Death Penalty: Spending The United States Tax Dollars

The Death Penalty: Spending the United States Tax Dollars

The death penalty has been one of the most controversial topics discussed for decades. Both the sides fighting for the death penalty and the ones fighting for life in prison have many strong arguments, but one key factor is the cost. Unknown to the majority of the public, the death penalty is much more expensive than life in prison (deathpenalty.org). By eliminating the death penalty the United States could save millions every year and spend that money on more important matters.

When the death penalty was first invented it served as a punishment that was cheap to execute, but this has not stayed true over time. The first death penalty laws were written around the eighteenth century

B.C.E. These laws listed all of the crimes that would be punishable by death. When sentenced, the criminal would face any way of execution ranging from drowning to impalement. As time has progressed, however, these methods have generally become much quicker and in modern times, more humane. Unfortunately this has driven the cost of the penalty from almost nothing, to approximately 1.26 million (deathpenaltyinfo.org). In the United States, this is because of the Constitution and the complicated court trials that result. These death penalty trials take many months and can be repeated multiple times. Even after conviction, the average death row inmate waits thirteen years before his or her execution date. While the average inmate costs around $47,000 a year to maintain in prison, those on death row cost “… $90,000 more per death row prisoner each year than on prisoners in regular confinement” (deathpenalty.org). Instead of paying for the additional court costs and increased jail maintenance fees, the cheaper alternative would be to sentence those convicted to a life in prison.
Instead of wasting millions on death penalty cases, the United States should turn their attention to life sentences. This process is much faster and saves valuable tax dollars that would go to waste with the death penalty. On average, the cost for a court case not pending the death penalty is around $740,000 while the cost for the death penalty, as mentioned before, is close to 1.26 million (deathpenaltyinfo.org). Even though the numbers heavily favor sentencing criminals to life in prison, the general public is the reason why the death penalty is still around. In the United States, each individual state holds the power to either allow the death penalty or outlaw it. However, due to “Short election cycles, primary elections, weak political parties and campaign finance needs” most state governments cannot afford to go against the state’s voters (iipdigitalusembassy). So, until the majority of the remaining thirty-two states, that allow the death penalty, realize how much of an economic burden they are placing on their state, this issue will not likely change.
The death penalty might be justice in some people’s eyes, but this ancient method of punishment is a waste of resources. Back thousands of years ago, when the process was much less complex, this method may have worked, but as times change so do punishments. Unfortunately, due to the limited powers the federal government holds, the only way to solve the issue lies within the states. Once the citizens of the United States become educated enough to realize the economic burden this medieval form of punishment places on their country, then reform will take place. But until that day, the tax dollars that could be spent on educating a child will continue to be used to combat the fear of the general public.