Fiscal Cons, still think the death penalty is worth it??
gimmesometruth27
St. Fuckin Louis Posts: 23,303
to all of you who claim to be fiscally conservative, after reading this, is the death penalty still worth it to the american tax payer? what exactly are the people of california getting for all of the money they are investing in these death penalty cases and convicts? how can you justify continuing on with the death penalty and death row at these prices? how can you be for it at this cost at the expense of cutting funding for things like education and healthcare? the way i see it, we can spend money on making everyone healthier, or we can spend money on making sure a few hundred people get murdered by the state to the detriment of everyone else...
California Death Penalty Costs State $184 Million A Year, Study Finds
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/2 ... 80436.html
California has rarely executed convicts since the death penalty was reinstated there in 1978, but the state has managed to spend $4 billion taxpayer dollars on capital punishment since then, according to a new cost analysis.
The study, conducted over three years by a senior federal judge and a law professor, estimates that the 13 executions California has carried out in the past three decades have cost an average of $308 million each in legal fees and death row security costs. According to the L.A. Times, a death penalty prosecution can cost the state up to 20 times more than a life-without-parole case.
Since the lag in California between a death row conviction and an execution now averages more than 25 years, and the state hasn't executed one prisoner since 2006, critics of the death penalty are wondering exactly what Californians are receiving in return for their money -- especially given the state's mounting budget concerns.
"Basically, they're paying for a life sentence, but at the cost of death penalty trials, death penalty appeals and death row incarcerations, all of which are extremely expensive," said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. "And everything else gets shortchanged because of this gold-plated death penalty -- state schools are closing, policemen are getting laid off, prisoners are getting freed to make room. No one would think having the death penalty was worth that much."
California currently has nearly 700 people on death row -- by far the highest in the nation. If the state holds onto the death penalty, that number could climb to over 1,000 by 2030, costing taxpayers $9 billion, the study estimates.
Other states have already begun to phase out the death penalty due to budget issues: New Mexico repealed it in 2009, Illinois lawmakers voted to ban it in March of this year, and lawmakers in Maryland and Connecticut are currently considering doing the same. But in California, state law requires a vote by referendum in order to repeal the death penalty.
"We hope that California voters, informed of what the death penalty actually costs them, will cast their informed votes in favor of a system that makes sense," the report concludes.
California Death Penalty Costs State $184 Million A Year, Study Finds
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/2 ... 80436.html
California has rarely executed convicts since the death penalty was reinstated there in 1978, but the state has managed to spend $4 billion taxpayer dollars on capital punishment since then, according to a new cost analysis.
The study, conducted over three years by a senior federal judge and a law professor, estimates that the 13 executions California has carried out in the past three decades have cost an average of $308 million each in legal fees and death row security costs. According to the L.A. Times, a death penalty prosecution can cost the state up to 20 times more than a life-without-parole case.
Since the lag in California between a death row conviction and an execution now averages more than 25 years, and the state hasn't executed one prisoner since 2006, critics of the death penalty are wondering exactly what Californians are receiving in return for their money -- especially given the state's mounting budget concerns.
"Basically, they're paying for a life sentence, but at the cost of death penalty trials, death penalty appeals and death row incarcerations, all of which are extremely expensive," said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. "And everything else gets shortchanged because of this gold-plated death penalty -- state schools are closing, policemen are getting laid off, prisoners are getting freed to make room. No one would think having the death penalty was worth that much."
California currently has nearly 700 people on death row -- by far the highest in the nation. If the state holds onto the death penalty, that number could climb to over 1,000 by 2030, costing taxpayers $9 billion, the study estimates.
Other states have already begun to phase out the death penalty due to budget issues: New Mexico repealed it in 2009, Illinois lawmakers voted to ban it in March of this year, and lawmakers in Maryland and Connecticut are currently considering doing the same. But in California, state law requires a vote by referendum in order to repeal the death penalty.
"We hope that California voters, informed of what the death penalty actually costs them, will cast their informed votes in favor of a system that makes sense," the report concludes.
"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
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I'm against the death penalty. I could not care less about the cost. I'm against killing people. I think it's wrong, just like abortion.
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Agreed! No more killing... people who have been born, I mean. The abortion issue is, no doubt, discussed elsewhere.
