Posted on 06/11/2007 1:49:03 AM PDT by fabrizio
A 2003 study he co-authored, and a 2006 study that re-examined the data, found that each execution results in five fewer homicides, and commuting a death sentence means five more homicides. "The results are robust, they don't really go away," he said. "I oppose the death penalty. But my results show that the death penalty (deters) — what am I going to do, hide them?"
Statistical studies like his are among a dozen papers since 2001 that capital punishment has deterrent effects. (...) To explore the question, they look at executions and homicides, by year and by state or county, trying to tease out the impact of the death penalty on homicides by accounting for other factors, such as unemployment data and per capita income, the probabilities of arrest and conviction, and more.
(...)The studies' conclusions drew a philosophical response from a well-known liberal law professor, University of Chicago's Cass Sunstein. A critic of the death penalty, in 2005 he co-authored a paper titled "Is capital punishment morally required?"
"If it's the case that executing murderers prevents the execution of innocents by murderers, then the moral evaluation is not simple," he told The Associated Press. "Abolitionists or others, like me, who are skeptical about the death penalty haven't given adequate consideration to the possibility that innocent life is saved by the death penalty."
(...)Several authors of the pro-deterrent reports said they welcome criticism in the interests of science, but said their work is being attacked by opponents of capital punishment for their findings, not their flaws.
"Instead of people sitting down and saying 'let's see what the data shows,' it's people sitting down and saying 'let's show this is wrong,'" said Paul Rubin, an economist and co-author of an Emory University study.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
” “The results are robust, they don’t really go away,” he said. “I oppose the death penalty. But my results show that the death penalty (deters) — what am I going to do, hide them?” “
If he doesn’t ‘hide them’, he’s gonna lose his parking space at the Faculty Club....
Honest scientists are an endangered species.....
In other news, researchers have determined that it is water that makes rain wet.
“Instead of people sitting down and saying ‘let’s see what the data shows,’ it’s people sitting down and saying ‘let’s show this is wrong,’”
I am a firm believer in the death penalty.
No one has ever repeated his crime after execution.
The problems with the death penalty is the length of time in carrying it out.
The costs of repeated trials makes the death penalty expensive.
A person convicted of capitol murder should be given a new trial in 60 days of the first one. At the end of this second trial if he remains convicted he/she should be executed within 30 days. The mental status of this person should not enter into the equation. If we had a rabid dog that killed do we feel sorry for the dog because it became rabid?
Deterrence works. Proof is all around us. Remember, the Soviet Union was deterred from attacking Europe by the fear that the United States would nuke Russia.
And you can prove it to yourself. Here’s how. The next time you are going down the Interstate over the speed limit and see a State Patrol car up ahead, try keeping your foot from lifting off the accelerator and tapping the brake peddle a few times.
No power on Earth could prevent you from slowing down. You slow down because you are DETERRED from speeding by the fear of imminent punishment.
Of course, deterrence works only on normal people. On such as Paris Hilton, Teddy Kennedy, Bill Clinton and other people who consider themselves above the law, nothing deters.
Death stops 60 page rap sheets from getting longer.
When deterrence doesn't work, there's only one solution left then.
I wonder how many of those who oppose the death penalty support abortion and assisted suicide?
All are liberal positions.
The hypocrisy of liberals is mind boggling.
Death by hanging would deter even more.
When the Supreme Court declared the death penalty in most states unconstitutional in the Seventies; the murder rate shot up and has continued to grow every year since. Today there are over 35,000 homicides annually
That evidence is published every year in the FBI Crime Report. What does the history of the death penalty tell l an intelligent, rational person about the death penalty?
“If we had a rabid dog that killed do we feel sorry for the dog because it became rabid?”
It’s a dog. The other is a human. But I do see where you are coming from.
If you are a thief, cut off a hand. If you are a rapist, cut off the genitals. If you are a murderer, off with the head.
EveryFriday the Saudis would take prisoners to the public square and execute them by beheading them. They still have murderers. The question is does the death penalty deter more people from becoming murderers?
What is does do is lets us get one more killer off the streets and from ever killing again, but there will always be killers out there.
I can see the difference between a dog and a human.
People who commit cold blooded murder I dont consider as human.
Google “raped and killed” read some of those stories and tell me those perps are human.
They aren’t human. They are animals. But do not insult dogs this way...:)
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I used to think exactly the same way. The reason I've changed my mind is that too many innocent people get railroaded by the justice system. Too many guilty walk away, thumbing their noses at the rest of us. If a person is guilty because of irrefutible evidence, then hang him/her. Quit wasting taxpayer money on their appeals.
It's a tricky issue...
Irrefutable evidence I totally agree with.
Often what hangs up executions is not doubt of guilt but merely legal technicalities.
I am definitely not in favor of miscarriage of justice and innocent people fried!
I’m opposed to abortion, assisted suicide, and the death penalty (except in extreme cases). I know what you are saying about liberals. Their rationing makes little sense. If anything, the people being killed in abortion and assisted suicide are innocent so their lives should be protected first.
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