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Police Chiefs', Sheriffs' Associations Reaffirm Support for Death Penalty

NCJ Number
155122
Journal
Crime Control Digest Volume: 29 Issue: 9 Dated: (March 3, 1995) Pages: 1-4
Editor(s)
B B Bosarge
Date Published
1995
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Contrary to the findings of a survey conducted by the Death Penalty Information Center, members of the major associations of police chiefs and sheriffs support capital punishment and believe it to be a useful law enforcement tool as a deterrent to violent crime.
Abstract
The president of the International Association of Chiefs of Police reports that during the last 73 years the association has repeatedly adopted resolutions expressing support for capital punishment. Similarly, in 1994 the membership of the National Sheriffs' Association passed a resolution strongly supporting the imposition of capital punishment without qualifications. These associations questioned the validity of the Death Penalty Information Center's findings, which were based on detailed interviews with a nationwide survey of 386 police chiefs, as well as sheriffs in counties that include big cities. The survey concluded that police chiefs do not consider the death penalty to be a useful law enforcement tool or a cost-effective way to address crime. Addresses and telephone numbers of the three organizations cited