11
Jun
Jun
Death Penalty Deters Crime
What a concept! New studies show what I have known through common sense: the death penalty actually deters crime. Among the conclusions from three separate studies:
• Each execution deters an average of 18 murders, according to a 2003 nationwide study by professors at Emory University. (Other studies have estimated the deterred murders per execution at three, five and 14).
• The Illinois moratorium on executions in 2000 led to 150 additional homicides over four years following, according to a 2006 study by professors at the University of Houston.
• Speeding up executions would strengthen the deterrent effect. For every 2.75 years cut from time spent on death row, one murder would be prevented, according to a 2004 study by an Emory University professor.
When you show you are hard on crime and there are real consequences for your crimes, crime will go down. It just makes sense.