And thank you gimmesometruth27 for posting this. Too often the money issue is used to justify the death sentence... as if someones life can be put in terms of dollars. :problem:
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
think about how much money that is spent in a year and what the state is gaining for that money.
why not put that towards something the entire state can benefit from?
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
Being that it's California, I imagine the term "efficient" is not in the court's vocabulary. They are probably better off scraping the program ... unless they outsource to Texas.
You are right though, the process is broken.
But what you are telling me is that the lives of a few guards and prisoners and the public at large should the murderer ever get out some way, isn't worth $184MM. So, what is a life worth?
good morning Gimmi, I follow what you are saying and as much as I have defended the death penalty..in my heart of hearts I don't know if it is right or not.
money really has no baring on this debate in my humble opinion if you think about the billion's spent on other thing's that some of us believe to be un-just to the American tax payer. I'm not saying you are right wrong or otherwise just wondering where is the line drawn with death and money because I see these two issues in everyday life beyond the prison system and death row.
Godfather.
Metallica said so.
does that come with a happy meal ?
just kidding Parachute,looking at your avatar I just couldn't resist.
Godfather.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
The cost for the death penalty would be greatly reduced if states would eliminate the real cost driver of the criminal justice system, the war on drugs...this would be simply putting a band aid on the budget while the center who put out the study would reach their goal of the death penalty being abolished.
so should they not have life sentences either? because that will STILL COST MONEY. prisons and punishment cost money but they benefit society too...
I am only against the death penalty because of the imperfect nature of our justice system, but life in prison is still going to cost money,
The bigger issue shows up with the inefficient justice system in california, not just specifically the death penalty, just all around inefficient
It is terrifying when you are too stupid to know who is dumb
- Joe Rogan
No, its not worth it. That money would save a lot more lives in other ways, feeding hungry, health care, etc.
The more important thing to me is that no one should be put to death. Its one thing to kill someone to protect the innocent, but once they are in jail, I would say that the general public is safe from that individual. I understand that there are jail breaks and they do kill other inmates and guards, but that is a very small percentage.
On top of that, the death penalty is extremely biased against the poor and minorities.
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
Exactly. Poverty and education is the crux of so many of our problems here. How to solve them is another issue/topic.
He proved that being rich trumps being a minority.
I AM the Happy Meal!!
go get em kid ! youth is not wasted on the young.
life is a cool adventure,18 to 80 blind crippled or crazy leave no prisoners in yer wake.
Godfather.
Fargo 2003
Winnipeg 2005
Winnipeg 2011
St. Paul 2014
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
I know. I've been arguing that for a long time too. they say it's cheaper. I PROVE to them that's wrong. they say "well price doesn't matter". yeah, all of a sudden it doesn't when it doesn't support their position.
Go Jets Go!
Fargo 2003
Winnipeg 2005
Winnipeg 2011
St. Paul 2014
A lot more money could be saved and used for education if the root cause is first addressed.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state ... 56022.html
""It is the law in this country that not everyone who commits murder is eligible for the death penalty," Matthewman said. "It's only the worst of the worst."
That's why it is so important that a jury agree on why a person deserves the ultimate punishment.
"The worst that could happen is that we could convict innocent people," said West Palm Beach defense attorney Richard Lubin. "To play fast and loose with the rules makes no sense."
The decision shouldn't spark a pro- or anti-death penalty debate, he said. "The issue is that before we give a person the ultimate penalty, unless you're absolutely certain beyond a reasonable doubt that they deserve it, we shouldn't be doing it."
Further, Florida is an outlier. Alabama is the only other state that doesn't require jurors to agree on the aggravating factors that prompted their death penalty recommendation, said retired 18th Judicial Circuit Judge O.H. "Bill" Eaton, a capital punishment expert. But even Alabama requires a jury to reach a decision by a super majority vote. In Florida, if six of the 12 jurors agree, they may recommend death. A judge uses the recommendation to make the final decision.
"Right now, all we get is a number," said West Palm Beach attorney Gregg Lerman. "There's something wrong with the fact that they don't even have to tell us why they are choosing death.""
NO, its NOT worth it..anywhere!
I still think it would be cheaper...depending on the age of the inmate and if they speeded up the process and not let these guys sit on death row for 5 to 20 years.
Godfather.