What’s That Quote From Faulkner Again?

Quote of note: “Our results suggest that the death penalty has become a sort of legal replacement for the lynchings in the past...”

DEATH SENTENCES LINKED TO HISTORY OF LYNCHING IN STATES

COLUMBUS , Ohio – States that sentence the most criminals to death also tend to be the states that had the most lynchings in the past, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that the number of death sentences for all criminals – Black and white – were higher in states with a history of lynchings. But the link was even stronger when only Black death sentences were analyzed.

The results may be shocking to many people, but they aren't surprising to sociologists who study the racial aspects of the death penalty, said David Jacobs, co-author of the study and professor of sociology at Ohio State University .

“Our results suggest that the death penalty has become a sort of legal replacement for the lynchings in the past,” Jacobs said. “This hasn't been done overtly, and probably no one has consciously made such a decision. But the results show a clear connection.”

Another study finding reinforces this idea. Results showed that the number of death sentences in states with the most lynchings increased as the state's population of African Americans grew larger, at least to a certain point. The researchers believe that is because, as their numbers increase, Blacks are seen by the white majority as a growing threat....

The findings also showed that the number of death sentences increases in states after a growth in the population of Blacks. But the number of death sentences begins to go down once the population of African Americans reaches a threshold of about 20 to 22 percent.

“Probably at that point, Blacks have enough votes and political influence within states to reduce the number of death sentences,” Jacobs said.

The results of the study suggest that the United States is still a product of its past, Jacobs said.

“Historical events continue to influence the current behavior of important social institutions. But the main point is that our findings do not support claims that the death penalty is administered in a color-blind fashion.”

(Whole thing.)

Further Reading

• STATES WITH HIGHER PROPORTIONS OF BLACK CITIZENS MORE LIKELY TO HAVE DEATH PENALTY, STUDY FINDS

• PRISON POPULATION SWELLS UNDER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTS, STUDY SAYS