THE DETERRENCE EFFECT OF DEATH SENTENCE

Author – Akash G, Student at Sastra deemed to be university, Tamilnadu

Best Citation – Akash G, THE DETERRENCE EFFECT OF DEATH SENTENCE, ILE JOURNAL OF GOVERNANCE AND POLICY REVIEW, 1 (1) of 2023, Pg. 57-60, ISBN – 978-81-961791-0-6.

ABSTRACT

The most commonly stated reason for the capital punishment is deterrence. The concept is that the danger of being executed in the upcoming years will deter a significant number of people from committing a heinous crime that they would otherwise commit. Deterrence is not primarily concerned with preventing additional killings by a previously convicted death-penalty defendant. The definition of incapacity includes that. Deterrence cannot be regarded in an isolation. The key question is not about whether defendants will be deterred from killing because they will face the death penalty instead of receiving no punishment at all. Other punishments, such as life without the possibility of parole, may provide the same deterrence at a much lower cost and without the risk of executing an innocent person. Many studies have been conducted over many decades to determine whether the capital punishment is a proven method of reducing the murder rate. While deterrence problems are central to penal policy, previous research of deterrence effects have failed to generate anything resembling a scholarly consensus in a number of important contexts. Capital punishment laws are a prime example of this. Proponents argue that such laws deter potential criminals because they fear such harsh punishment. Opponents argue that deterrence arguments are inapplicable in these circumstances and/or that the statistical analyses are flawed. Both sides can cite numerous statistical studies to back up their claims. This paper tries to throw light on the concept of deterrence effect of death penalty.