Restructuring the California Death Penalty

2100 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: California death penalty research paper

The state of California is currently suffering from a state deficit so great it would seem wise to restructure the death penalty as it stands now rather than cut education programs and jobs. California is a state which supports capital punishment; it is also a state that very rarely executes it death row inmates. In the last several years, California’s public educations system has taken on enormous budget cuts due to the state revenue crisis. As political leaders gather in the senate and review the gravity of the state’s situation, political leaders should examine how restructuring the death penalty and implementing life without parole would be beneficial for the state and those residing within the state itself. Utilizing the death penalty for the more serious offenders, such as serial killers, and implementing life without the possibility of parole, would allow the state to focus on improving educational resource, maintain job security, increase law enforcement on the streets, and rehabilitative programs for criminals. As California continues to struggle meeting budget deadlines, politicians focus on budget cuts affecting education, health care, social programs, and pensions. Part of balancing the state budget requires politicians to review all programs which are state funded; this includes analyzing the costs of “incarcerating people who pose no threat to public safety” (ACLU of Northern California). If California lawmakers come together and re-evaluate the correction system as a whole, state funding can be re-allocated back into our education programs, health care, social programs and others. As it stands now California’s Correction budget will exceed state universities funding in the next five years (SFGATE.com Article Coll... ... middle of paper ... ... Legislative Analysts Office. (2008-2009). Retrieved September 26, 2011, from LAO Web Site: http://www.lao.ca.gov/laoapp/LAOMenus/Sections/crim_justice/6_cj_inmatecost.aspx?catid=3 Martinez, K. (2009, June 5). WSWS.ORG. Retrieved September 26, 2011, from World Socialist Web Site: http://www.wsws.org SFGATE.com Article Collections. (2007, May 21). Retrieved September 26, 2011 , from SFGATE Web Site: http://articles.sfgate.com/2007-05-21/news/17245259_1_california-s-prison-budget-higher-education-incarcerating-inmates The California Report. (2010, September 22). Retrieved September 8, 2011, from California Report Website: http://www.californiareport.org/archive/R201009220850/b Williams, C. J. (2011, June 20). L.A. Times. Retrieved September 21, 2011, from La Times Web Site: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-adv-death-penalty-costs-20110620,0,3505671.story

Show More
Related

  • Sherman Alexie and Native American Writing

    1428 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...eter, Richard C. “Death Penalty Information Center” A Crisis of Confidence: Americans’ Doubts about the Death Penalty. 2007. 1-30 Print.

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Correctional Programs

    901 Words  | 2 Pages

    We imprison seven-hundred-fifty prisoners per one hundred-thousand citizens, almost five times the earth average. Around one in every thirty-one grown-ups in the United States is in the penitentiary, in prison or on supervised release. District, state, and national disbursements on corrections expenses total to around seventy billion dollars per year and has raised to forty percent more over the past twenty years. http://www.newsweek.com/ The current corrections specialists have started to support that notion. Even though we comprehend that criminals must take accountability for their actions, we also realize that we can no longer just turn out heads at their disappointments. The individuals that derive out of our penitentiaries, prisons, municipal programs and out from beneath our direction are our creation, and we have to take some responsibility. Source Citation (MLA 7th Edition) Hankoff, Leon D. "Current trends in correctional education: theory and practice." International Journal of Offender Therapy & Comparative Criminology Apr. 1985: 91-93. Criminal Justice Collection. Web. 12 June 2016.

    Read More

  • Problematic California Prison System

    864 Words  | 2 Pages

    California has one of the most dysfunctional and problematic prison system in US. Over the last 30 years, California prison increased eightfolds (201). California Department of Correctional and Rehabilitation (CDCR) does little to reform prisoners and serve as human warehouse rather than a correction institution. California's prison system fails the people it imprisons and society it tries to protect. In many cases, California's prison system exacerbates the pre-existing problems and aids in the formation of new problems for prisoners. This paper discuses the criminogenic effects of overcrowding, and reduction/elimination of programs and how it negatively affects California and the ballooning prison population and possible remedies.

    Read More

  • Prison Overcrowding in California

    2479 Words  | 5 Pages

    ...Prison Overcrowding: California." ALEC: American Legislative Exchange Council. American Legislative Exchange Council. Retrieved October 13, 2013 from Organization of CDCR

    Read More

  • The Authentic Movement of the 1960s

    1152 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mazells, Fred and Patrick Martin. World Socialist Web Page. 4 May 2010. 25 April 2014 .

