Can NH Afford the Death Penalty?

It's ideological. (0.00 / 0)

The death penalty is based on the belief that one person's negative experience will motivate other people not to repeat whatever had that negative result.
There is no evidence that people who kill, in particular, stop to think about the potential consequence for themselves, much less what happened to other people.   Basically, I think, people who kill don't think.  They either react to their emotions or, the professionals, just do what they're told.

On the other hand, the state's claim that it's good policy to kill people who kill really can't be morally supported.  "Don't do as I do, do as I say" has not proven to be a successful strategy.  The state deciding who lives (by criminalizing the premature termination of pregnancy) and who dies (by declaring suicide illegal and putting miscreants to death) is an exercise of dictatorial hubris.  It really violates the principle of consensus and re-enforces the perception that people have to be coerced by the threat of punishment to be socially responsible.

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by: hannah @ Sat Mar 07, 2009 at 12:58:54 PM CST

Hmmm (0.00 / 0)

I believe I read a short story with a premise based on this. It only dealt with the actual costs of execution, though, not the cost of prosecution (which is the main expense). The general premise was the once a person was given the death penalty, they were simply sent home - and removed from any further protections of the law. Thus, the state cost of the execution was eliminated because private citizens would not only volunteer for the job, but pay a fee for the chance. I wasn't quite sure whether the author was writing the story as a libertarian proposal, or a satirization of one - it's so often hard to tell. Anyone recall the story?

IT for John Lynch '04 and NHDP '08 - I'm liking my track record so far!

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by: RealNRH @ Sat Mar 07, 2009 at 16:44:31 PM CST

Hidden costs (4.00 / 6)

It's not just the prosecution of a death penalty case that is expensive.  In the Addison case, the state also paid for his defense...over half a million dollars before going to trial.  

What made it worse, to me, was that Addison had offered to plead guilty and accept life without parole and the AG turned him down so the NH taxpayer got to pay for both his prosecution and defense.  Now, we are paying for all the appeals.

"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

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by: Elin Phinizy @ Sat Mar 07, 2009 at 17:29:10 PM CST

Welcome to Blue Hampshire. (0.00 / 0)

And I love the sig line.

A pity AG Ayotte chose not to go with that far cheaper, and, in my opinion, more severe punishment.

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by: Dean Barker @ Sat Mar 07, 2009 at 17:51:29 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Thanks (4.00 / 1)

The signature is one of Jay's favorite poems.

When I testified in favor of HB 557 I talked about the costs, not the morality of the death penalty. The death penalty is a luxury that New Hampshire can't afford.

"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

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by: Elin Phinizy @ Sun Mar 08, 2009 at 09:58:32 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

in 2007 (4.00 / 2)

I wrote an editorial suggesting ways that execution could be a money maker for our state (pay per view, baby!).

In 2008, I wrote about it again, since Joe (who?) Kenney was trying to use the death penalty as a tool in his goobernatorial campaign.

In 2007 Governor Lynch said he'd veto a repeal of the death penalty.

The average cost of killing a resident seems to hover around $24 million. It's amazing to me that folks who would complain bitterly about spending another dime on education think that $24 million is money well spent - even though investing in education might well prevent the execution.  

It's another statement of our priorities. We gladly spend trillions to kill, while begrudging every dime spent on teaching.  

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by: susanthe @ Sat Mar 07, 2009 at 17:33:10 PM CST

$24 Million? Linky? (0.00 / 0)

I'd like to see some detail on this.


www.KusterforCongress.com  

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Sat Mar 07, 2009 at 18:30:29 PM CST

[ Parent ]

if you (0.00 / 0)

read the second editorial you'll see the numbers I found. :)

Another excellent source of material is the Death Penalty Information Center - a site I use whenever I write about the death penalty.  

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by: susanthe @ Sat Mar 07, 2009 at 19:05:29 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Still alot of $$$ (0.00 / 0)

Maryland's per resident costs are low it seems:

(bold & italics mine)
Maryland reinstated the death penalty in 1978 as a sentencing option for individuals convicted of felony homicide. Since then, five inmates have been executed and five others are on death row awaiting execution. Much has been written about the morality of the death penalty, and many empirical studies have investigated whether the presence of such a statute deters homicides. However there is limited rigorous empirical research on whether the death penalty increases or decreases the cost of prosecution and incarceration. To address this issue, we initiated a study to assess the death penalty's costs to Maryland taxpayers. We study the lifetime costs of all homicides eligible to receive the death penalty where the homicide occurred between 1978 and 1999.

