Murders are occurring at a terrifying rate and show no signs of decreasing. During the past 16 years without a death penalty, the homicide rate has increased 240 percent from 4.2 per 100,000 to 14.3 per 100,000 population in 1980. Although those who would abolish the death penalty argue that it has little or no deterrent effect, Californians are four times more likely to be victims of unlawful homicides today than they were when killers were executed. The people of California have twice overwhelmingly voted in favor of capital punishment, yet the California Supreme Court has, in most death penalty cases, effectively nullified their votes by citing legal technicalities prohibiting capital punishment. Murder and other violent crimes have reached intolerable levels because the California Supreme Court has been unwilling to follow the will of the people. Graphs, tables, six footnotes, and nine references are included. Case histories and homicide prevention measures are appended. (Author summary modified)