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Is the threat of any punishment an effective crime deterrent? With the rising crime rate one would argue it is not, but the truth lies in the hidden statistics that will never be measured. How can you measure something that has not happened? Have you ever wanted to kill someone only to stop and think, "Oh, I hadn't better because of the death penalty!" I doubt it.

Measuring the number of people who did not commit a crime in which the death penalty was the punishment solely based on the punishment is next to impossible. So many other factors come into play when looking at why people do or do not commit a crime. Similarly, did the person decide not to commit the crime or did the victim prevent the crime by applying prevention measures so the opportunity was not present. Here again, prevention of crime is something that can not be measured.

Theories can argue one point or the other all day long. Until you work with someone who has killed someone, spoken to them, obtained the confession (or denial) from them, you can not fully understand all the factors involved. Some argue murder is committed out of passion or for financial reasons how about spur of the moment just not thinking clearly anger? How about lack of self control? If society had the answers we surely would not have any crime.

Others argue that countries that do not have the death penalty do not have the crime rate. Can you really compare apples to oranges areas in which different cultures and customs shape everyone differently? Study research methods and you quickly learn how many, if not most, of these arguments are results of studies biased toward the end result.

A deterrent is something that stops something from happening. Is the death penalty a deterrent? Maybe the question should be what does deter murder so the lessons learned can be shared by all, but how would we find enough people who thought about murdering someone but did not (that would admit it) to do research on.

The death penalty is a punishment for certain crimes. Maybe in reality it is there so the rest of the law abiding public feels safer. Maybe it is there so those who prey on people are stopped from further preying. Maybe it is there for the horrendous crimes that our society is becoming desensitized to. In today's scientific culture it could be argued fewer innocent are sentenced so the chances of an innocent dying for another's crime is lessened.

But we still have not answered the question is the death penalty an effective crime deterrent? The only person the death penalty deters from crime is the person who it is used on so at least for one person, yes it is.

Learn more about this author, Karen Moore.
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