Getting Off Death Row: Commuted Sentences and the Deterrent Effect of Capital Punishment

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Getting Off Death Row: Commuted Sentences and the Deterrent Effect of Capital Punishment

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Mocan, H Naci
Gittings, R Kaj

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Abstract

This paper merges a state-level panel data set that includes crime and deterrence measures and state characteristics with information on all death sentences handed out in the United States between 1977 and 1997. Because the exact month and year of each execution and removal from death row can be identified, they are matched with state-level criminal activity in the relevant time frame. Controlling for a variety of state characteristics, the paper investigates the impact of the execution rate, commutation and removal rates, homicide arrest rate, sentencing rate, imprisonment rate, and prison death rate on the rate of homicide. The results show that each additional execution decreases homicides by about five, and each additional commutation increases homicides by the same amount, while an additional removal from death row generates one additional murder. Executions, commutations, and removals have no impact on robberies, burglaries, assaults, or motor-vehicle thefts.

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Publisher Info
Article provided by University of Chicago Press in its journal Journal of Law and Economics.

Volume (Year): 46 (2003)
Issue (Month): 2 (October)
Pages: 453-78
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Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlawec:y:2003:v:46:i:2:p:453-78

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Donohue, John J & Wolfers, Justin, 2006. "Uses and Abuses of Empirical Evidence in the Death Penalty Debate," CEPR Discussion Papers 5493, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Other versions:
- John J. Donohue III & Justin Wolfers, 2006. "Uses and Abuses of Empirical Evidence in the Death Penalty Debate," NBER Working Papers 11982, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
- John J. Donohue III & Justin Wolfers, 2006. "Uses and Abuses of Empirical Evidence in the Death Penalty Debate," IZA Discussion Papers 1949, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
Earl L. Grinols & David B. Mustard, 2005. "Casinos, Crime, and Community Costs," Law and Economics 0501001, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Earl L. Grinols & David B. Mustard, 2006. "Casinos, Crime, and Community Costs," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 88(1), pages 28-45, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Ethan Cohen-Cole & Steven Durlauf & Jeffrey Fagan & Daniel Nagin, 2007. "Model uncertainty and the deterrent effect of capital punishment," Quantitative Analysis Unit Working Paper QAU07-3, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. [Downloadable!]
H. Naci Mocan & Erdal Tekin, 2002. "Catholic Schools and Bad Behavior: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis," NBER Working Papers 9172, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Other versions:
- Naci Mocan & Erdal Tekin, 2006. "Catholic Schools and Bad Behavior: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis," Contributions to Economic Analysis & Policy, Berkeley Electronic Press, vol. 5(1), pages 1403-1403. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Mocan, H. Naci & Scafidi, Benjamin & Tekin, Erdal, 2002. "Catholic Schools and Bad Behavior," IZA Discussion Papers 599, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
Russell Smyth & Paresh Kumar Narayan, 2004. "Dead Man Walking: An Empirical Reassessment of the Deterrent Effect of Capital Punishment Using the Bounds Testing Approach to Cointegration," Econometric Society 2004 Australasian Meetings 332, Econometric Society. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Paresh Narayan & Russell Smyth, . "Dead Man Walking: An Empirical Reassessment of the Deterrent Effect of Capital Punishment Using the Bounds Testing Approach to Cointegration," American Law & Economics Association Annual Meetings 1028, American Law & Economics Association. [Downloadable!]
- Paresh Kumar Narayan & Russell Smyth, 2006. "Dead man walking: an empirical reassessment of the deterrent effect of capital punishment using the bounds testing approach to cointegration," Applied Economics, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 38(17), pages 1975-1989, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)

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