person who is going to kill another human being has already gone past the point of rational thought process that factors in the kind of deterrence you are talking about.
And even if there is deterrence, the idea of deliberately targetting and killing someone who is innocent should be absolutely repulsive to any citizen and that is what happens because we are such fallible humans living in a wholly imperfect world.
I think we should be doing a better job of locking up murderers for life, but nothing has and nothing will convince me that deliberately killing a human being, outside of immediate self-defence and war, has any positive net good.
An executed murderer can’t do it again. Which is good enough for me. The debate should only be about how much certainty of guilt is required.
No one argues that the State has the right to use lethal force to defend itself. We’re killing Al-Queda and Taliban every day, to ensure they don’t do 9-11 type things again. We killed uncounted Germans and Japanese to stop them, and were fine with that necessity.
Why is a convicted murderer any less of a threat, or his life more valuable? Because he was born here?
Arrogant.
No one likes to see the innocent killed, whether it be “collateral damage” on the battlefield, or an innocent wrongly executed. Our efforts should be to do our best to minimize errors; not take away the only sure means to remove the threat.
Like Mad Mike said, its hard for a convicted killer to do it again once he/she/its been executed.
As you know I’m not fond of increasing the powers of the state. As I said above I’m not sure our current crop of cops/crown attorneys is able to rise to the level of professionalism required of a system that has the death penalty.
Just look at Ipperwash/Caledonia/Deseronto. All it takes to corrupt the system is a phone call from the premiere’s office. Or Oka. How many cops got killed there, and how many guys are rotting in jail for it?
I don’t want guys that sleazy to have the power of life and death. That power belongs rightly to the poor bastard at the sharp end, the immanent victim.
That said, there are some things that society cannot allow. Kimveer Gil, had he survived, would be my idea of the perfect candidate for hanging. You can’t be allowed to pull a massacre and live.
Aaron,save “You are basically saying “.
I know what I said.
And I appologize for not being clearer.
Aaron,please excuse me if I’ve misinterpreted, but you see the irrevocability of the death sentence with “16 tons” worth (your term) of “repugnance”.
Given the points I’ve listed like “parole” and mandatory release policies, some advocates of the death penalty are “attracted” with 16.5 tons (my term) to the same irrevocability.
eg.
Pol Pot died of old age and leng Sary his first lt. and brother in law, was pardoned.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article732431.ece
Death Penalty, what a DAMN good idea.
They cant do it again if there 6 feet under…
as to armed self defence, well they can regi my gun when they pry it from my cold dead fingers.
Eddie Goldenberg : “I doubt anyone psycho enough to shove a knife down my throat or rape my daughter is going to give a moment’s rational thought to whether or not he will be executed for doing so.”
I’m glad you find comfort that a released killer doesn’t suffer rational thought in killing you or your family.
I doubt anyone psycho enough to shove a knife down my throat or rape my daughter is going to give a moment’s rational thought to whether or not he will be executed for doing so.
Yeah, like the murderer in Virginia just accidentally picked a gun free zone to shoot some people.
I doubt anyone psycho enough to shove a knife down my throat or rape my daughter is going to give a moment’s rational thought to whether or not he will be executed for doing so.
Yeah, like the murderer in Virginia just accidentally picked a gun free zone to shoot some people.