First, research by two criminologist John J. Donohue and Justin Wolfe studied to see if the death penalty is a deterrent. Evidence show that the continuing practice of capital punishment actually increases criminal activity. The American Economic Review study analyses that from the year 1933 to 1969 homicides and executions resulted in eight fewer homicides. On the other hand, there are statistical evidence that murder rates has in fact decreased a total of 80% when executions was abolished until the 1960s. In addition, Donohue and Wolfe reviewed research that was conducted by Dezhbakhsh, Rubin, and Shepherd (DRS) that immediate problem is that the evidence does not support their claim that the executions saves an average of eight lives, however, it is associated with eighteen more executions. (Donohue, Wolfe). …show more content…
Researchers DRS did not use the variables in the experiment correctly, to find out if capital punishment deters criminal activity an intensive experiment has to be done correctly. First, lawbreakers on death row would have to be put to death in a rapid fashion and then record the homicide rates in various states. Second, after the convicts are put to death and homicide rates are recorded, there has to be a comparison to see if the homicide rates have a positive or negative relationship. (Donohue, Wolfe). As a result, DRS did not conduct the experiment correctly to publish accurate data that the death penalty saves lives and decreases criminal activity.
Furthermore, The Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC) is a website that host information from the history of executions to present convicts who are on death row. As of October 30, 2015 the FBI released 2014 Uniform Crime Report, giving specific details on recent homicide rates in the