JTJonah asked Jonathan Stroud:

Has the punishment for murder become more severe because of the new haunting potential that could bring about the deaths of more people? What is the state of crime during the midst of The Problem in general, like has the rate of murder actually decreased due to fear of hauntings or something else?

Jonathan Stroud Good question: the murder rate has gone down, generally speaking, for fear of being haunted by the vengeful deceased. Certain criminals, however, sidestep this by dumping their victims at sea (running water not being conducive to hauntings) and by using other similar avoidance techniques. The punishment for murder hasn't changed: the authorities are satisfied with the ghostly deterrents.

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