Capital Punishment as a Salient Issue in the Reelection of Incumbents

• In Event: Capital Punishment: Opinion, Politics, and Juries

Abstract

Although there have been many studies which found that the death penalty does not serve as an effective deterrent and is expensive to implement, many politicians argue they cannot vote to abolish the death penalty and retain their office. In recent years five state legislatures have voted to remove the death penalty as a sentencing option: Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, and New Mexico. This study examines if incumbents in those states were reelected and if there is a statistical relationship with how the legislator voted on death penalty legislation. The policy implications of this study are discussed.

Authors

• Molly M. Block, University of Louisville

• Gennaro Vito, University of Louisville