For or against, everyone has
an opinion and an argument of both sides of the proverbial barbed wire fence.
One of the few things I like about Texas
is the fact that it has the death penalty and is not afraid to use it. For me
personally, I believe the hard core death row killers ought to experience the
same death their victim’s endured, instead of a nice sleepy shot. I am positive
that is a whole other blog.
What I want to discuss this
time is the costs associated with the death penalty versus life sentences
without parole and a new bill aimed at curtailing some of the expenses and
possibly giving someone a better shot of not being wrongly convicted. Most
people I know when asked, believe that it is bound to be cheaper to put an
inmate to death rather than house and feed them for the rest of their lives. I
have always thought the same as well, without considering the complete process
the death penalty conviction involves. Several research sources have begun adding up the
seemingly endless expenses that are occurring. Wow. It is adding up to be in
upward of a million per case. Crazy, but due to allowable processes inmates are
entitled to multiple appeals. Within that lies, paid expert witnesses, juries,
prosecutors, paperwork processors, doctors, and consultants. The list is long
and adds up very quick. So I read it costs 47.50 per day to house and feed an
inmate. To make this even more real, a minimum wage employee makes 58.00
per 8 hour day before taxes. You do the math. With that said, I have no desire
to feed, house and medicate a hard core, death penalty qualifying criminal for
the rest of their lives. It seems so far to be a “no win” either way.
There is one bill in the
works that finally makes some sense and seems to be aiming towards the right
direction. The bill would require DNA testing before a death penalty trial
begins. Not only does it have the potential to cut major expenses, it has the
potential to help ensure we do not inadvertently sentence an innocent person.
This could be huge since technology has advanced so far. May this help end the
far too long processes, personnel and millions wastefully spent on someone that
should suffer a similar fate as their victims instead of prolonging the time
the inmate can kick back, be housed, fed and have access to health care. Some
simple luxuries hard working people go without.
Let me stray aside from my previous blogs and say that I do support the death penalty. As Shelly York mentions in her blog, the problem with our capital punishment system is that the appeals process can be very expensive and time consuming. There has been a lot of talk mostly in other states about ending the death penalty all together. Proponents argue that the costs of keeping our capital punishment system outweighs the benefits. The appeals process is the reason why it costs considerably more to execute a criminal than house them for life. The current appeals process was created a long time before advanced technologies have come to light. Requiring DNA testing before a death penalty trial begins is a step in the right direction towards improving an archaic system. It would cut through a lot of bureaucratic red tape and speed up the process while reducing costs.
ReplyDeleteLike Shelly I feel a very strong sense of righteousness when it comes to punishing hardened killers and rapists. Why should a criminal who is undeniably guilty beyond all reasonable doubt be allowed to compete for the same resources needed by those who have been convicted on less than concrete circumstances? When I say undeniable, I mean having been captured committing the crime on video or linked through DNA. I leave out confessions because of the Tulia incident which comes to mind. To quote William Blackstone, it is "better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer." In this respect I agree wholeheartedly, but we are living in a different era. We have access to technology that goes beyond eye witness accounts or confessions. However, in circumstances involving less than concrete empirical evidence, those who are and tried and convicted should have full access to the appeals process without having to compete with criminals who are absolutely guilty.
My view on the death penalty has always been a mystery, even to me. Sometimes I feel that we should not kill people, what if they did not do it; On the other hand I wonder if someone close to me was killed, would I want them to die also. I remember in my debate class after a girl gave a speech on abolishing capital punishment, on the basis that no one should have that kind of power where they "play god", the teacher asked her if she believe in life support. Prolonging life is just as powerful as ending life; CRAZY.
ReplyDeleteBack to the subject at hand, capital punishment or better known as the death penalty, my fellow bloggers Jake and York support this kind if punishment for guilty people. York makes the point that money is a factor in supporting the death penalty in her post 'The Infamous Texas Death Penalty', unfortunately does not provide a link and does not cite her sources. "Upwards of a million dollars per case" for capital punishment, this includes appeals, witnesses, juries, etc., and around 50 dollars a day to house and feed an inmate. After doing the math if a guilty inmate is housed for fifty years it would cost around 912,500 dollars. This makes me think of all the minor (drug) offenders that are in prison and the money and resources that go to put those people away and keep them there could be use for bigger fish, i.e. murderous crimes.
York also presents the information of a new bill put forth to ensure all possible DNA testing is done prior to starting the trial, but once again fails to provide a source. This bill would decrease the number of people wrongfully convicted; I believe this is a good idea and do not understand why we have not securing DNA test for those accused to begin with. I was able to find a recent article from the Austin Chronicle written last month on this issue, ‘LawmakersUrge Pretrial DNA Testing in Death Penalty Cases’.
Whenever capital punishment is brought up it makes me think of a cover story on the front page of the Austin Chronicle ‘Perry the Executioner’, interesting article and a good read, full of information. I get the since that York feels very strongly about avenging the wrong doings, but let me leave you with this, Gandhi once said “an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.”