USA : Death penalty is too expensive

[cyberianpan]

This could be a curious end to the death penalty ... failing a cost benefit test:

NYT

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — When Gov. Martin O’Malley appeared before the Maryland Senate last week, he made an unconventional argument that is becoming increasingly popular in cash-strapped states: abolish the death penalty to cut costs... now arguing that capital cases cost three times as much as homicide cases where the death penalty is not sought. “And we can’t afford that,” he said, “when there are better and cheaper ways to reduce crime.

Lawmakers in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and New Hampshire have made the same argument in recent months as they push bills seeking to repeal the death penalty, and experts say such bills have a good chance of passing in Maryland, Montana and New Mexico.

Death penalty opponents say they still face an uphill battle, but they are pleased to have allies raising the economic argument.
...
A case that resulted in a death sentence cost $3 million, the study found, compared with less than $1.1 million for a case in which the death penalty was not sought.

cYp

[Conor]

Some of the costs could be defrayed if their precious internal organs were harvested post-mortem. This might require alternative execution methods though - I bet the guillotine is pretty cheap.

[Thranduil]

It might have a slim chance in some states, can't see it passing in Texas though. I do not support the death penalty generally but it is obvious to me that the methods they use are much crueler than that which was routine during the Wild West period - namely hanging. If they must do it, can't they just put a boltgun through their brain or something? Instantaneous, immediate - no complications and even compaible with the US constitutional restriction on cruel and unusual punishment.

I guess they believe the pain involved is part of the deterrent and a quick death would be too easy in that sense but to be honest i think the kind of people who commit murder aren't deterrent material in the first place.... it seems if the persistent misinterpretation of the US constitution is anything to go by then neither are the kind of people in favour of state sanctioned homicide.

[cyberianpan]

Some of the costs could be defrayed if their precious internal organs were harvested post-mortem. This might require alternative execution methods though - I bet the guillotine is pretty cheap.

That's what China does ... and I think lethal injection is fine

Though if this was in the US I'd see a demand for organic chemicals to be used

cYp

[Oppenheimer]

I think there is a mis-comparison made here. They need to take the whole lifecycle into consideration not just the case. Once someone is topped they are not taking up the resources of the state by being incarcerated. I think the cost to the state here, per year, of keeping someone banged up is €100k. Extrapolate that to a lifer, and life is 25+ in the US, and the costs can be compared more fairly.

[shutuplaura]

There is so much ceremony about it in the States, its quite grisley really - death row, green mile, dead mans walk, all those who come to witness it, strapping then down and asking for last words then reading the death warrent before even begining the whole process. During the second world war the British state executioner had to execute some US soldiers who were charged and convicted under US military law while in the UK and therfore had to be executed by US legal process. This including the painful wait while the sentance was read while the condemned was on the gallows with the noose around his neck before the drop. He found the whole process very cumbersome and this made the experience even worse for the condemned.

In Britain they went from cell to gallows as quickly as possible with no unnecessary stalling around to upset the prisonor. Albert Pierrepoint had it down to a fine art so to speak - one guy went from cell to the lethal drop in less than ten seconds.

To me it suggests a fundamentally different philosophy in the states on the merits of the death penalty. Personally I believe the drama is heightened to gain maximum satisfaction for the victims family - its revenge. It makes it more distasteful and in my opinion. Either way, it does suggest to me that at a fundamental level there will always be a death penalty in some parts of the US, namely Texas.

[forest]

to save money they should also stop sending broken rockets into space
How many million wasted on that
NASA and the death penalty should be stopped

[zakalwe1]

the kymer rouge used a plastic bag. could be used over and over. who'd have thunk that they took the "recycle" ethos to new levels.

[DaBrow]

In china, they just shoot you by firing squad for the death penalty.

Given how many guns are available in America, I'm suprised it hasn't been suggested

[Conor]

In china, they just shoot you by firing squad for the death penalty.

Think of the organs!

Won't someone please think of the precious internal organs!