An Economic Analysis of the Death Penalty

An Economic Analysis of the Death Penalty

  • Submitted By: ndrain
  • Date Submitted: 10/08/2013 1:03 PM
  • Category: Social Issues
  • Words: 2492
  • Page: 10
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AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE DEATH PENALTY
Natasha Drain
Baker College
BUS 650
Abstract
The cost associated with the death penalty is more expensive than housing someone in prison for life. The economic recession today has several states thinking of cutting-back cost by eliminating the death penalty to confront huge budget deficits. The death penalty is used as a strong deterrent, but has it stop crime, no. There is substantial evidence and research that shows the death penalty is economically inefficient and morally wrong. This paper will analyze the cost-benefit of the death penalty to show that other alternatives of capital punishment should be exercised by participating states.















An Economic Analysis of the Death Penalty
A death for a death is the justice that most states choose to embrace, with 14 of the 50 states banning capital punishment, the debate has been shifted from morality to cost. The cost associated with putting someone to death does vary from state to state. The death penalty is an expensive and prodigal program with no benefits. Most of the studies suggest that the cost of capital punishment is much more expensive than a system with life sentence as the maximum penalty instead. Sentencing someone to death includes the cost for pre-trial and during the trial cost, as well as, the lethal injection (Amnesty International, 2013). Most of the cost is required upfront for legal expenses. The cost for a prisoner with a life sentence would include the pre-trial expense, one automatic appeal which is not provided by a court-appointed attorney until after this appeal is complete within two years of the initial sentence and the cost of housing this prisoner for life. Although both the death penalty and life in prison can be very expensive the death penalty requires more funds and the states are usually not able to afford it. In a time of many budget cuts, states are pouring money into...

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