Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site spanky.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!floyd!clyde!burl!spanky!ka From: ka@spanky.UUCP (Kenneth Almquist) Newsgroups: net.followup Subject: Re: Value of Human Life vs. Value of Property Message-ID: <503@spanky.UUCP> Date: Mon, 3-Oct-83 16:45:41 EDT Article-I.D.: spanky.503 Posted: Mon Oct 3 16:45:41 1983 Date-Received: Tue, 4-Oct-83 02:36:41 EDT References: <499@spanky.UUCP> <3175@rochester.UUCP> Reply-To: ka@hou3c.UUCP Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel, N. J. Lines: 48 One explanation of why capital punishment increases the incidence of murder is that the existance of capital punishment "legitimizes" the act of killing. One conclusion of studies on the effect of television violence is that television violence is much more likely to encourage violent behavior on the part of the viewer if the violence is portrayed as being justified. One textbook suggests that everybody considers their own behavior to be justified. It is possible that a similar principal applies to capital punishment. The killing of Gary Gilmore is presented on the evening news as an action that is justified by circumstances. During the following month, a number of people who are able to convince themselves that the deaths of other people would be justified by the circumstances proceed to put their beliefs into action. I should stress that this is only speculation. Murder rates are con- stantly fluctuating, and the increase in the number of murers after the execution of Gary Gilmore could easily be a random fluctuation entirely unrelated to the execution. On the other hand, the theory that capital punishment will deter murderers is also speculation. Tom repeats an argument made by one of his high school teachers that capital punishment decreases the number of crimes committed because a person who has been executed cannot commit any more crimes. This argument fails to distinguish between a decrease in the number of murders and a *significat* decrease. Mandatory birth control is a more effective method of decreasing the population than capital pun- ishment. However, while decreasing the population may decrease the number of murders, it will not decrease the murder *rate*. The only way capital punishment would decrease the murder rate is if the in- dividuals who were executed were more likely than the general popu- lation to commit a murder in the future. I don't believe that, as a class, convicted murderers are any more likely than anyone else to commit a murder in the future. The word "distasteful" in my previous article may have been poorly chosen. The term "morally wrong" might have been better. I didn't use that phrase is that I consider the terms "morally wrong" and "necessary" to be contradictory (you can't condemn an action unless there was a better alternative), and I am not prepared to prove that capital punishment is unnecessary. Actually, I don't see why I should be called upon to prove that anyway. If somebody out there is willing to take a human life and does not believe that he bears the burden of proof in showing that the action was necessary, I don't think that that person and I have any common ground for discussion. Kenneth Almquist ihnp4!hou3b!hou3c!ka