The impact of the death penalty and executions on state-level murder rates: 1980–2011

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the present study is to determine the effect of capital punishment on state-level murder rates. Using a large current data-set and a two-stage fixed effects model, results of the present study suggest that states with death penalties and at least one execution in a given year had 28% lower murder rates than other states. These results hold regardless of the functional form used.

KEYWORDS:

• Capital punishment
• murder
• executions

JEL CLASSIFICATION:

• K14
• K42