88% of Criminologists Say Death Penalty is Not a Deterrent

by Matt Kelley · 2009-06-19 11:10:00 UTC
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A study published this week in Northwestern's Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology found that 88% of leading criminologists in the U.S. agree that the death penalty does not deter crime. Even more importantly, 75% of those polled said debates about the death penalty distract policymakers from working on policy reforms that have a real impact on crime and recidivism in this country.

This study, by sociology professors Michael Radelet and Traci Lacock, provides another sign that opinions are changing in the U.S., and it has the potential to play an important role in the ongoing debate around the issue. One aim of the study is to examine disagreement between criminologists (whose empirical studies have repeatedly found no sign of a deterrent effect in recent years) and economists (whose studies have found a deterrent effect).

A close examination of data from some of the economics studies, however, finds some gaps in the math. Radelet and Lacock then attempt to confirm their findings through a poll of leading criminologists - leading to the 88% number. I'd like to see a parallel poll of economists - to find if those publishing the studies finding a deterrent effect are outsiders in their field or if we have a dispute between disciplines, a math battle, if you will.

The result of this squabbling between academic camps is to leave the public confused, without solid research to stand on. Radelet and Lacock attempt to address this in their study, and it's important work. Now, we'll see what the economists say.

Download the full study here.

Matt Kelley is the Online Communications Manager at the Innocence Project and a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Follow him on Twitter @mattjkelley.
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