Articles «Previous Next»

The Death Penalty: No Evidence for Deterrence

John Donohue, Yale University
Justin J. Wolfers, The Wharton School- U.Penn, CEPR, IZA & NBER

Abstract

John Donohue and Justin Wolfers argue that Gary Becker and Richard Posner are wrong to think that the death penalty deters murder: they find little empirical support for the claim. If anything, when one looks over the longest period possible (1934-2000) there is more evidence that the death penalty stimulates murder than that it deters murder.

Suggested Citation

John Donohue and Justin J. Wolfers. "The Death Penalty: No Evidence for Deterrence" The Economists' Voice 3.5 (2006).
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/john_donohue/4