A Bloodthirsty People

While most of the world has abandoned the death penalty as archaic, cruel and barbaric, it seems that Americans continue their love affair about killing criminals they don't like.   A recent Gallup poll shows that around 64 % of Americans are in favor of the death penalty, while only 29% are opposed to it.   With those kind of numbers it looks like the death penalty will be around for a while yet.

What's odd about this is the fact that the death penalty is ineffective and expensive.   Even though this country kills more convicted criminals than any other nation each year, we still have one of the highest crime rates of any country -- and most studies show the death penalty is not a deterrent to other criminals (since no criminal ever expects to be caught).

I know there are some who will say that the executed criminal will commit no new crimes in society.   That is true.   But it is also true that a prisoner given life without parole (LWOP) will commit no new crimes in society.   LWOP is equally effective in preventing further crimes by the convict (even though neither is an effective deterrent).

An odder fact is that the same people who support the death penalty also think the government spends too much money and wants to cut back on social programs and other crime-prevention efforts.   They don't seem to realize that non-death penalty punishments, including LWOP, cost the government far less than death penalty punishments.   Consider the following facts:

* The Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury has determined that death penalty trials cost 48% more than non-death penalty trials.

* A legislative audit in Kansas determined that the average cost of a death penalty case through execution was about $1.26 million, while the average cost of a non-death penalty case through end of incarceration was only about $740,000.

* The Urban Institute found that in Maryland the death penalty cases cost about 3 times what a non-death penalty case costs.

* A California state study has determined the state could save $126 million a year by moving from the death penalty to LWOP.

It would seem to make a lot of sense in the midst of the current recession, when many state (including here in Texas) are considering slashing health and social programs, that eliminating death penalty punishments would be a good place to start cutting.   The death penalty is not only ridiculously expensive, but it is a very poor deterrent.

But we're still a young country and not yet civilized enough to stop the state-sanctioned murders.   We like a strong dose of revenge to be included in what passes for justice.   And sadly, this seems to be true among all the different groups.   Here's how Gallup says the different groups come down in favor of the death penalty:

Men...............71%
Women...............58%
Whites...............69%
Nonwhites...............55%
Republicans...............78%
Democrats...............55%