The Effect of Executions on Homicides: A New Look in an Old Light

Abstract

Professor Isaac Ehrlich, in his well-known article on the death penalty, argues that previous research on the deterrent effects of capital punishment, as exemplified by the work of Thorsten Sellin, is inadequate because it focuses on the wrong issue and because it fails to control for relevant variables. Ehrlich's first point is that if one is searching for deterrence it is the law in action (i.e., the actu al incidence of executions) rather than the law on the books (i.e., the presence or absence of the death penalty) which is crucial. His second point is that in order to spot deterrent effects other factors which might affect homicide rates, such as conviction rates and unemployment rates, must be held constant. Many of those who believe that Ehrlich's work is fundamentally flawed nevertheless accept these criticisms.