A time-series analysis of the deterrent effect of criminal sanctions (execution and incarceration) on homicide in the state of Florida is presented in this study. Four alternative deterrence models of the possible negative relationship between sanction and homicide were examined. / Both the Federal Bureau of Investigation's homicide rate and the Florida Vital Statistics homicide rate were used as measures of the dependent variable. Furthermore, two operational definitions for each certainty of sanction (execution and incarceration) were used in the analysis. The first measure of the certainty of sanction was the ratio of the number of sanctions to the number of homicides. In order to avoid the problem of ratio bias due to the presence of a common term (number of homicides) in the homicide rate and the first measure of the certainty of sanction, the actual number of each sanction was used as the second measure of the certainty of sanction. / Although there was some evidence of the deterrent effect of execution and incarceration on the homicide indicated by the finding of the negatively significant relationship between sanction and homicide rate, the relationship was not consistent when different measures of the certainty of sanction or different measures of the homicide rate were substituted. Socioeconomic and demographic variables, especially the nonwhite population rate, have been found to be better determinants of both homicide rate variables. / Finally, it was found that the best analysis, using the Vital Statistics homicide rate and the actual number of executions or the actual number of incarcerations as the measure of the certainty of sanction, did not support any deterrent hypothesis at all. This is because none of the analyses in each of the four deterrence models found any significant negative relationship between the Vital Statistics homicide rate and each of the sanction variables. In fact a counter deterrent effect or brutalization effect has been detected. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 44-11, Section: A, page: 3502. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1983.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75221 |
| Contributors | PRASARNRAJKIT, WATCHARAPOL., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 220 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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