capital punishment (death sentence) is it really a deterant?

Answer 1

No....Just look at the crime stats, The city I live in has a population of 116,000 and so far just this year we have had 11 murders.

Answer 2

First, there are 2 different types of deterrence -- specific and general. Specific refers to whether the INDIVIDUAL sentenced to death will be deterred from committing more crime. More than likely this will be the case, although they may commit additional crimes while in prison awaiting execution.

General deterrence refers to whether OTHER people will be deterred from committing that crime because they saw someone sentenced to death for it. This is probably what keeps most of us honest people honest -- the fear of punishment if we acted. But the probability of most of us committing the crime that would get the death penalty is already pretty small. Most of us aren't murderers. As for deterring those with a higher probability of actually committing murder, do you really think that those folks who commit the majority of murders contemplate what might happen to them if they are caught?? If so, do you think they have a rational expectation of getting caught?? It always surprises me when the average citizen comments, for example, on a convicted murderer's reaction to a guilty verdict, "well, he didn't show any remorse." Why do we even EXPECT someone with basically faulty thought processes already to respond the way someone without those faults would?? This is the fallacy behind general deterrence where murder is concerned.

Finally, according the behavior learning theory, for a punishment to be effective in deterring the behavior, it has to occur in temporal proximity (close in time) to the event it is trying to deter and the negative outcome has to occur EVERY TIME the unwanted behavior is exhibited. Neither of these is true with the death penalty, therefore, its ability to deter the behavior (murder) is further diminished.

Answer 3

Capital punishment is a deterrent in the commission of a crime because a person will think of the penalty before committing a crime. It will affect his decision whether to push through with his plan.

Answer 4

Very unlikely.
Think of a place that has kept the death penalty (like Texas) and see if violent crime figures are falling significantly.

Answer 5

Having a death penalty alone isn't.....following through with it steadily is.

Answer 6

Only if it's used consistently

Answer 7

up to a point. atleast it will bring down the crime rates.

Answer 8

it would be if it was USED

Answer 9

guaranteed,execute and that person will commit no more crime