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From: bch@unc.UUCP (Byron Howes )
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: Value of Human Life vs. Value of Property
Message-ID: <5960@unc.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 3-Oct-83 09:40:41 EDT
Article-I.D.: unc.5960
Posted: Mon Oct  3 09:40:41 1983
Date-Received: Mon, 3-Oct-83 23:17:20 EDT
References: rocheste.3175
Lines: 15

The logic which says that the murder rate actually increases with the
use of capital punishment goes as follows:

The stronger the potential punishment for a crime, the more likely the
criminal is to act deliberately to remove all evidence that could be
used to trace the crime.  One of the strongest pieces of "evidence"
that is of value to the police are any and all witnesses.  So, the
mugger who is merely threatening you with a handgun to take control
of the situation is much more likely to kill you with it if capitol
punishment becomes mandatory in cases of armed robbery.  After all,
there is nothing to be lost if the punishment is death anyway.

					Byron Howes
					UNC - Chapel Hill
					decvax!duke!unc!bch