Books by Alfred B. Heilbrun

Does the prospect of possible execution save lives by deterring the act of murder? Heilbrun presents evidence concerning whether state death penalties demonstrate the two necessary properties of a true deterrent. He also analyzes rarely-considered factors that influence the deterrence of murder and discusses the common criticisms of capital punishment.

Capital punishment attracts strong and opposing moral positions execution by the state under any condition is wrong versus execution as just retribution for heinous killing. Using evidence from legal history, this book rejects these moral arguments as a basis for determining the social value of death penalty and considers the issue scientifically.

This book describes several programs of research into psychological disorder and deviance conducted by author Alfred B. Heilbrun, Jr. during his distinguished career as a university professor.