NCJ Number
45179
Journal
JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS Volume: 6 Issue: 1-2 Dated: (SUMMER/ WINTER 1977) Pages: 107-143
Date Published
1977
Length
37 pages
Annotation
THE DETERRENT EFFECTS OF IMPRISONMENT AND CAPTIAL PUNISHMENT ARE ASSESSED AND COMPARED IN A STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF STATE DATA.
Abstract
THE STUDY CONSIDERS THE FOLLOWING: THE RELATIVE DETERRENT EFFECTIVENESS OF IMPRISONMENT AND EXECUTIVE FOR RAPE IN STATES THAT PROVIDE FOR BOTH TYPES OF SANCTIONS FOR THIS CRIME; THE EFFECT OF USING TWO DIFFERENT MEASURES OF THE DEATH PENALTY IN CONSIDERING ITS DETERRENT EFFECT ON RAPE; AND THE EFFECT OF USING TIME-LAG FACTORS OF 1 TO 5 YEARS IN EXAMINING THE EXECUTION-OFFENSE RATE RELATIONSHIP. UNEMPLOYMENT AND CERTAINTY OF PUNISHMENT ARE INTRODUCED AS CONTROL VARIABLES. ANALYSIS OF DATA FOR 1951 AND 1969 REVEALS THAT SEVERITY AND CERTAINTY OF IMPRISONMENT, AS WELL AS BOTH MEASURES OF EXECUTION, ARE INVERSELY RELATED TO RAPE RATES IN BOTH YEARS. HOWEVER, EACH MEASURE OF EXECUTION IS LESS STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH OFFENSE RATES THAN EITHER SEVERITY OR CERTAINTY OF IMPRISONMENT. UNEMPLOYMENT ALSO IS MORE STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH RAPE RATES THAN EITHER MEASURE OF EXECUTION FOR EACH YEAR AND TIME-LAG PERIOD STUDIED. FURTHER ANALYSIS SUGGESTS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE THRESHOLD OF THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF THE CERTAINTY OF PUNISHMENT FOR RAPE IS SUCH THAT RAPE RATES ARE NOT SERIOUSLY AFFECTED WHEN CERTAINTY LEVELS DROP FROM 50 TO 20 PERCENT. THE ANALYSIS DOES NOT PROVIDE CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE WITH REGARD TO THE PROPER TIME LAG TO CONSIDER IN EXAMINING THE EXECUTION-OFFENSE RATE RELATIONSHIP, OR THE ADVANTAGES OF USING THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF EXECUTIONS FOR RAPE, AS OPPOSED TO THE RATIO OF REPORTED RAPES TO EXECUTIONS, AS A MEASURE OF THE DEATH PENALTY. POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY ARE DISCUSSED. TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED.(LKM)