Texas Deterrence Effect

Superior Essays
Texas, who has the highest execution rate, is used to determine whether or not the executions in this state are effective in deterrence of crime. Richard Dieter feels that the execution rate in Texas is a crisis (1994). Numerous offenders who have been sentenced to the death penalty have been later found innocent of the crimes they were accused of committing. The death warrants are signed so quickly that the investigations are not given a fair amount of consideration. During trials the corrupted prosecutors, unreliable medical “experts”, and perjured testimonies have led to false imprisonment of many people. Texas is not the only state that has these problems but it is the worse.
Zimmerman’s article summarizes the deterrence effect of each
…show more content…
Snell displays a table that shows the possible capital offenses that can cause a person to be charged with capital punishment. A majority of the states punish first degree murder, capital murder, and aggravated murder with state execution (Snell, 2010). The United States Department of Health and Human Services defines homicide as a death caused by “an injury purposely inflicted by other persons” (Bailey, 1990). Hjalmarsson investigates whether or not felony homicides versus non- felony homicides have a better deterrence effect (2012). The study shows that the probability of a variation in the murder rate is dependent on the timing of the execution. The homicide rate can change if the execution is days surrounding the incident. Monthly data is more accurate and useful than annual data. Hjalmarsson agrees with Bailey that executions only deter potential murder when the execution are made known to the public (2012).
Literature Review
To evaluate the effectiveness of capital punishment numerous reports and articles have been analyzed over the years. In order for the deterrence effect to be present there must be a decline in the murder rates of states that utilize executions to punish offenders found guilty of crimes. These articles describe a need for publicity of the executions to actually deter potential crime in the future. There is also
…show more content…
Siennick article “Deterrence and the Death Penalty: A New Look at Some Recent Findings”, it is expected that potential murderers weigh the benefits and costs of killing before committing the act, which is the meaning of deterrence (2012). The threat of execution should change the decision to not killing the person. Texas has the highest number of executions since the Gregg v. Georgia ruling which has led to the belief that Texas seems to defy the findings of the deterrent effect. The Gregg v. Georgia was a Supreme Court case that took place in 1976 which restored capital punishment. Thirty-four years later in 2010 the United States had approximately 8,000 people on death row and only executed about 1,200 of the

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In 2010, 14000 homicides occurred but only 106 death sentences were imposed (Garland, September, 13, 2010). In countries like Singapore (Garland, September, 13, 2010) a drug trafficker will hang “swiftly and often.” This measure of punishment is meant to deter the crime but implement retributive punishment and Singapore does not share their law enforcement statistics (Garland, September, 13, 2010). Cunningham & Vigen (2002) found when describing profiles for inmates on death row, the intellectual, reading ability and psychological defects are the stifling setbacks to inmates participating in their appeals. As has been shown (Cunningham & Vigen, 2002) demographically, the states with the highest number of death row inmates are California (607),…

    • 375 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The death penalty case cost is about 2.3 million and three times more expensive than the cost of 40-year incarceration in a highest security facility. In comparison to Florida with 24 million cost per execution, North Carolina 2.16 million, and 4 billion in California for 13 people executed in total. Tax payers’ money is used to subsidize these endeavors. However, the death penalty in Texas is going to continue in place for many years, especially because when judges are elected they are already expected to hand down tough penalties in order to get re-elected, and also because the attorneys appointed by the court on capital murder cases have little or no experience handling these kind of…

    • 1135 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Adrianne Haslet-Davis writes such a vivid recognition of enforcing the death penalty by the use of deterrence. She focuses on an individual story, hers being coming close to death. She goes on and on about if any individuals was murdered the life of the murderer should be also. The community tends to always use punishments to put down criminals from their cruel and heinous actions. However, with our crime rates so high, it's plain up simple that the smartest punishment for any murderer should be execution.…

    • 804 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    As John Morrison exclaimed,“It should be clear that the death penalty does just the opposite of promoting decency and respect for life... It can never be applied fairly.” Since the mid nineteenth century, inmates on death row have been murdered by a plethora of gruesome methods, such as venomous lethal injections, gas chambers, and electrocution. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, there have been 1,413 executions in the United States from 1976 to the present. Although the number of death penalty verdicts are decreasing, flaws in the American judicial system have caused an increase in the amount of punishing wrongfully accused suspects to the death penalty.…

    • 1178 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Death Penalty In Texas

    • 1569 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The rebirth of the death penalty in 1976, marked a history, that would consist of a long debate and controversial on its moral principles. Currently, there are 271 inmates on death row, just in Texas alone. Mostly men, commit capital offenses, which is the only way for they to be sentenced to death. They have to go through a lengthy trial, once sentenced, to be able to appeal the decision. The isolation, and the pain an inmate may go through while the deadly mix flows through his or her veins, raise many eyebrows, with people constantly questioning whether it is a violation to the eighth amendment.…

