NCJ Number
84700
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1982) Pages: 63-66
Date Published
1982
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This essay defends deterrence as a relevant consideration to whether death is a justifiable punishment for murder based on a retributivist theory of entitlement to punishment rather than on the traditional rationale.
Abstract
The death penalty deters under murder in that, if not inflicted, the murderer will be free to kill an innocent victim. Society must make a choice between the murderer and the innocent victim, and the choice is clear on retributivist grounds. If capital punishment deters, then the murderer is entitled to (not deserving of) death. Perhaps society could use capital punishment in such a way that its deterrence value would be established. Six references are supplied.