To the editor:
It would be ironic that in the long struggle over the morality and wisdom of capital punishment in those states still having it on their books, if it were an endangered species on account of its burden on taxpayers. Few people concern themselves with the cost of prosecuting, defending, dealing with the costs of numerous appeals where taxpayers pay for both prosecution and defense and all the court costs related to them, or any special measures taken to keep prisoners on death row as compared to the regular prison population.
Recent advances in DNA evidence, which have caused the release of more than 200 convicted felons, has raised eyebrows about the justice in the system. How did these murderers, rapists and other bad people get convicted in the first place? Was there prosecutorial misconduct? Did the police plant or falsify evidence? Were judges negligent in not waking up drowsing defense attorneys? Was the juror selection process flawed?
Perhaps a committee of economists who are neutral on the moral and ethical questions associated with the death penalty should be tasked with the job of calculating the cost-benefit of the death penalty. Has this ever been done? I don't think so. Let's give it a try.
David Grubbs
Forest Glen Court |
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