NCJ Number
27322
Date Published
1972
Length
19 pages
Annotation
A DISCUSSION OF THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF PUNISHMENT ON INFANTICIDE, CRIMINAL ABORTION, AND DRUNKEN DRIVING.
Abstract
CITING EIGHTEENTH, NINETEENTH, AND TWENTIETH CENTURY STATISTICS, THE AUTHOR INDICATES THAT INFACTICIDE WAS MARKEDLY MORE PREVALENT LONG AGO, ALTHOUGH THE PUNISHMENT, USUALLY CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, WAS MORE SEVERE. CRIMINAL ABORTIONS ARE, HOWEVER, STRONGLY AFFECTED BY CRIMINAL SANCTIONS. THIS IS MORE THE RESULT OF DOCTORS' HESITENCY THAN THAT OF PROSEPCTIVE MOTHERS. ALSO, THE IMPACT OF ANTI-ABORTION PENALTIES IS SEEN TO BE SELECTIVE TO AN EXTENT. UNWED PROSPECTIVE MOTHERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO UNDERGO ILLEGAL ABORTIONS THAN ARE MARRIED WOMEN. STATISTICS INDICATE A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE INCIDENCE OF DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED FOLLOWING INSTITUTION OF STRONGER SANCTIONS IN GREAT BRITAIN. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT THE EFFECTS OF DETERRENCE VARY ACCORDING TO THE SPECIFIC OFFENSES.