Capital Punishment

Capital Punishment

Carlyn J. Medley

November 14, 2009

Capital punishment, also referred to as the death penalty, has been a long and drawn out debate throughout the years. Obviously, there are people who are for the death penalty, and those that are against the death penalty. There has been much research and studies down by both sides of the debate used to support their fight on the issue. Some of the issues being raised are the costs needed to uphold capital punishment, and whether or not capital punishment is an effective deterrent. I am going to show you evidence that supports the death penalty, and why I am for capital punishment.

One of the issues that are at debate is the cost of capital punishment on the American people. Studies show that people who are serving life without parole (LWOP) will spend an average of 30 to 40 years in prison at a cost of around $40,000 to $50,000 or more per prisoner. With these numbers we can see that it cost an average of $1,200,000 per prisoner (30 years x $40,000). Prisoners on death row spend an average of five years 11 months at a cost of around $75,000 for maximum security per prisoner. This means we are spending an average of $450,000 per prisoner on death row (6 years x $75,000). Justice For All (JFA), a criminal-justice reform group, estimates that death penalty cases costs $1.2 million to $3.6 million less than LWOP prisoners. Evidence shows that the cost to uphold the death penalty is far cheaper than housing LWOP prisoners.

Studies, also, show that capital punishment are considered an effective deterrent against murder. Between the years of 1960 to 1980 murders increased 131% as executions decreased. In 1960, there were 9,140 murders committed in the United States and only 56 executions. Compare that to 23,040 murders committed and only two executions in 1980. Homicides increased 5.1 to 10.2 murders per 100,000 persons. A study done in 2003 at Emory University shows that one execution deters an average...