We found that an average capital-eligible case in which prosecutors did not seek the death penalty will cost Maryland taxpayers more than $1.1 million, including $870,000 in prison costs and $250,000 in costs of adjudication.

A capital-eligible case in which prosecutors unsuccessfully sought the death penalty will cost $1.8 million, $700,000 more than a comparable case in which the death penalty was not sought. Prison costs are about $950,000, and the cost of adjudication is $850,000, more than three times higher than in cases which were not capitally prosecuted.

An average capital-eligible case resulting in a death sentence will cost approximately $3 million, $1.9 million more than a case where the death penalty was not sought. In these cases, prison costs total about $1.3 million while the remaining $1.7 million are associated with adjudication.

Between 1978 and 1999 there were 56 cases resulting in a death sentence, and these cases will cost Maryland citizens $107.3 million over the lifetime of these cases.
That is $1.9 million/case.

In addition, the 106 that did not result in a death sentence are projected to cost Maryland taxpayers an additional $71 million.
That is $670,000/case.

In addition, the Maryland Capital Defender's Division cost $7.2 million. Thus, we forecast that the lifetime costs of capitally-prosecuted cases will cost Maryland taxpayers $186 million.
Again, over 21 years

So? A 21 year study shows a total of $186 million or 8.9 million/year. Over a load of 162 cases, that's $142,000/year

This study evaluates 1,136 cases were a murder was committed between 1978 and 1999 and the defendant was eligible for the death sentence. Estimates of attorney time spent processing these cases were developed from semi-structured interviews with prosecutors, defense counsel and judges with capital experience. Case events were calculated from data in the Maryland Judiciary Case Search
database and the federal PACER database. Costs borne by Maryland taxpayers were estimated for each stage of case processing.

Note to self: Libruls want to snuff 'em before they are a burden to society. Kinda pre-emptive capital punishment.

www.KusterforCongress.com  

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Sun Mar 08, 2009 at 08:36:58 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I'm not understanding (0.00 / 0)

your commentary about preemptive capital punishment.  

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by: susanthe @ Sun Mar 08, 2009 at 09:25:04 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Abortion (0.00 / 0)

The rhetoric about a young mother not being "prepared to raise a child" is euphemism for "that kid will grow up a thug."

If abortion is fiscally prudent, then it seems that to argue against the death penalty is consistant with that logic. The arguement is not, however, based on the warm and fuzzies about human life.

I am pro-choice and am not against the death penalty. Violent and/or sexual crimes against minors and the elderly should have the harshest of penalties, imo.

www.KusterforCongress.com  

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Sun Mar 08, 2009 at 10:00:57 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

it may seem that way to you (0.00 / 0)

it does not seem that way to me.

Abortion is a WOMAN'S reproductive/health decision.
I don't worry about those who aren't here, or don't exist. A blastocyst is not a person, imho.

I will, on the other hand, fight like hell for the living. The death penalty is state sanctioned murder of actual people.  

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by: susanthe @ Sun Mar 08, 2009 at 20:47:52 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Immaculate Denial (0.00 / 0)

Say hi to 50% of the blastocyst.

Is it safe to say you favor compelling a man to pay child support?

www.KusterforCongress.com  

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Sun Mar 08, 2009 at 21:37:13 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

it's safe to say (0.00 / 0)

that I believe men should be responsible for their sperm. If they don't want to be fathers, they can use condoms, have vasectomies, or abstain until they are ready for fatherhood.

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by: susanthe @ Sun Mar 08, 2009 at 22:18:19 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

When does fatherhood begin (0.00 / 0)

When the mother decides?

I do support a woman's right to choose, but it does seem odd that I pick up the tab with none of the say.

