Death Penalty Isn't A Deterrent On Murder Rate: National Research Council

A new study by the National Research Council says there's no evidence showing that the death penalty has a deterrent effect on the murder rate.

WASHINGTON -- A new report says there is no reliable research on whether the death penalty has any effect on the murder rate, more than 35 years since the Supreme Court allowed the resumption of executions in the United States.

The National Research Council report says all the studies on the possible deterrent effect of the death penalty suffer from fundamental flaws. The report identifies problems that include not taking account of the effects of alternatives to death sentences or insufficiently weighing how killers assess the risk of execution.

The authors of the new report say they are disappointed to reach the same conclusion as a 1978 study. They say their evaluation of the existing research does not favor either side in the long-running debate about deterrence and the death penalty.

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Comments

[gianni sermon]

09:00 AM on 10/22/2012

Even if the death penalty is not a deterrent on murder rate is the only punishment for some most heinous crime.Minimize the use of probation could be a good deterrent,especially for those accused of violent crimes.

[russlbaca]

08:18 PM on 10/21/2012

Well, a deterrent is supposed to have an effect before the event, not afterwards. Now if you had some precogs on the payroll, you could execute the murderer before he committed the deed, and that would be a deterrent.

A lot of murders are committed in the heat of the moment, and before any consideration of consequence would deter someone from committing a murder. For most people, it's one of those, "Oh crap! What did I do?!" moments, then it's off the the races! And for those really premeditating types who plot and scheme murders, well, the possible consequence of execution isn't deterring anyone much, either, is it?

So as a deterrent, the death penalty obviously doesn't cut it. It might make people feel like justice has been served up, but even that is of little solace to those who have lost a loved one, so all it really does is "deter" repeat offenders.

[sonny parker]

04:49 PM on 10/21/2012

It certainly stopped the murderers who were executed from doing it again...I would say that is a deterrent...

[reedpappy]

12:47 PM on 10/20/2012

I'll believe the death penalty isn't a deterrent to crime when they show me one executed person who has committed another crime.

[robinmt4]

05:58 PM on 10/18/2012

If deterrence was the only issue under discussion for or against the death penalty then this may be news. I do not think, though, that for the majority of people for or against this penalty this is the point. It has more to do with human rights, justice, and does a person have the right to continue to live, supported by the state in what some see as "comfort" when they have deprived another of the right to continue to live.

Huffie--at least you point out in the last sentence that the researchers themselves believe this finding "does not support either side in the long-running debate..." Considering your usual trackrecord of biased reporting this was unexpected.

[SMOOTHN2U]

02:59 PM on 10/17/2012

I believe if we wish it to be a deterrent we have to utilize it in a much shorter window than allowing someone to sit on death row for 15 plus years. If criminals saw it being utilized in a much more hasten time frame we might lessen the extent of heinous crimes. But here again lies the problem too many innocent people sitting on death row he shouldn't be. but in the case of child molesters, rapist, who beyond a shadow of a doubt are guilty of their crimes it should be immediate, them being put to death! (there is no rehabilitation for these monsters).

[John Dillingerr]

09:20 AM on 10/17/2012

let the victim's family stick the needle in

[yoda1569]

12:58 AM on 10/16/2012

I think thats a load of crap!!!! If you really want the death penalty to be a deterrant, then we need to start using it in EVERY STATE. For the perps who were caught red handed, proven by dna to be guilty, confessed to the crime, ETC then there should be only one trial. When foung guilty the perp should be executed within 1 WEEK of being found guilty! No more plea bargins! No more changing the ruling to life in prison if the perp was already found guilty, and given the death sentence. This is why no one fears jail, prison, or the death penalty! There are WAY to many plea bargins, appeals to try and get the perps sentence reduced from death to life in prison, and it takes 20+years to carry out a death penalty sentence! The death penalty could carry MUCH more power if it was actually used in a timely manner. I'm tired of everybody screeming about the prisoners rights all the time! What about the victims rights???!!! The victim didn't get a say in wheather they wanted to live or die when some monster decided to kill them in cold blood! The poor little children who are kidnapped, raped, and killed didn't have a say in what happened to them! We have to be the voice for the victims! And i don't think making law abiding, tax paying citizens pay to keep monsters like this in prison alive is a fair either.

[condokinghhi]

03:27 PM on 10/15/2012

they left out the ONE fact that matters - 100% of murderers who are executed do NOT repeat offend... 100%... it isn't there to deter others, other than to make them stop and think before premeditating a murder... i doubt anyone who murders in the heat of the moment COULD be detered from killing someone... it's there to make sure that one murderer never gets out and murders someone else...

[lbxec]

01:13 PM on 10/15/2012

not a deterrent b/c it takes so damn long for the "process" to work, even with irrefutable evidence.

[swsmith45]

01:29 AM on 10/14/2012

It might not be a deterrent per se, but execution definitely removes one murderer from among the living. At least that's one less we have to deal with.

[lengua99]

04:46 PM on 10/13/2012

Many more studies say it is a deterrent. However, the quicker you die the more it is. With all the liberals you have a better chance of dying in jail from natural causes than having the state put you to death. Or you have states where they have it but don't actually enforce it, like CT. In fact they have two who are still under the old law, the Cheshire murders but good luck on that actually happening. They just get a little harder treatment but in the end they'll die of old age waiting for the state to carry out the sentence of death.


MARC

[lovktt9]

02:34 PM on 10/13/2012

The death penalty isn't a deterrant because you spend 20 years before being put to death. You get three meals a day and a bed to sleep in. I believe the death penalty should only be used for those cases where there is no doubt the person did the crime. There is no questionable evidence they have you no questions asked then you have 24 hours and no last meal. I also believe in public execution and public stocks for humiliation, and an eye for an eye, but I'm considered old fashion.

[lengua99]

04:48 PM on 10/13/2012

The murderers know this, except in TX they have a better chance of winning the lottery than to be put to death. Thanks liberals, hopefully one that got let out shows up at your door.



MARC

[Dorian Mode]

01:06 PM on 10/13/2012

If prisons, were real prisons, and were made so terrifying that no one in his right mind would want to go to prison. Our prisons are day camps for delinquents. They have every amenity that a non criminal has except they don't have to pay for it. Prisons should have long sentences, with no parole, 5 years should mean 5 years not 5 years eligible for parole in 18 months, with the balance on probation. You have committed a crime against, the people and you should be punished as society dictates. I'm really tired of prisons being a training ground for lifetime criminals.If we punish and isolate, I'm sure that crime would decrease. We could save money if we made smaller cells, 23 hours isolation, and one meal a day. We never go far enough, we want war but we don't want no one to die, we want justice but no one should be punished. We go to war with an enemy that does not wear uniforms,and when a civilian gets killed by accident we blame ours soldiers. When are we gonna learn that treatment is only so much BS, and it's expensive. Here let me sum up counseling for you in one quote, "Wanna change behavior,make that behavior hurt like hell, you only have to tell a child once that fire burns, you should only have to tell a criminal once that prison or jail, is not where you wanna be. "

[henker]

03:17 AM on 10/13/2012

I know that it definately keeps the recidivism rate way down.