[Newsbot]

Title: States can't afford death penalty
Category: Uncle Sam
Posted By: Robair
Date: 2009-10-20 08:34:03

[GreenTiger]

If states want to maintain the death penalty and do it efficiently how about a firing sqad.

[Robair]

GreenTiger GreenTiger:

If states want to maintain the death penalty and do it efficiently how about a firing sqad.

I don't get it. How does that make it cheaper???

[Brenda]

Firing squad is still an alternative.

What makes it so expensive are the appeals.

If you don't execute anyway, why not just turn the sentence into life without parole?

[KorbenDeck]

Robair Robair:

GreenTiger GreenTiger:

If states want to maintain the death penalty and do it efficiently how about a firing sqad.

I don't get it. How does that make it cheaper???

7 bullets is cheaper than the drugs they use to kill them. No special doctors, chairs, and equipment. Just a wall, 7 officers, 7 loaded guns... and the janitor.

[OldChum]

Yes we could open it up to tickets and sell them to the public, hell the Romans had public floggings .

[ridenrain]

I agree about the legal wranglings..
The thing is, their bending over backward to make killing the people humane and to a large extent, it never can be. I'm partial to the gas chamber because it's also cheap and, like it or not, everyone has to breath sooner or later.

[Robair]

KorbenDeck KorbenDeck:

Robair Robair:

GreenTiger GreenTiger:

If states want to maintain the death penalty and do it efficiently how about a firing sqad.

I don't get it. How does that make it cheaper???

7 bullets is cheaper than the drugs they use to kill them. No special doctors, chairs, and equipment. Just a wall, 7 officers, 7 loaded guns... and the janitor.

You think the drugs they use is what makes it expensive?

Uh, no.

Not

at

all.

Killing somebody is expensive because nobody wants to kill somebody who is wrongfully convicted. The expensive part is the endless appeals etc that are necessary.

Even then, you are not garaunteed zero wrongfull convictions.

[Scape]

Add to that the huge backlog it creates on the justice system. Every appeal is like a trial all its own.

[Brenda]

Are there automatic appeals when you get life without parole?

[herbie]

Quite a possibility.
Can't end the death penalty on moral grounds like a civilized country, end it because it's not cost efficient. How fucking American that would be.

[Scape]

Brenda Brenda:

Are there automatic appeals when you get life without parole?

Long term imprisonment is better for conviction rates and it's cheaper as juries are more likely to convict if the sentence will be life rather then death. Also, death penalty trials will go over every possible detail with a fine tooth comb opening up far more options for appeals. Most states have mandatory appeals process for death penalty cases. Each execution can cost between $2.5 million to $5 million. While the cost of keeping a 25-year old inmate for 50 years at present, amounts to a grand total of $805,000.


Source

Quick stats

In the last 30 years in the U.S., over 100 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.

[Pseudonym]

Do those costs include the average appeals costs for those who are doing life in prison as well?

[Scape]

The cost is doubled as two trials instead of one will be conducted: one for guilt and one for punishment.

[Robair]

Scape Scape:

Brenda Brenda:

Are there automatic appeals when you get life without parole?

Long term imprisonment is better for conviction rates and it's cheaper as juries are more likely to convict if the sentence will be life rather then death. Also, death penalty trials will go over every possible detail with a fine tooth comb opening up far more options for appeals. Most states have mandatory appeals process for death penalty cases. Each execution can cost between $2.5 million to $5 million. While the cost of keeping a 25-year old inmate for 50 years at present, amounts to a grand total of $805,000.


Source

Quick stats

In the last 30 years in the U.S., over 100 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.

Yup.