    Read More

  • Abolishing the Death Penalty in Louisiana

    539 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although some claim that “getting rid” of Louisiana’s worst criminals gives the public peace of mind, this peace of mind comes at a tremendous cost. The extra money spent on the death penalty could be spent on other means of achieving justice and making the community safer: compensation for victims, better lighting in crime areas, more police on the streets, even longer periods of incarceration for certain offenders, or projects to reduce unemployment. Quite a few jurisdictions with the death penalty have recently had to cut back on other vital services. In some states, people are being released from prison early as a cost saving measure. Other states are closing libraries and government funded offices. A second reason why the costs of the death penalty are so central is that they play a key role in how the death penalty is implemented. Supporters and opponents of the death penalty agree that the capital punishment system should not take unnecessary risks with innocent lives and should be applied with a strict fairness. As with many things, the death penalty really isn’t a bargain. There is no abstract dollar figure for the cost of the death penalty and it depends on the quality of the system one demands.

    Read More

  • Problems with the American Prison System

    1089 Words  | 3 Pages

    Wilson, Rick. "The Growing Problems of the Prison System." American Friends Service Committee. American Friends Service Committee, 27 Nov. 2012. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. .

    Read More

  • Cost Of Prison Corrections

    572 Words  | 2 Pages

    Henrichson, C. (2012). The Price of Prisons: What Incarceration Costs Taxpayers. Federal Sentencing Reporter25.1 , 68-80.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Death Penalty

    2435 Words  | 5 Pages

    One of the most repetitive and controversial topics discussed in the criminal justice system, is the death penalty. Capital punishment has been a part of our nation’s history since the creation of our constitution. In fact, as of January 1st, 2016, 2,943 inmates were awaiting their fate on death row (Death Penalty Information Center). Throughout my life, I have always been a strong advocate for the death penalty. During the majority of my undergraduate degree, I was a fierce supporter of capital punishment when discussing the topic in classes. However, throughout many criminal justice courses, I found myself in the minority, regarding the abolishment of the death penalty. While debating this topic, I would always find myself sympathetic to the victims and their families, as one should be, wanting those who were responsible for heinous crimes to

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Reform Vs. Punishment

    1601 Words  | 4 Pages

    Many believed that the US state’s soaring expenditures and special interest politics are pushing states towards record budget deficits, causing a lack of funding towards education, health care, the poor, and even state correction system (Petersilia 2008). It is paramount that out government find ways to utilized government spending wisely towards all the principles mentioned, even towards state correction systems. Our government needs to put individuals in place to analyze prison systems and find ways to resolve the issues with recidivism. From the data collected, the government could learn the best methods of utilizing funding towards innovative programs to help with reform and

    Read More

  • Prison Rehabilitation

    1186 Words  | 3 Pages

    With the substantial increase in prison population and various changes that plague correctional institutions, government agencies are finding that what was once considered a difficult task to provide educational programs, inmate security and rehabilitation programs are now impossible to accomplish. From state to state, each correctional organization is coupled with financial problems that have depleted the resources to assist in providing the quality of care in which the judicial system demands from these state and federal prisons. Judges, victims, and prosecuting attorneys entrust that once an offender is turned over to the correctional system, that the offender will receive the punishment imposed by the court, be given services that aid in the rehabilitation of those offenders that one day will be released back into society, and to act as a deterrent to other criminals contemplating criminal acts that could result in their incarceration. Has our nation’s correctional system finally reached it’s critical collapse, and as a result placed American citizens in harm’s way to what could result in a plethora of early releases of inmates to reduce the large prison populations in which independent facilities are no longer able to manage? Could these problems ultimately result in a drastic increase in person and property crimes in which even our own law enforcement is ineffective in controlling these colossal increases in crime against society?

    Read More

  • Death Penalty Position Paper

    924 Words  | 2 Pages

    The death penalty is an economically wasteful method of punishment. It has been calculated that “if the death penalty was extinguished…we could save $11 million a year” (Locke). While this may not seem a significant sum, ...

    Read More

  • The Death Penalty and Violations of Human Rights

    1742 Words  | 4 Pages

    Recommendations on the Administration of the Death Penalty in California. Retrieved from The California Commission on the Fair Admission of Justice website http://www.ccfaj.org/documents/reports/dp/official/FINAL%20REPORT%20DEATH%20PENALTY.pdf

    Read More

  • The Death Penalty Must Be Abolished

    1000 Words  | 2 Pages

    "CLOSING DEATH ROW WOULD SAVE STATE $90 MILLION A YEAR", Sacramento Bee, Published on March 28, 1988, Page A1, 2589 words.

    Read More

  • The Death Penalty Should Be Allowed

    1601 Words  | 4 Pages

    However, on the other hand, to execute death penalty is also costly. In the article, “Death Penalty Is Too Expensive for States, Study Find”, Warren Richey mentioned about the cost of death penalty. For example, in the article, he said “New York spent $170 million over nine years on capital cases before repealing the death penalty. No executions were carried out there. New Jersey spent $253 million over 25 years with no executions.” He also menti...

    Read More

More about Restructuring the California Death Penalty

Open Document