Quote:
To those against the death penalty-
How much a year per person does it cost for a person to be in jail?
Do you realize that the most vicious people are at the top of the social ladder in jail, thereby refuting the idea that life in prison is worse then the death penalty?
How can you both claim
1) life in prison is worse then death
2) you don't support the death penalty because it could lead to the death of innocent people
these two statements completely contradict each other to me. Maybe it's too late.
Borodog- Can you explain your point a little more?
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ON COSTS:
Annual costs to maintain a prisoner are a lot. I recollect a figure of 30K annually but might be off.
I also recollect that people on death row stay there for a decade or more so the same applies to them for all the years they are on death row.
From what I understand there is an extensive appeals process available to people on death row so it might even be more expesive to have a dealth row prisoner for 15yrs including their appeals than it is to maintain a lifer for 40 years.
Second point:
I realize that the most vicious are at the top of the social ladder. That doesn't mean their life is not bad. I pesonally would rather be killed than spend life in prison I think that would be way better but realize most prisoners don't think so. I also realize it's a big problem that people in jail who are violent and willing to kill and who live in states with no death penalty are a nightmare to maintain. Their is no fear of a worse consequence than they already face so they can rule the jail and kill. Super max prisons are becoming more common where people like that are in isolation 24hrs a day but would imagine that it is even more expensive to maintain them but really don't know.
In any event I am in favor of bringing back chain gangs and putting those criminals to hard labor for 10hrs a day, 6 days a week. Of course they would have to be monitored by a couple sharp shooters so if they try to escape or fight someone they get shot dead. I think chain gangs and hard labor would be a deterrent much more than the current system.
RE: life being worse than the dealth penalty.
I use my own judgement and think that i would rather be put to dealt (a minute of pain) than confinement for 35years or more until i die having guards control my every movement and have huge restrictions on my freedom and choices. Hardened criminals usually don't think this way because they are amongst their own element in jail.
I think hard labor (i.e. cool hand Luke) should be the routine way to treat prisoners. Easier labor and rehab with skill development for the moderate to low level criminals (like auto shop or whatever). If the moderate people screw up send them to the hard labor camp if the screw up is serious.
I am against killing people and think it would really suck to kill innocent people and think that there have been cases of that since the death penalty wiht dna evidence and stuff.