Capital Punishment Reduces Violent Crime

The death penalty is an effective deterrent to violent crime. The murder rate will drop when executions rise. For example, from 1995-2000, the average number of executions rose to 71 per year. During the same time frame, the average murder rate (per 100,000 people) in the United States dropped to 5.7. Clearly, capital punishment is an effective tool in combating crime.