Discussions With DPIC — Does Capital Punishment Deter Murder? Exploring mur­der rates, killings of police offi­cers, and the death penalty

Death penalty proponents have long asserted that capital punishment advances public safety by deterring murders, and this, they say, is especially true when it comes to protecting police officers. The Death Penalty Information Center recently conducted an analysis of murder data from 1987-2015 to determine whether the numbers support that claim. DPIC Fellow Seth Rose speaks with Executive Director Robert Dunham about the DPIC study and what it tells us about the relationship between murder rates, killings of police officers, and the death penalty.