PRISON KILLINGS AND DEATH PENALTY LEGISLATION

• NCJ Number: 25312
• Journal: Prison Journal Volume: 53 Issue: 1 Dated: (UNDATED) Pages: 49-57
• Author(s): P C Buffum
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: Pennsylvania Prison Soc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

STUDIES OF PRISON KILLINGS OF BOTH INMATES AND STAFF ARE REVIEWED IN AN ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE WHETHER MANDATORY DEATH PENALTIES SHOULD BE LEGISLATED FOR THE MURDER OF GUARDS OR MURDERS COMMITTED BY THOSE SERVING LIFE TERMS.

Abstract

THE AVAILABLE DATA FROM UNITED STATES PRISONS INDICATE VERY LOW RATES OF HOMICIDE COMMITTED AGAINST GUARDS AND PRISON INMATES. DATA SOLICITED FROM OTHER COUNTRIES ON PRISON KILLINGS SHOW SIMILAR LOW RATES IN HOMICIDES OF PRISON INMATES AND GUARDS. THE AUTHOR STATES THAT WHILE THE DATA INDICATE THAT PRISON HOMICIDES ARE ON THE RISE, THEY DO NOT PROVIDE EMPIRICAL SUPPORT FOR LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS INCORPORATING THE DEATH PENALTY FOR THESE PRISON HOMICIDES.