Capital punishment as a deterrent? look at these stats and you decide?

Question

Homicides in Canada in 2005: 648 (no death penalty)
Homicides in US in 2005: 14,860 (33 states with death penalty)

US has ten times the population but 23 times the number of homicides.

Sources:
http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/85-002-XIE/85-002-XIE2006006.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_violence_in_the_United_States

Answer 1

It's also interesting to look at this graph:
http://www.amnestyusa.org/abolish/i/homiciderates.gif

Non-death penalty states have far less crimes than death penalty states. The article which supports the position is in my sources below.

If that isn't enough to sway anyone then I would hope the fact that 123 people since 1973 have been found innocent while on death row. That doesn't include a good number who were killed and only found to be innocent years later with advanced DNA evidence.

Answer 2

Well the murder rate is partly cultural as well,I I don't mean involving firearms,Australia had just as much of a gun culture as US until recently as socialism started to take over and still had a much lower per capita murder rate. I could go in to detail but then the racism accusations always start regardless of the fact that statistics show same thing I say. My point is I don't care one whit if capital punishment is a deterrent,to me it's a simple issue of justice. I guess most should just be glad that my line of thought doesn't rule the day if they don't support the death penalty because if I had my way everyone convicted of first degree murder would get the death penalty. Beyond that we can negotiate but I think there are other crimes that deserve it,such as child molestation,at a minimum on the second offence.

AD

Answer 3

I think there may be other factors at play there.

But, who says the purpose of capital punishment is a deterrent? Capital punishment provides "punishment," not capital deterrence. It also provides relief for the victim's family. Imagine that you are a father and someone sadistically tortures and kills your daughter. What would you do? What would you want to do? The State has the obligation to fulfill the public's expectation of justice.

The death penalty continues because the public continues to support it.

Some say that they believe that life imprisonment is worse than death; but, life imprisonment comes at a social and economic cost. Also, life imprisonment does not provide the same closure that the families of the victim seek.

I do not consider myself to be a supporter of the death penalty, but I can understand why many do support it.

Answer 4

Welcome 2 the US we have more freedom's some take it to extremes but these state's r always going 2 b higher b/c we r a melting pot country Canada is more "same page"kinda people my Hubie is from there & his family all similar i'm sorry but i like the melting pot(us)even with the crime.I think harm none(but an eye 4 eye)like in china we would,make a impression so it cuts down the crime.these crimials have 2 many rights so it will counitue if we don't make an impression sorry but people here in the US 2 impose r rights as citizens 2 make these crimals pay 4 there acts

Answer 5

There are many other factors at work than capitol punishment. If a murderer is removed from the Earth you have eliminated someone with the propensity to kill. Most killers would kill again. It's ironic most people who oppose the death penalty are pro choice. go figure 49er is right. How can it deter if they know they get 15 years of appeals. It should be shortened to at longest a year.

Answer 6

States with the death penalty have higher homicide rates, too, and states that switch from having the death penalty end up having fewer homicides per capita.

But then again there are a lot of people out there that regard math as witchcraft...

Answer 7

Considering that DC and Puerto Rico have no death penalty and the highest murder rates of US states and territories I would have to say their is some flaw in your analysis.

Answer 8

Your stats are flawed. We have no pig farmer serial killers here either. In Canada it is so cold that people rarley leave their houses. In America, people are always out doing something. I love the death penalty and so do most Americans - 75%. I like it used for heinous crimes and this includes, torture killings, raping and or killing children, the list goes on. These people need to have their lives snuffed out so they are not breathing the same air the rest of us do.

Answer 9

We would have more death sentences if we would actually kill everyone on death row insted of feeding and hosing them for 20 years while they play the law game at our expense. If we did kill right away the number would drop.

Answer 10

And what liberal conducted that survey, you?

Besides, it really doesn't matter. Capital punishment makes a statement that the murdered person's life meant something and provides justice for the person's loved ones.

Nevertheless, I'm not saying that I'm always in favor of it, especially when liberal activist judges exist within the legal system, and lawyers are allowed to weed out jurors who have any sense, and the ones that are selected are ill-informed concerning their jurors' rights.