Life or death: what factors impact the decision?

Death penalty cases are among the more controversial and costly. There are numerous factors that may influence a prosecutor’s decision to seek the death penalty in a capital murder case. This study considers offender demographics, district attorney characteristics, victim characteristics, local poli...

Full description

Saved in:  
Bibliographic Details
Authors: Pollock, Wendi K. (Author) ; Johnson, Andrew F. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2021
In: Crime, law and social change
Year: 2021, Volume: 75, Issue: 2, Pages: 119-139
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Journals Online & Print:
Drawer...
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Keywords:
Todesstrafe
Entscheidung
Motivation
Opfer
Studie
Description
Summary:Death penalty cases are among the more controversial and costly. There are numerous factors that may influence a prosecutor’s decision to seek the death penalty in a capital murder case. This study considers offender demographics, district attorney characteristics, victim characteristics, local political and criminal climate, and county financial condition to gain a more holistic understanding of prosecutorial decisions surrounding the death penalty. Using multilevel logistic regression models, Texas death penalty cases from 2007 to 2018 (N = 436) were analyzed. Findings suggest a reduction in prosecutor decisions to seek the death penalty over time, and that prosecutors may be more likely to seek the death penalty if a higher percentage of victims killed were White.
Item Description:Literaturverzeichnis: Seite 137-139
ISSN:1573-0751
DOI:10.1007/s10611-020-09929-8