The California appeals process is especially long, sometimes lasting 20-30 years, driving

up the costs to the taxpayers. But other states have discovered that high costs in their
own states make the death penalty much more expensive than life without parole, even
with much shorter appeals processes.



What will be an ideal response?


In Maryland, a study by the Urban Institute
demonstrated that a single death sentence costs the state $3 million, while cases in
which life without parole is sought cost $1.1 million, factoring all costs of trial, appeals,
investigations, and prison. In Tennessee, a study by the Comptroller of the Treasury
revealed that it cost the state 48% more for death penalty trials than trials in which life
imprisonment is sought. In Kansas, it was determined by the state that death penalty
cases cost 70% more than non-death penalty cases. Comparable results have been
identified by several other states, including Nevada, Washington, New Jersey, Indiana,
North Carolina, and Florida. Research reputable sources in your own state, especially
the official state government sites and reputable newspapers and advocacy groups, to
determine whether such studies have been conducted in your state. Has this data been
used to urge that capital punishment be abolished, if it has not already? If your state
does not have the death penalty, have supporters of the death penalty acknowledged
these costs?

Philosophy & Belief

You might also like to view...

Aristotle agreed with Plato in holding that forms or substances exist in a separate world, independent of particular things in the world

Indicate whether the statement is true or false

Philosophy & Belief

Since 83 percent of those who fail to wear seat belts receive more serious head

injuries, it follows that wearing seat belts reduces head injury" is an example of

a. a causal argument b. a statistical generalization c. an analogical argument d. a inductive generalization

Philosophy & Belief

Summarize the three steps through which the state of Israel came into being.

What will be an ideal response?

Philosophy & Belief

Wal-Mart workers usually live in cheap motels

Indicate whether the statement is true or false

Philosophy & Belief