NCJ Number
56238
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 25 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL 1979) Pages: 200-218
Date Published
1979
Length
19 pages
Annotation
A CRIMINOLOGICAL PROFILE OF 83 CONDEMNED FLORIDA INMATES INDICATES THAT THE RACE OF THE VICTIM HAS A SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON THE SENTENCING OF CAPITAL OFFENDERS.
Abstract
THE EXPERIENCE OF INTERVIEWING 83 OF THE 96 INMATES ON FLORIDA'S DEATH ROW PROMPTED A TEXAS LAW PROFESSOR TO CONCLUDE THAT SOCIETY WILL NOT BENEFIT FROM THE USE OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. RATHER, THE EXACTING OF SUCH RETRIBUTION FROM AN INMATE IS AN ADMISSION OF THE FAILURE OF OUR SOCIETY TO ADEQUATELY DEAL WITH THE UNIQUE PROBLEMS OF MAJOR CRIMINALS. AS OF JUNE 15, 1977, THE RACIAL DISTRIBUTION AMONG THE 96 INMATES WAS 60 PERCENT WHITE AND 40 PERCENT BLACK, WITH AN AGE RANGE FROM 17 TO 59. THE AVERAGE AGE WAS IN THE MIDTWENTIES, WITH MOST INMATES POSSESSING NORMAL INTELLIGENCE AND BLUE-COLLAR WORK EXPERIENCE. CONTRARY TO THE FINDINGS OF EARLIER STUDIES, MOST OF THE INTERVIEWEES IN THE FLORIDA SAMPLE WERE STRANGERS TO THEIR VICTIMS. PREDICTABLY, HOWEVER, MOST OF THE INMATES FELT THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED A FAIR TRIAL AND THAT THEIR TRIAL JUDGES WANTED THEIR CONVICTIONS. MOST INMATES FELT THAT RACISM PLAYS A LARGE PART IN THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM. DATA SUGGEST THAT A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER OF BLACKS WHO KILLED WHITES RECEIVED THE DEATH PENALTY, BUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SENTENCING AND VICTIM'S RACE SHOULD BE CONDUCTED. THE INMATES ARE FURTHER CHARACTERIZED BY A HIGH DEGREE OF OPTIMISM AND SEE THEMSELVES AS EXCELLENT CANDIDATES FOR REHABILITATION. BECAUSE OF THE LOW RECIDIVISM RATE FOR PAROLEES OVER AGE 50 AND BECAUSE MOST OF THE CONDEMNED INMATES WOULD NOT BE RELEASED PRIOR TO THAT AGE IF THEIR SENTENCES WERE COMMUTED, THE ELIMINATION OF THE DEATH PENALTY WOULD BE TO THE BENEFIT OF SOCIETY. TABULAR DATA AND FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK).