s since 1930, and 188 were from 1977-1996. In 1996, there were a total of 15, 168, 100 arrests; 33,020 for murder and non-negligent manslaughter. The death penalty was enforced 45 times. The death penalty is an expensive punishment. Since 1976, the United States have spent 700 million dollars for it. Methods of the death penalty include lethal injection, gas chambers, the electric chair, hanging and the fire squad. In a 1986 poll, 70% of Americans favored the death penalty as a punishment for murder.There have been many comparisons of states that have the death penalty to those states that do not. These statistics clearly show that the death penalty has no effect on the deterioration of crime. The homicide rates in Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois rise and fall along with Wisconsin. Michigan, Ohio and Illinois all have the death penalty. Wisconsin does not. In 1994, the average murder rate in a death penalty state of a population of 100, 000 was 8.0 and for a non-death penalty state was 4.4. In Canada the homicide rate per 100,000 people was 3.0 in 1975, when they had the death penalty. In 1976 Canada got ride of the death penalty. In 1986 the crime rate decreased to 2.19 per 100,000 people. This was the lowest in fifteen years. Isnt it odd that the crime rates were high with the death penalty and low without? Clearly this shows that the presence of the death penalty has no effect on the increase or decrease in crime rates. Even with the death penalty, crime rates continue to rise and fall in the United States. The number of people on death row in 1967 were 200 and in 1997 rose to 3, 100. Crimes will be committed whether or not the death penalty is a method of punishment. Many people believe that the death penalty isnt an effective way to deter crime. The proposed drug death penalty is not only barbaric but also foolish: a temper tantrum masquerading as an act of government. It holds no promise for suppressing the dru...
