Unfortunately a common argument FOR the death penalty is the cost of keeping people alive. Very many people think that it is cheaper for society to have eg. murderers and pedophiles executed than locked up for the rest of their lives. They assume that "getting rid off" them must be cheaper than to store and feed them. Not only are they as wrong as they possible can, they are also arguing that there is a rather clear price on human lives. It's a cynical and primitive way of regarding fellow human beings.
The media is filled with articles about the consequences of the financial crisis and for once there is actually a positive thing about it.
Last Thursday 19 February I read a press item with the headline. "Expensive Death Penalty Can Be Abolished". "Several American states has started to discuss the abolishment of the death penalty. The reason is the financial crisis - it is expensive to execute people. 36 of the 50 states allow executions. The bill for one person sentenced to death is 1,26 million [!!] dollars while a life sentenced cost 740 000 dollars, according to researchers. Two thirds of the people is pro capital punishment."
Then people ask why does it cost so much to kill someone. Well, to understand why it is expensive, and should be expensive I can compare it to the death penalty in eg. China.
* When accused for eg. murder (among the 68 [!] different offences that are imposed with death penalty), when do you get a defence lawyer?
= Maybe 10 days before trial. Maybe never.
* When are you guilty?
= Until proven innocent.
* Who pays for the execution itself, that is for the bullet?
= The family of the convicted. For some that can be a month's salary.
* When is the execution implemented?
= Usually pretty quick after sentencing.
* How is the appeal procedure?
= The possibility exist but only if they have the time...and money. Keep in mind many Chinese are poor.
How is it then in the States?
Defence lawyer?
= Yes, of course. (Although there is no guarantee that he's educated or has the experience of this kind of cases)
* When are you guilty?
= When proven guilty.
* Who pays?
= Not the family.
* The execution?
= An person on death row sits there on an avarage of 11 years.
* Appeal procedure?
= AHA! Plenty! You can appeal several times. Useful since there are plenty of cases where people has been sentenecd to death despite their innocence.
Do you STILL wonder why it costs more to execute a person in USA than feeding them and keep them locked up? USA actually has a judicial system that "works" and China...well, you fill in the obvious.
The question that remains is still whether you can put a price on a human life...
The media is filled with articles about the consequences of the financial crisis and for once there is actually a positive thing about it.
Last Thursday 19 February I read a press item with the headline. "Expensive Death Penalty Can Be Abolished". "Several American states has started to discuss the abolishment of the death penalty. The reason is the financial crisis - it is expensive to execute people. 36 of the 50 states allow executions. The bill for one person sentenced to death is 1,26 million [!!] dollars while a life sentenced cost 740 000 dollars, according to researchers. Two thirds of the people is pro capital punishment."
Then people ask why does it cost so much to kill someone. Well, to understand why it is expensive, and should be expensive I can compare it to the death penalty in eg. China.
* When accused for eg. murder (among the 68 [!] different offences that are imposed with death penalty), when do you get a defence lawyer?
= Maybe 10 days before trial. Maybe never.
* When are you guilty?
= Until proven innocent.
* Who pays for the execution itself, that is for the bullet?
= The family of the convicted. For some that can be a month's salary.
* When is the execution implemented?
= Usually pretty quick after sentencing.
* How is the appeal procedure?
= The possibility exist but only if they have the time...and money. Keep in mind many Chinese are poor.
How is it then in the States?
Defence lawyer?
= Yes, of course. (Although there is no guarantee that he's educated or has the experience of this kind of cases)
* When are you guilty?
= When proven guilty.
* Who pays?
= Not the family.
* The execution?
= An person on death row sits there on an avarage of 11 years.
* Appeal procedure?
= AHA! Plenty! You can appeal several times. Useful since there are plenty of cases where people has been sentenecd to death despite their innocence.
Do you STILL wonder why it costs more to execute a person in USA than feeding them and keep them locked up? USA actually has a judicial system that "works" and China...well, you fill in the obvious.
The question that remains is still whether you can put a price on a human life...
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