I don’t think you should support the death penalty to seek revenge. I don’t think that’s right. I think the reason to support the death penalty is because it saves other people’s lives.

So. I have been researching the Death Penalty as of lately. Ever since my fb conversation with Jami and Labeef. Jami is my friend, so I figured I would investigate her and other people against the DP's reason(s) for being against it <3

For starters, here are the reasons that many people are NOT for the death penalty. The myth that the death penalty is more expensive, denial of basic rights, prolonged uncertainty, error.

For starters, on many of the websites (a variety of neutral, pro and abolitionist sites) I have found a lot of helpful information on these subjects. I believe that many people are upholding to the myth that the Death Penalty is MUCH MORE expensive that LWOP. Let's examine that topic, first and foremost, since that is a topic that holds statistics and actual computable numbers.

On all the websites (a wide variety of neutral, pro and con sites) that the "costs" they are talking about include for the DP, Pretrial, Trial, appeals, repeals, incarceration and the actual act of execution. Whereas on every site against the Death Penalty, they conveniently calculated the "costs" of LWOP,  ONLY including the cost of incarceration. What about the pretrial, trial, AND REPEATED repeals and court appearances? The longer they are incarcerated, the more repeals and court appearances they have. Also, there is the estimated 50k-90k of Geriatric Costs per inmate per year, which start occurring between the ages of 55-65 (approx. 10-15 years earlier than avg), due to the lifestyle the inmate has led (www.cnn.com). Another cost that is not included in many of the LWOP cost studies, that is included in EVERY DP study is the disposal of the body, which is extremely expensive. For a person that is TRULY LWOP and somehow does not managed to be paroled in this liberal nation of activists, then given the very definition of LWOP, they would indeed, die in prison, leaving the costs of their body disposal to be an 'included cost' of their incarceration, and presumably the LWOP cost. These costs that are included in the DP and not the LWOP costs are merely left out, unfairly, for the sake of winning this debate that the DP is more expensive. Well, no shit. If I went grocery shopping at Price Chopper, spent $5 dollars, and then went grocery shopping at Walmart and spend $50 dollars, of course Price Chopper is cheaper. But, I also failed to mention that I only included the milk I purchased at Price Chopper, instead of the full bill I got at Walmart.

I have just come across an article from an honors student blog, who is studying Criminal Justice in Deluth, that the number of prison equivalent geriatric LWOP inmates is very minimal therefore there would not be a significant increase in cost. How is it that inmates who are given LWOP, somehow avoid reaching the geriatric (55-65) age in prison? Either that article is grossly misleading, or inmates who are given LWOP, their sentence is commuted down, therefore never reaching the geriatric age in prison. Either one, is very disturbing. This blog also stated that there are NO overpopulation or budget problems in prisons, which means that people sentenced to LWOP, WOULD NOT be let go. hmmm, let's see what a recent article on CNN is about.....


"To ease BUDGET woes, one bill up for debate would allow nonviolent elderly prisoners to be released into hospice care or monitored with ankle bracelets. In the past few years, Georgia officials say, the state has released more frail and dying inmates on medical reprieve than ever before. Other states, including New York and Virginia, have also allowed early release of ailing elderly inmates. . .But critics, including victims' advocacy groups, have scrutinized this policy. Will Marling, executive director of the National Organization for Victims Assistance in Virginia, said most victims believe offenders will strike again after they are released. "If a person is sentenced to life, we know they are naturally going to get old," Marling said. "A life sentence should mean life." There remains a group of elderly inmates who committed violent crimes during their golden years, proving the point that many victims worry about." Thank you, CNN for proving this college student wrong.

To continue on this subject or LWOP inmates ending up not serving there sentence, there have been a LARGE variety of DOCUMENTED cases that show that people who are given LWOP, end up being paroled, and then end up committing heinous acts--or commit heinous acts in prison, killing either staff or other inmates. They have nothing to lose, so why not? Many of them are let go because of the large number of inmates incarcerated, while other have state legislatures repealing on their behalves, or abolitionists picketing for their parole. Many are let go do to changes in state laws. Many are let go 20 years later when the full effect of their act doesn't seem as bad. The prisoner has "reformed", so they let them go, with the majority of them becoming repeat offenders. When someone is given LWOP it is not guaranteed that their sentence will not be commuted (CJLF, 2010).

If the system would improve their Death Penalty practices, and shorten the time the inmate is on death row to a solid 5-6 years, like Viriginia, that would decrease the cost of the DP, as well. The national average is 11 years, with only 14% being executed and 36% being overturned, to Virginia's 65% and 15%, respectively (Dudley Sharps, 2010, Justice Matters).

As of 2002, the statitistic was that 65% of people committing violent felons are REPEAT OFFENDERS. Now, imagine if everyone whom committed avViolent Felony was executed. I am pretty sure that the number of Violent Felonies being committed, would decrease by 65%...

There is no way to really "measure" the amount of murderers that a true and enforcing DP would deter. (Right now, our country, or the states individually do not have a "True, enforceable" DP. As it stands there is one execution for every 1600 murders (Death Penalty Resource Director, 1997). But it is common sense. It's the basic principal of human behavior (CJLF, 2010) When the price of gas rose, people quickly found other means of getting around, and deterred from using gas. Therefore, as by the same theory, if the DP is enforced in a true means, then people would stop committing, mainly, premeditated murders. It is documented human nature behaviors that allow the Criminal Justice Foundation to come to this conclusion.


Denial of basic rights. Really? Seriously? This is the first and fore most concern for people against the death penalty? Really? Denial of Basic Rights? What about the basic rights of the person/people this person has murdered? Where are their basic rights? Once you murder someone, your 'basic rights' go out the window. Sorry, buddy.

Error is second. I am pretty sure there are few cases of error. It does happen, I am certain, but there are so many court appearances and appeals to get thru before being executed. With science being as up to date as it is, there are far fewer cases of error than ever before.

Prolonged uncertainty. Seriously? This goes along with Denial of Basic Rights. Your right to not be 'tortured' with years of uncertainty flew out the window when you committed the heinous act.

Something else to consider, is once the DP is abolished, those same groups will, in fact, work to abolish LWOP, and then from there work to decrease sentences, in general. Pretty soon, this could be a country without any reprimands against illegal activities.

Ok. I am pretty sick of proving my point, here. The few people who read this know my opinion on three topics that I enjoy ranting my opinion about. First and Foremost, The fact that Abortion is wrong in ANY terms, secondly, that the DP is the BEST sentence for a murder charge. and Thirdly, that Homeschooling really is the best option, as I wrote in my senior thesis (that I got an A on, I must add. :) )