Capital Punishment as a Crime Deterrent: An Evaluation of Evidence

Running head: CRIMINOLOGY
Criminology
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1CRIMINOLOGY
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Capital Punishment..........................................................................................................................2
Capital punishment as a crime deterrent..........................................................................................2

2CRIMINOLOGY
Introduction
The notion that death penalty is a significant deterrence is an outcome of belief and not
evidence. On the contrary, death penalty accelerates the murder rate as is suggested by evidence.
In the context of this evidence, the research shall explain the concept of capital punishment and
assess its effectiveness in acting as a deterrent to crimes. The research paper shall confine its
discussion to the United States of America and examine if there is a connection between capital
punishment and crime deterrence. In light of evidence, this research paper shall evaluate whether
it is prudent to splurge millions on a process that has failed to establish any value instead gives
rise to risk of executing innocents, given that other established crime-deterring measures are in
place.
Capital Punishment
Capital punishment or death penalty is the execution of an offender who is sentenced to
death after being convicted by the court of law for committing a criminal offense. Capital
punishment has been taking place since the 19th century and had been executed in exceptionally
cruel forms of capital punishment (McCafferty). Such cruel forms of execution included boiling
in oil, wheel, and decapitation by axe or guillotine, hanging and drowning. Although several
countries have abandoned the concept, but even by the end of 20th century, many nations
including US employ capital punishment.
Capital punishment as a crime deterrent
This is considered as the most contentious public policy debate all over the world and the
United States is not an exception. Some people are of the opinion that it killing a criminal will

3CRIMINOLOGY
reduce the crime rate but it must not be forgotten that life is a basic human right to which every
person including criminals are equally entitled. The debate over the efficacy of the capital
punishment has become a controversial since the US Supreme Court decision given in Furman v
Georgia [1972]. In the case, the Supreme Court prohibited executions as it was practiced during
that time owing to its capricious and arbitrary manner in which they have been administered. A
huge criticism has been generated regarding the issue and it has been mentioned that human
rights should be established above all. There are certain reasons that instigating USA government
to look into the matter of human rights (Hochkammer). According to the constitutional principle,
it has been observed that certain supports have been generated against the capital or death
penalties in its eighth constitutional amendment. Further, there are certain problems to
commence death penalties to the prisoners who are convicted with serious crimes. It is an
evidenced truth that there are many prisoners in American courts, who are leading their lives
behind the bar due to their poverty and cannot afford the cost of the judicial process. Further, the
criminal researchers and jurists in USA have criticized the concept of capital punishment.
It has been observed that capital punishment could not be established as deterrent against
crime. Capital punishment for crime is a controversial topic and it has been argued that capital
punishment snatches the minimum right of the criminal to be pleaded after being convicted for
rare offence. Further, it is to be stated that after the commencement of the death penalties, no one
could pleaded for appeal (Hatch). Therefore, there are certain problems regarding the death
penalties. The issue of human rights has also become an important part to this issue. There are
certain complexities too. It is to be contended that the theories of death penalties could not
realized the state sanctioned killing operations with an intention to derange the marginal minds
and think about their action they had done and there is a possibility that they can pass over their