The Impact of Publicized Executions on Homicide

Abstract

Research on the effect of publicized executions on homicide has been marked by a neglect of the concept of audience receptiveness. The present article applies Blumer's concept of differential audience receptivity to racial differences in reactions to publicized executions. It argues that African Americans are less responsive to punishment and labeling because they are already outsiders in a mostly Caucasian society and that they have a lower stake in conformity than Caucasians. Analysis of daily U.S. data found that, for African Americans, publicized executions had no effect on homicide. In contrast, publicized executions resulted in a significant decline in homicide for Caucasians. Little publicized executions had no effect on homicide. Policy and research implications of these results are considered.