NCJ Number
36975
Date Published
1976
Length
40 pages
Annotation
A MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSIS IS USED TO DETERMINE WHETHER CANADIAN TIME SERIES DATA FROM 1926 THROUGH 1960 SUPPORT THE EXISTENCE OF A DETERRENT EFFECT OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
Abstract
THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY INDICATE THAT IF THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IS PRESUMED TO BE IMPARTED VIA VARIATIONS IN THE EFFECTIVE CONDITIONAL RISK OF EXECUTION, THEN THERE IS LITTLE STATISTICAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE HYPOTHESIS. IF STANDARD REQUIREMENTS OF STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE ARE APPLIED, THEN THE NULL HYPOTHESIS OF NO DETERRENT EFFECT CANNOT BE REJECTED. FURTHERMORE, A CRUDE TEST WAS ALSO PROVIDED FOR THE HYPOTHESIS THAT THE DETERRENT EFFECT OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IS TRANSMITTED THROUGH A 'PUBLICITY' EFFECT. AGAIN, THE NULL HYPOTHESIS OF NO DETERRENT EFFECT COULD NOT BE REJECTED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)