Death Penalty Is a Deterrent to Murder.

¶ … death penalty is a deterrent to murder. The death penalty deters murder by putting the fear of death into would be killers. A person is less likely to do something, if he or she thinks that harm will come to them. Another way the death penalty deters murder, is the fact that if the killer is dead, he will not be able to kill again.

Although, opponents of the death penalty argue that putting criminals to death does not deter murder, there is clear evidence that murder rates are when there is a death penalty. During the temporary suspension on capital punishment in the United States from 1972-1976, murder statistics across the country demonstrated an increase in murder rates. In 1960, there were 56 executions in the United States and 9,140 murders. By 1964, when there were only 15 executions, the number of murders had risen to 9,250. In 1969, there were no executions and 14,590 murders.

In 1975, after six more years without executions, 20,510 murders occurred rising to 23,040 in 1980 after only two executions since 1976. In summary, between 1965 and 1980, the number of annual murders in the United States increases from 9,960 to 23,040, a 131% increase. The murder rate (homicides per 100,000 persons) doubled from 5.1 to 10.2. This evidence indicates that the number of murders grew as the number of executions shrank. While death penalty opponents attempt to ignore these results, the data concludes that the death penalty has substantial deterrent effect.

From 1995 to 2000, executions averaged 71 per year, a 21,000% increase over the 1966-1980 period. The murder rate dropped from a high of 10.2 (per 100,000) in 1980 to 5.7 in 1999, a 44% reduction. The murder rate is presently at its lowest level since 1966. The graph below by the Bureau of Criminal Justice provides an overview of the murder rate compared to the number of executions that had taken place in the U.S. up to the year 2000. The graph clearly shows that as the number of executions decreased, the number of murders increased.

The best example of the deterrent effect of capital punishment on murder is in Texas. Texas executes more murderers than any other state. The Texas murder rate in 1991 was 15.3 per 100,000. By 1999, it had fallen to 6.1, which is a drop of 60%. Within Texas, the most aggressive death penalty prosecutions are in Harris County. Since the resumption of executions in 1982, the annual number of Harris County murders has dropped.