My Oppinion on the Death Penalty

The death penalty debate in the United States is dominated by the false voice of the anti-death penalty movement. The culture of lies and deceit dominates that movement that many of the facts are wrongly accepted as being true, by both advocates and opponents of the death penalty.

I feel that murderers should receive the death penalty instead of life without parole. Why should murderers be allowed to live when their victims are not?

God is in agreement with the death penalty which is stated all throughout the Bible. The death penalty was first instituted by God himself in genesis 9 : 6: "whoso sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." In the Bible it also states " And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe." Exodus 21: 23-26

The use of the death penalty as a deterrent to crime is an excellent idea. I feel that if they have televised executions three or four times a week, future criminals would not commit murder, rape, or any other violent crimes.

I feel that if millions of people sat down and watched little children crying about their mothers being raped and murdered, or mothers and fathers mourning over their children that were molested and killed, more people would want the death penalty to be used.

Many opponents present ,as fact, that the cost of the death penalty is so expensive ( at least $2 million per case) that we must choose life without parole at a cost of $1 million for 50 years. These statements are entirely false. It is estimated that life without parole cases will cost $1.2 million to $3.6 million more than equivalent death penalty cases.

Cost of Life Without Parole: Cases

Equivalent To Death Penalty Cases Cost of Death Penalty Cases

1. $34,200/year (1) for 50 years (2), at

a 2% (3) annual cost increase, plus

$75,000 (4) for trial & appeals = $3.01 million $60,000/year (1) for 6 years (5), at

a 2% (3) annual cost increase, plus

$1.5 million (4) for trial & appeals = $1.88 million

2. Same, except 3% (3) = $4.04 million Same, except 3% (3) = $1.89 million

3. Same, except 4% (3) = $5.53 million Same, except 4% (3) = $1.91 million

There is no question that the costs of the death penalty are significantly higher than for equivalent LWOP cases. There also appears to be no question that, over time, equivalent LWOP cases are much more expensive - from $1.2 to $3.6 million - than death penalty cases. Opponents ludicrously claim that the death penalty costs, over time, 3-10 times more than LWOP.

(1) The $34,200 is conservative, if TIME Magazine's (2/7/94) research is accurate. TIME found that, nationwide, the average cell cost is $24,000/yr. and the maximum security cell cost is $75,000/yr. (as of 12/95). Opponents claim that LWOP should replace the DP. Therefore, any cost calculations should be based specifically on cell costs for criminals who have committed the exact same category of offense - in other words, cost comparisons are valid only if you compare the costs of DP-equivalent LWOP cases to the cost of DP cases. The $34,200/yr. cell cost assumes that only 20% of the DP-equivalent LWOP cases would be in maximum security cost cells and that 80% of the DP-equivalent LWOP cases would be in average cost cells. A very conservative estimate, the $60,000/yr., for those on death row, assumes that such cells will average a cost equal to 80% of the $75,000/yr. for the most expensive maximum security cells. A very high estimate, Even though we are calculating a 75% greater cell cost for the DP than for equivalent LWOP cases, equivalent LWOP cases appear to be significantly more expensive, over time, than their DP counterparts. For years, opponents have improperly compared the cost of all LWOP cases to DP cases, when only the DP equivalent LWOP cases are relevant.

(2) U.S. Vital Statistics Abstract, 1994 and Capital Punishment 1995, BJS 1996.

(3) Annual cost increases are based upon: 1) historical increases in prison costs, including judicial decisions regarding prison conditions, and the national inflation rate; 2) medical costs, including the immense cost of geriatric care, associated with real LWOP sentences; 3) injury or death to the inmate by violence; 4) injury or death to others caused by the inmate (3 and 4 anticipate no DP and that prisoners, not fearing additional punishment, other than loss of privileges,