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Balles Prize in Critical Thinking, to be presented by the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry at the CFI Summit in October. </p> </dd> </dl> </div> <div id="content"> <div class="showall"><form action=""><input type="checkbox" id="showallarticles" checked="checked"/><span>Show Print-Only Articles</span></form></div> <h2>Ted Goertzel</h2> <p>Ted Goertzel is a professor of sociology, Sociology Department, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ 08102. E-mail: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170413084128/mailto:goertzel@camden.rutgers.edu">goertzel@camden.rutgers.edu</a>.</p> <div class="article-single"> <h4 class="authorpage"><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/si/show/the_conspiracy_meme">The Conspiracy Meme</a></h4> <h5><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/si/archive/category/volume_35.1">Skeptical Inquirer Volume 35.1, January/February 2011</a></h5><br/> <h5 class="type"><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/si/archive/category/column">Column</a></h5> <div class="clear"></div> <p>Many of these theories are clearly absurd, but some are plausible and others actually contain elements of truth.</p> <div class="clear"></div> </div> <div class="article-single"> <h4 class="authorpage"><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/si/show/capital_punishment_and_homicide_sociological_realities_and_econometric_illu">Capital Punishment and Homicide: Sociological Realities and Econometric Illusions</a></h4> <h5><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/si/archive/category/volume_28.4">Skeptical Inquirer Volume 28.4, July / August 2004</a></h5><br/> <h5 class="type"><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/si/archive/category/feature">Feature</a></h5> <div class="clear"></div> <div class="thumbnail thumbleft"> <a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/si/show/capital_punishment_and_homicide_sociological_realities_and_econometric_illu"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20170413084128im_/http://www.csicop.org/uploads/images/si/cp-fig1_thumb.jpg" alt="Capital Punishment and Homicide: Sociological Realities and Econometric Illusions"/></a> </div> <p>Does executing murderers cut the homicide rate? Comparative studies show no effect. Econometric models show mixed results.</p> <div class="clear"></div> </div> <p>Page 1 of 1 pages </p> </div> <div class="clear"></div> </div> <div id="footer"> <a name="footer"></a> <img src="/web/20170413084128im_/http://www.csicop.org/img/csi-logo-new.png" alt="CSI logo" style="display:none"/> <div id="about"> <h2><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/about">About</a></h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/about/about_csi/">About CSI</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/about/contact/">Contact</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/about/csicop/">Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP)</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/about/csi_fellows_and_staff/">CSI Fellows and Staff</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/about/donate_to_csi/">Donate to CSI</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/si/show/skeptical_programs_for_generation_y_and_beyond/">Educating Youth</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/about/policy_on_hostile_conduct_harassment_at_conferences/">Policy on Hostile Conduct/Harassment at Conferences</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/about/privacy_policy/">Privacy Policy</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/about/the_pantheon_of_skeptics/">The Pantheon of Skeptics</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="resources"> <h2><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/resources">Resources</a></h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170413084128/http://csi-store.myshopify.com/">CSI Store</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/resources/us_organizations">Skeptical Organizations in the United States</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/resources/international_organizations">International Network of Skeptical Organizations</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/resources/cfi">Centers for Inquiry</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/resources/free_i_doubt_it_decal">Free ‘I Doubt It’ Decal</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170413084128/http://www.centerforinquiry.net/forums" rel="external">CFI Forums</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="publications"> <h2><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/publications">Publications</a></h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20170413084128/http://csi-store.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/si">Subscribe</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/si">Skeptical Inquirer</a> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/si/archive">Archive</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/si/archive/category/volume_41.1">Latest Issue</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/sb">Skeptical Briefs</a> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/sb/archive/category/sb_26.3">Latest Issue</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/specialarticles">Special Articles</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/publications/guide/">Guide for Authors</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="news" style="border:none;"> <h2><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/news">News</a></h2> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/news/events">Events</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/news/coverage">Press Coverage</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/news/press_releases">Press Releases</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20170413084128/http://www.csicop.org/news">Recent Announcements</a></li> </ul> </div> <p class="legal">Content copyright <acronym title="Committee for Skeptical Inquiry">CSI</acronym> or the respective copyright holders. 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