OLD CONTROVERSY RENEWED - INTRODUCTION TO THE JBE (JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORL ECONOMICS) CAPITAL PUNISHMENT SYMPOSIUM

• NCJ Number: 45175
• Journal: JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS Volume: 6 Issue: 1-2 Dated: (SUMMER/ WINTER 1977) Pages: 1-32
• Author(s): J A YUNKER
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 32 pages
• Corporate Author: Western Illinois University
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

CONTROVERSY OVER THE INTERPRETATION OF STATISTICS PERTAINING TO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AS A DETERRENT TO CRIME IS REVIEWED, AND THE TOPICS COVERED BY SYMPOSIUM ARTICLES ARE INTRODUCED.

Abstract

IT IS FIRST POINTED OUT THAT THE PRIMARY FACTOR IN THE RAPID RESTORATION OF PUBLIC APPROVAL OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT SINCE THE MID-1960'S PROBABLY HAS BEEN THE DRAMATIC RISE IN ALL CRIME RATES THAT BEGAN ALMOST PRECISELY AT THE TIME DURING WHICH CAPITAL PUNISHMENT WAS BEING PHASED OUT. A NUMBER OF POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS OF THE INVERSE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CRIME RATES AND EXECUTIONS ARE NOTED, WITH REFERENCE TO THE WORKS OF THOSE SUPPORTING VARIOUS INTERPRETATIONS. THE DETERRENCE ISSUE IS SAID TO REMAIN FUNDAMENTAL TO THE ENTIRE DEBATE OVER CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, DESPITE SURVEY FINDINGS THAT 75 PERCENT OF THOSE OPPOSED TO CAPITAL PUNISHMENT CLAIMED THEY WOULD NOT CHANGE THEIR ATTITUDES EVEN IF IT COULD BE PROVED THAT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT OPERATED AS A STRONG DETERRENT TO HOMICIDE. THE SAME SURVEY FOUND THAT 93 PERCENT OF THE SUPPORTERS OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FELT IT WAS A MORE EFFECTIVE DETERRENT THAN LIFE IMPRISONMENT, WHEREAS 92 PERCENT OF THE OPPONENTS FELT THAT IT WAS NOT. ISSUES IN THE STATISTICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE DETERRENCE HYPOTHESIS ARE EXPLORED. METHODS AND RESEARCH DESIGNS EMPLOYED IN EMPIRICAL STUDIES ARE DISCUSSED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT A DEFINITIVE CONCLUSION WITH REGARD TO THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT MAY NOT BE FORTHCOMING FOR SOME TIME. A SURVEY OF THE CONTENTS OF THE SYMPOSIUM INCLUDES COMMENTS ON THE SUBJECT MATTER AND RESEARCH APPROACH IN EACH OF THE 14 PAPERS. THE PRESENTATIONS, ALL OF WHICH CONCERN THE APPLICATION OF SOCIAL SCIENTIFIC METHODOLOGY TO THE ISSUE OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, ARE SAID TO CONSTITUTE A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE LITERATURE ON THE SUBJECT. FOR SEPARATE ABSTRACTS OF THE PAPERS, SEE NCJ-45176-45189. (LKM)