Benefits of the Death Penalty? Category: Neurolaw Class Published: June 5, 2015
Are there any benefits to society from the death penalty? Upon further investigation, the benefits usually cited for the death penalty don't seem to actually make any difference in society today. For example, it is often claimed that the death penalty is a deterrent to murderers, but many studies have shown that the death penalty is no greater deterrent than prison to murderers[1]. States that do not allow or only very rarely use the death penalty have lower murder rates than the states that use the death penalty most often[1, 2, 3]. It is also much more expensive to sentence criminals to the death penalty rather than life in prison in all states that reported such information[4, 5]. While the death penalty could have benefits for society, those benefits are absent in the current system. And if society is not benefiting, and the criminals are not benefiting from capital punishment, maybe the system should be changed. What does neuroscience have to say about this? In the past several years, neuroscience has played a larger role in the court system, especially in capital punishment cases[6, 7]. Most lawyers and defendants presenting neuroscience evidence in court are looking for mitigating factors in the brain that may reduce sentencing from death, to life in prison, or possibly even lighter sentencing. But unless the brain abnormality is treatable, should we revoke the tougher sentence for the criminals that are not treatable, and have very little likelyhood of being rehabilitated. Are those with brain abnormalities visible on current neuro-technology any less responsible for their actions than those do not have detectable brain abnormalities? References 1. The Myth of Deterrence: Death penalty does not reduce homicide rate. The Dallas Morning News. 2007. viewed 23 Nov