Capital Punishment
Capital Punishment | The Death Penalty and Deterrence: An Overview
Capital punishment backers traditionally cite two reasons why society is justified in executing certain criminals: retribution and deterrence. They claim that executions satisfy the public’s demand that murderers suffer punishment proportionate to their offense. The deterrence rationale rests on somewhat shakier ground, however, because of the difficulty of proving that the death penalty deters capital crimes.
Nonetheless, deterrence is invariably part of the debate. A 1985 study by Stephen K. Layson, an economist at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, shows that the...
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- Introduction
- Chapter 1: Is Capital Punishment Ethical?
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Chapter 2: Is Capital Punishment Administered Fairly?
- The Death Penalty and Fairness: An Overview
- Capital Punishment Is Applied Unfairly
- Racism Influences Death- Sentence Decisions
- The Litigation Process for Capital Defendants Is Unfair
- Reforms Are Needed to Prevent the Execution of Innocent People
- Claims About the Unfairness of Capital Punishment Are Unfounded
- Capital Punishment Is Not Applied Unfairly to Blacks
- Unfair Application of Capital Punishment Does Not Justify Abolishing It
- The Death Penalty Should Be Carried Out More Promptly
- Chapter 3: Is Capital Punishment an Effective Deterrent to Crime?
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Chapter 4: Should Capital Punishment Be Abolished?
- Chapter 4 Preface
- The Death Penalty Should Be Abolished
- The Death Penalty Should Be Retained
- Capital Punishment Should Not Be Applied Unless Absolutely Necessary
- Capital Punishment Deserves Cautious Support
- Life Without Parole Is Preferable to the Death Penalty
- The Death Penalty Is Preferable to Life Without Parole
- Mentally Disadvantaged Killers Should Not Be Sentenced to Death
- The Mental Competence of a Murderer Can Be Difficult to Determine
- Organizations to Contact
- Bibliography
- Copyright
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