recent studies suggest that DP and homicide rates are correlated...

[sojourner]

In states WITH the dp, the homicide rate is HIGHER.

So much for the "deterrent" effect.

If you read the data and find that the studies don't show what I claim here, feel free to comment (I did a quick google and a cursory glance at the data). I'm a "searcher for truth", so your comments, if honest and supported by data, will only serve to enlighten.

http://www.benbest.com/lifeext/murder.html

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/FaganTestimony.pdf

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=17&did=437


For those who would like NOT to have to comb through the data here are some highpoints (though considerably oversimplified):

States with highest homicide rate ALL have the DP:
STATE Homicide Rate

PER 100,000
(1) Louisiana 13.0
(2) Maryland 9.5
(3) Mississippi 9.3
(4) Nevada 8.8
(5) Arizona 7.9
(6) Georgia 7.6
(7) South Carolina 7.2
(8) California 6.8
(9) Tennessee 6.8
(10) Alabama 6.6


Homicides in STATES WITHOUT THE DEATH PENALTY

PER 100,000
Alaska 6.5
Hawaii 1.7
Iowa 1.6
Maine 1.2
Massachusetts 2.2
Michigan 6.4
Minnesota 2.2
North Dakota 1.9
Rhode Island 2.3
Vermont 2.6
West Virginia 3.7
Wisconsin 2.8

ALSO
- Dist. of Columbia

and finally, there's this graphic:

and a link to the page with MANY MORE good graphs.... http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=12&did=168