CAPITAL PUNISHMENT - A STUDY OF LAW AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE

• NCJ Number: 7282
• Author(s): C B TUCKER
• Date Published: 1969
• Length: 211 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: UNPUBLISHED DISSERTATION

Annotation

ANALYSIS OF HYPOTHESIZED RELATIONSHIPS OF OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALIZATION AND ECONOMIC STRATIFICATION TO THE USE OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE UNITED STATES.

Abstract

USING DATA FROM THE 1960 U. S. CENSUS, THE AUTHOR EXAMINES TWO THEORIES WHICH PROPOSE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SOCIETAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE USE OF THE EXTREME SANCTION. THE FIRST PROPOSES A NEGATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE AMOUNT OF OCCUPATIONAL DIFFERENTIATION. SOME THEORETICIANS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT, AS SOCIETY BECOMES MORE SPECIALIZED, OTHER FORMS OF SANCTION REPLACE THE DEATH PENALTY. HOWEVER, AN ANALYSIS OF THE DATA AVAILABLE INDICATED THAT THE RELATION WAS A POSITIVE ONE. THE SECOND THEORY SUGGESTED THAT CAPITAL PUNISHMENT WAS A FORM OF SOCIAL CONTROL USED BY THE ECONOMICALLY SUPERIOR CLASSES. DESIGNATING NON-WHITES AS AN ECONOMICALLY SUBORDINATE GROUP, THE AUTHOR FOUND THAT A GREATER PERCENTAGE OF THE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED GROUP WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH AND EXECUTED.