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Libraryanna
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States have a requirement for automatic appeals for anyone getting the death penalty. So all those legal battles cost a bunch of money.
In addition, people on death row are separated from the rest of the prison population and treated differently, requiring more people to guard them. |
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Boozekiss B
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All the appeals. (court costs) |
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Paladin
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because death penalty lawyers charge the state a fortune at every appeal |
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Justin H
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If it was simply a matter of convicting and executing, the costs for life in prison would be substantially higher. But the equation changes when you factor in all the legal costs associated with the various appeals and legal maneuvering. |
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Jessica P
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It does? I have never heard that before.... where did you get your info? If it is true.... the only thing I could think of is maybe court costs... people on death row go through appeal after appeal.... so maybe that? |
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El Guapo
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Excellent question. You are right, it's not even close - it costs WAY more to execute a prisoner than to keep him incarcerated for life.
The numbers differ by state, but the reason for the disparity is that the government wants to be as sure as possible that it does not execute an innocent person. Toward that end, much more is spent on pre-trial preparation (most DP cases take a year or more to come to trial), more pre-trial motions, more expert witnesses (on both sides), more attorneys (also on both sides), jury sequestration, security (needed because of more publicity in DP trials), an extra sentencing trial, and an exhaustive appeals process.
This disparity becomes even greater when you consider the time value of money. Most of the additional costs of capital punishment are up-front, occurring before and during the trial itself, whereas most of the costs of life imprisonment are spread over the term of incarceration. Any first-year finance student (or lottery official) can attest that a dollar up-front is WAY more burdensome than a dollar spread over 30-40 years.
Some think the high cost of capital punishment is why violent crime rates are HIGHER in death penalty jurisdictions - every extra dollar spent on capital punishment is one that's NOT going to police, education, drug treatment facilities, women’s shelters, and other government programs that help reduce crime.
Even with all of these precautions in place, innocent people STILL get sentenced to death pretty regularly. In the last 35 years in the U.S., 130 people have been released from death row because they were exonerated by DNA evidence. These are ALL people who were found guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Unfortunately, DNA evidence is not available in most cases. So, as long as the death penalty is in place, you are pretty much GUARANTEED to occasionally execute an innocent person.
Many would argue that is the highest cost of all. |
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IceBreaker27
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The required appeals process is pricey. Trials are very expensive! We take putting someone to death quite seriously in this country, which is why a death sentence is automatically appealed.
It doesn't really have anything to do with the chemicals used in lethal injections or paying someone to administer to the chemicals - the vast majority of the cost is in the trial. |
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MP US Army
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Because of all the legal costs because someone on death row will appeal every chance he has and taxes pay for all of it. |
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jakflak
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It's not the death penalty that costs money, it's the pointless appeals. |
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Steve
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Because of the cost of death-penalty trials. |
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Canadian
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Because hopefully you would live in a just society where the death sentence isn't handed out like candy.
As soon as someone is sentenced to death, they have the right to a number of appeals - which means hiring lawyers, court time and more hassle.
Its good, because it reduces the risk of someone being put to death and then the authorities turning around and saying "Oops! He was innocent after all!" |
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shorty
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i think the death penalty is mainly for murders and stuff so they have taken a life so there's should be taken and life isnt enough for some ppls familys. |
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Elizabeth
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It doesn't in some cases |
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Sarah P
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Since you didn't say where the info comes from, I'm wondering where you heard that from? That doesn't sound true to me unless you look at it that the death penalty costs someone else their life and life doesn't... |
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t3hplatyz0rz
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If you have life in prison, you have the chance to make up for your crimes by helping people who don't have life in prison rethink their lives. It is still possible to live for something in prison.
You cannot live for something once you have died. You cannot do anything involving living people once you have died. |
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oldschoolgamer98
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I don't think it costs more at all, from what i've heard over the years a good estimate is each inmate costs an average of $30,000 a year.
But, if the death penalty is more expensive, i would think it would be because of all the research and work that goes on verifying it, court & lawyers, investigators, the EXECUTIONER!
But i highly doubt the death penalty is more expensive. |
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J L
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because they have a hard time hiring someone who is a doctor and willing to kill someone... weird to me vets seem to have no issue killing a vicious dog then why should people have a hard time killing a vicious person? |
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jenisisgrafix
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i don't see how that makes sense either! c'mon how much electricity do they use?! |
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Bryan D
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Gotta be some damn good chemical used to kill the people... |
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nykia9
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you have to pay for the electricity and the equitment |
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