Exam 17: Section 2: The Death Penalty

Research by Lynch and Haney (2000) using identical cases but varying the race of the victim and the offender, found the following. When the defendant was black and the victim was white, _____ of mock jurors recommended a death sentence. When the defendant was white and the victim was black, _____ of mock jurors recommended a death sentence.

During the process of death qualification, if a potential juror _____, he or she is excluded from serving on a capital jury.

In Roper v. Simmons (2005), the Court ruled against juveniles being executed because they are inherently:

In terms of frequency, it is noted in the text that fewer than _____ of murderers are executed.

The definition of aggravated murder _____ across jurisdictions.

Interestingly, research shows that, when mock jurors understand the instructions, there is no difference in the rate of death penalty recommendations based on race or ethnicity. However, when jurors do not fully comprehend the instructions, there is a clear bias against:

In the reforms set forth in Gregg v. Georgia, defendants on trial for capital murder ought to be tried by juries in:

Interestingly, there appears to be a tendency for an increase in murders for a short while following an execution. As with the preponderance of violence seen in the media, there may be desensitization to killing. This phenomenon is referred to as the _____ effect.

In Gregg v. Georgia, and in companion cases, the Supreme Court set up a series of reforms. These reforms are referred to as:

In the parts of the world that still recognize the death penalty, the methods of execution often include hanging and shooting, as well as:

According to the text, the race of the victim is possibly more important than the race of the defendant when it comes to sentencing. Research has shown that if the victim is white, the prosecution is more than _____ as likely to recommend the death penalty.

A defendant is deemed "guilty" or "not guilty" during _____ of a capital murder trial.

The majority of democracies in the Western hemisphere do not recognize the death penalty. The United States, however, still does. In fact, _____ states have the death penalty.

When it comes to the financial cost of the death penalty, the following is NOT true:

Even though a number of states, the federal government, and the military still recognize the death penalty, executions are relatively _____ in the United States.

The purpose of the death penalty is seen as deterrence. However, many studies in the United States, as well as in other countries, have found _____ evidence to support the idea that capital punishment decreases the murder rate.

Excluding federal crimes, the only crime punishable by death is:

Constitutional challenges regarding the death penalty have taken place in many states. In Furman v. Georgia, the Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment was unconstitutional. Although the decision handed down did not _____ the death penalty, it _____ how it was carried it out.

The death-qualification process inquires about a jury member's willingness to consider execution in a trial. According to the text, the actual death-qualification process is often:

Mitigating factors in capital cases are characteristics that make: