Death Penalty *IS* a Deterrent

For the longest time, a mantra from the anti-Death Penalty crowd has been "There is no evidence that the Death Penalty is a deterrent to crime." Of course, for those who support the Death Penalty, this has not been an effective argument since they believe that punishment is a sufficient reason for the penalty (as it is ONLY used for the MOST heinous crimes). However, a new studies claim that a deterret has been shown.

What gets little notice, however, is a series of academic studies over the last half-dozen years that claim to settle a once hotly debated argument — whether the death penalty acts as a deterrent to murder. The analyses say yes. They count between three and 18 lives that would be saved by the execution of each convicted killer.

The reports have horrified death penalty opponents and several scientists, who vigorously question the data and its implications.

What do Mod-Bloggers think? Is the Death Penalty effective? Does deterrence matter?