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Question

why does the death penalty coast more than life in prison?

Answer 1

This is a good question.

Here are some of the reasons-

The extra costs begin even before the trial. First, investigators must determine if the crime warrants the death penalty, then, whether the defendent would be eligible for it (does he suffer from mental retardation or mental illness). Next, the prosecution team will be much larger, and perhaps the defense team will also be larger. Many more pre trial motions are filed and all have to be answered. It takes longer and is much more complicated to select a jury, the trial itself is more complicated. The trial is really two separate trials- the first one to decide guilt or innocence and the second to decide the penalty. Each trial requires separate sets of witnesses. If the defendent is sentenced to death he will be locked up on death row, which costs much more to maintain. Cases where the death penalty is not being sought frequently end in a plea.

As an example of this, New York State spent over $200 million dollars to sentence 7 men to death since 1995. Of these men, 4 had one appeal and the other 3 men had no appeals. In contrast, it costs New York $35,000 a year to imprison someone.

Appeals add to the costs. Life without parole is swift and sure, means what it says and is rarely appealed

Answer 2

It's because of the cost of the meds. they use- I believe 3 different ones. Plus, they will not put a person to sleep until 3 appeals have been made to make sure the person is guilty. Medications to slow breathing, to put a person to sleep, and to stop the heart are very expensive.

RoRo is right in a sense, too. And it does cost more for the death penalty than life in prison- I think double the price if I remember my social studies teacher correctly.

One case found the median of the death penalty to cost 1.26 million dollars for one case followed through from beginning to end (www.deathpenaltyinfo.org).

Answer 3

Where did you hear that the death penalty cost more than life in prison. It doesn't. The only way the Death penalty costs more than life in prison is having to live with the knowledge that someone has died.

Answer 4

Mostly because of the cost of appeals - the state has to pay for both prosecutor and defending attorney, and they usually require more than one attorney and that attorney must be experienced (and therefore more experienced). Most people on death row get multiple appeals. Here in PA we have a woman being tried for hiring someone to murder her husband, and the state is paying almost $500,000 for her defense attorneys because it is a capital case.

I found some info on the subject that might be helpful at http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?did=108&scid=7

Answer 5

I believe it costs more because of all the preparation one has to do to end someone else's life. Monetary contribution to the relatives, legal costs, etc. I think that is why it costs more than life-term prison.

Answer 6

If that is true, it is probably because by the time the person is put to death, they have lived some many years on deathrow that it just adds up. The meds they use to exterminate them is probably expensive too.

Answer 7

You think about 5 pragraph in topic include subject tell three body and inclusion You should to be clamis you do write in the essay.

Answer 8

Your statement is not necessarily true in all cases, but the chief reason for those that are more costly is the number of state-paid lawyers and appeals for the inmate.

Answer 9

I dont think it does...... funding people in prison cost far more than just killing them....

Answer 10

maybe because they put you to sleep
you spelt cost wrong
ha