    • 1569 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Because Texas is one of the most heavily populated states in the country, I am not shocked that Texas ranks number one in the number of prisoners. Texas has more inmates than California who has a larger population than our state. The prisons in Texas are very overcrowded. Texas is one of the states in the country that imposes the death penalty. The state reserves the death penalty to those who commit criminal homicide such as murdering a peace officer, firefighter, murder for hire and murder of murder of a child under the age of 6.…

    • 199 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the article “Death Penalty: Inhumane or Necessary Deterrent?” written by Euan McKirdy, several concepts surrounding the death penalty are discussed. McKirdy is a Digital News Producer who joined CNN in early 2014 and covers everything from politics, tech and the environment to sport and the arts. Before McKirdy started writing for CNN he wrote for a different publications and websites including Time, the BBC, the Wall Street Journal and Monocle. Throughout the article, McKirdy displays information for both sides of the controversial argument. He writes: Advocates say it is a powerful deterrent against serious crime, while others point to the problems -- and cost -- of keeping violent offenders in general prison populations.…

    • 889 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Death Penalty Texas

    • 1001 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Not all the cases with death sentences is right, “I don't want to put one innocent person to death to put 99 that are guilty to death,” said Gary Johnson (Johnson 1). In addition, the cost of it is also excessively expensive; therefore, this solution is not as good as its definition. The death penalty has its impacts to the criminal behavior of people as the result of reducing crime rates since it was re-instituted. One can say keep it but only for a symbol. Life is precious, and no one has the right to end other’s…

    • 1001 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    Similarly to the controversy surrounding Ron Williamson’s conviction, widespread debate over the legality of capital punishment has rooted itself within the American Nation. In the early 1970’s, capital punishment was reinstated with the ruling in Gregg v. Georgia. The majority of states that continue to practice capital punishment tend to be conservative, southern states as opposed to liberal states who oppose the death penalty. There have also been numerous instances in which innocent people were convicted due to the uncertainty contained within the American Criminal Justice System. Today, American Society is divided between the continued legalization of capital punishment.…

    • 2310 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    It is believed that if the death penalty has a deterrent affect then the state with the death penalty will have lower rates. Ehrlich, an economist in 1977 believed there was a strong connection between the penalty and lower homicide rates. When comparing the death penalty to non-death penalty states it was founded that more than twenty homicides are deterred per every execution. Not only was this found, but the imprisonment length also lowered the homicide rate. When it comes to Ehrlich’s research it is methodological criticized.…

    • 1199 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Texas has the highest number of executions at four hundred and eighty-three since 1974. Only eleven states allow the death penalty for other reasons besides murder. The most common other reason is treason. The death penalty is considered capital punishment and is administrated in different ways in different states. While lethal…

    • 673 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    However this argument is fundamentally flawed because there is no reliable evidence the death penalty does anything to discourage people from committing crime. In 2009, 88 percent of criminologists said they did not believe that the death penalty was an effective deterrent (Radelet). Contrasting what proponents claim, research has found that states with the death penalty have actually had higher murder rates. During the last twenty years, the homicide rates in states with the death penalty have been 50-100 percent higher than abolition states (Bonner). Also the annual FBI Uniform Crime Report states that regions with the death penalty are also the most dangerous for police officers.…

    • 1665 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    To illustrate, the death penalty deters crimes better than a fine; however, it does not deter crimes better than life in prison without parole (“Vanderbilt Law School Death Penalty Debate.”). The typical killer has been betrayed or dishonored (“Vanderbilt Law School Death Penalty Debate.”) or is affected by drugs or alcohol ("The Death Penalty: Questions and Answers."). Anyone who commits any crime should be locked up and helped. The death penalty will not stop the typical murderer; therefore, it is more important to focus on making the killers better people through having high-quality…

    • 1277 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Death In Chain

    • 1578 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Yet when one takes a closer look at it, they will notice that it has little influence in the fluctuation of the crime rate. For example, Texas has executed more people than any other state, yet its homicide rate remains among the nation’s highest (Wolf 68). The death penalty does not deter crime due to the fact that most murders are committed in the “heat of the moment,” or under the influence of drugs when people are not in the right frame of mind. (McFall 213). Grieving families often look towards this penalty as a form of retribution.…

    • 1578 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Lethal Injection History

    • 1787 Words
    • 8 Pages

    In today’s times, murderer’s actions are becoming more and more incohesive. They no longer commit just murder, but also crimes like theft, rape, or even torture. Things like this will continue to happen if nothing is done to stop them or deter them The death penalty is a humane way to punish the convicted and to alter the minds of people that would want to do the same. As early as the 1800s was the first actual recordings of the criminal justice system doing its job with capital punishment. Just between 1930 and 1967 there was an astounding number of 3800 executions.…

    • 1787 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays