NCJ Number
239574
Journal
Criminology and Public Policy Volume: 11 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2012 Pages: 541-563
Date Published
August 2012
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This study examined the short-term impact of capital punishment as a deterrent to felony and non-felony homicides.
Abstract
Major findings from the study include the following: 1) a modest reduction in non-felony homicides was found in the month following an execution, followed by a slight rebound the second month, and with a modest net reduction seen for the 12-month period following the execution; and 2) a slight increase in felony homicides was found in the month following an execution. The increase in felony homicides was not enough to cancel out the decrease in non-felony homicides, thus indicating that in the short-term, executions have a slight, short-lived deterrent effect on homicide rates in general, and non-felony homicide rates in particular. This study examined the short-term impact of capital punishment as a deterrent to felony and non-felony homicides. Data for the study were obtained from monthly time-series analyses of executions and felony-type and non-felony-type homicides in Texas for the years 1994-2007. The results of this study are consistent with previous studies that have also found the existence of a short-term deterrent effect of executions on homicide rates. Implications for policy are discussed. Figures, tables, and references