NCJ Number
19254
Journal
Criminology Volume: 12 Issue: 4 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1975) Pages: 447-473
Date Published
1975
Length
27 pages
Annotation
EXAMINATION OF THE DIFFERENTIAL DETERRENT EFFECTS OF SEVERITY OF PUNISHMENT (CAPITAL PUNISHMENT OVER LIFE IMPRISONMENT) AND THE CERTAINTY OF PUNISHMENT FOR THE CRIME OF SKYJACKING.
Abstract
THE RESEARCH DESIGN INVOLVED FOCUSING ON CHANGES IN THE RATE OF ATTEMPTS WHICH COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO EACH OF FIVE 'CRITICAL POINTS' - OF WHICH TWO REPRESENT CHANGES IN SEVERITY, TWO REPRESENT CHANGES IN CERTAINTY, AND ONE REPRESENTS A COMBINATION OF BOTH. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TWO CERTAINTY EVENTS PRODUCED SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN THE RATE OF ATTEMPTS, WHILE THE TWO SEVERITY EVENTS AND THE COMBINATION EVENT YIELDED MINIMAL OR AMBIGUOUS RESULTS. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT GIVEN THE SPECIFIC CRIME OF SKYJACKING AND THE POPULATION OF POTENTIAL OFFENDERS, INCREASING THE CERTAINTY OF PUNISHMENT ACTS AS A BETTER DETERRENT THAN INCREASING THE SEVERITY OF PUNISHMENT, THUS ARGUING AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY. HE OFFERS SEVERAL ARGUMENTS TO SUPPORT HIS CONCLUSION. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)