Opponents of the death penalty for certain violent crimes might use social-psychological data to argue that one reason why the threat of capital punishment doesn't serve as an effective deterrent to violence is that

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Social-psychological data suggest that people are most likely to be deterred from committing a crime when the consequences are immediate, certain, and severe. However, the odds of being caught and convicted of a violent crime are relatively low, and even when the death penalty is a potential punishment, it may not be perceived as a swift and certain consequence. Therefore, opponents of the death penalty might argue that it is not an effective deterrent to violence.

Opponents of the Death Penalty for Certain Violent Crimes Might