Myth:
Capital punishment is a powerful deterrent to murder and other violent crimes.

Fact:
A recent New York Times survey found states without the death penalty have lower homicide rates than states with the death penalty. The gap between the cumulative murder rates of death penalty and non-death penalty states actually widened in 2003, from 36% in 2002 to 44% in 2003. "The two states with the most executions in 2003, Texas (24) and Oklahoma (14) saw increases in their murder rates from 2002 to 2003. Both states had murder rates above the national average in 2003: Texas—6.4, and Oklahoma—5.9. The top 13 states in terms of murder rates were all death penalty states. The murder rate of the death penalty states increased from 2002, while the rate in non-death penalty states decreased."
(www.deathpenaltyinfo.org)

Jesuit High School, Portland, OR

Myths and Facts

Myth: No innocent people are put to death.

Myth: The death penalty is applied fairly.

Myth: Capital punishment is a powerful deterrent to murder and other violent crimes.

Myth: It costs more to imprison murderers for life than to execute them.

Myth: Most countries have the death penalty.

Myth: Most religions support the death penalty.

Myth: Support for the death penalty is growing in the United States.

Myth: Death by lethal injection is completely humane and painless.

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