There Is No Death Penalty Surge

The New York Times recently deplored what it called “the surge in executions” in the United States. It offered four reasons for this development: the exclusion of reporters from executions; the use of alternative methods of execution, such as firing squads; the Supreme Court’s refusal to restrict capital punishment; and the Trump administration’s support for maintaining and expanding the death penalty.

However, the data prove that there is no surge, and a major reason is one the Times failed to consider: The penalty takes decades to carry out.

About the Author

Barry Latzer

Barry Latzer is an emeritus professor of criminal justice at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. His latest book is The Myth of Overpunishment: A Defense of the American Justice System and a Proposal to Reduce Incarceration While Protecting the Public.

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The New York Times recently deplored what it called “the surge in executions” in the United States. It offered four reasons for this development: the exclusion of reporters from executions; the use of alternative methods of execution, such as firing squads; the Supreme Court’s refusal to restrict capital punishment; and the Trump administration’s support for maintaining and expanding the death penalty.

However, the data prove that there is no surge, and a major reason is one the Times failed to consider: The penalty takes decades to carry out.

About the Author

Barry Latzer

Barry Latzer is an emeritus professor of criminal justice at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. His latest book is The Myth of Overpunishment: A Defense of the American Justice System and a Proposal to Reduce Incarceration While Protecting the Public.