This strikes me as squarely in "cake and eat it too" territory.

www.KusterforCongress.com  

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Sun Mar 08, 2009 at 22:53:26 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Guilty of highjacking (0.00 / 0)

Is that punishable by death? Or just a troll rating?

www.KusterforCongress.com  

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Sun Mar 08, 2009 at 22:54:49 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

sorry Jack (0.00 / 0)

anyone who says, "I support a woman's right to choose, BUT" does not actually support a woman's right to choose.  

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by: susanthe @ Mon Mar 09, 2009 at 10:33:47 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Total BS n/t (0.00 / 0)

www.KusterforCongress.com  

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Mon Mar 09, 2009 at 10:57:23 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

sorry ducks (0.00 / 0)

you're the one pushing total BS.

You can't say you support a woman's right to choose, BUT and totally support a woman's right to choose - not while sounding like a whiny men's rights activist. The two are not compatible.  

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by: susanthe @ Mon Mar 09, 2009 at 11:53:50 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I am glad my wife loves and respects me. :v) (0.00 / 0)

We do share alot in common. Like children.

Story. My first daughter was in the womb. Alpha Fetal Protiens(?) count comes back high. Doc says baby may be born with Down's. We do the Amnio.

You met Nilya, she doesn't have Down's.

So, if the fetus was afflicted, a decision would have to be made. Now I contend that because I share 50% of the DNA, I am entitled to an opinion. Also, I am out of pocket, as well. BUT, my wife, the mother and incubator of the "fill in the blank" gets the final choice.

Now my wife could tell me to piss off, that my opinion means shit. That is her prerogative. That is not a choice that is predicated on a deep respect for our committed relationship.

www.KusterforCongress.com  

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by: Jack Mitchell @ Mon Mar 09, 2009 at 12:25:31 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

bottom line (4.00 / 2)

the incubator gets to decide. If you have issues with that, go invent an artificial womb, and do your own incubation. People in committed relationships make decisions together. It is my firm belief, however, that no one has the right to force a woman to bear a child. That's slavery -  no matter how lovingly a man might couch the terminology.

Story. I found out that the Pill is 99% effective when I was 18. It was 1974. I had a CHOICE. My choice was to have a baby. My parents/his parents choice was to force us to marry. It was a bad idea. Within 9 months of my daughter's birth, we were finished. By the time she was 4, he'd disappeared completely from her life. He was court ordered to pay child support. He never did. I did not pursue it, because, quite frankly, I didn't want this loser in our lives. He could have chosen to be involved, but he did not.

Every year she sends me a father's day card.  

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by: susanthe @ Mon Mar 09, 2009 at 12:49:22 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Our Stoopid Politics (0.00 / 0)

The extra cost of killing convicts rather than using life in prison?

That's our Weak-Kneed Politician Tax. We can escape it by electing others.

The NH public is about 50-50 on the death penalty these days, with no leadership against it and the UL supporting it.

Kudos, BTW, to the Diocese of Manchester, which has not wavered in its opposition.

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by: elwood @ Sat Mar 07, 2009 at 17:57:48 PM CST

Steidl's Quote Speaks Volumes (0.00 / 0)

The Life Penalty is equally as inhumane as the Death Penalty as far as i'm concerned. But we had this debate a few months ago.  

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by: Andrew Sylvia @ Sat Mar 07, 2009 at 19:41:29 PM CST

They're literally not worth it. (0.00 / 0)

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by: This Was The Moment @ Sat Mar 07, 2009 at 20:25:54 PM CST

As with torture, it's the effect on the perpetrators, rather than (0.00 / 0)

the victims, that should be considered.

What does it do to the psyches of people who are recruited to sentence someone to death and then actually kill him?

Is it better to pay out $24 million to several dozen people over a number of years to execute one person who offends us or is it better to pay out $5+ million to however many it takes to make a hellfire missile that will atomize one Iraqi and his pickup truck?

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by: hannah @ Sun Mar 08, 2009 at 05:35:57 AM CDT

as we consider the cost (0.00 / 0)

to NH, it behooves us to remember that NH does not have  an execution chamber. The state will have to build one.

NH will also have to purchase the chemicals, and have people on hand to administer them. A trained professional swabs the inmate's arm with alcohol before inserting the needle that will deliver the chemical cocktail of death. I've always found that more than a little ironic.  

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by: susanthe @ Sun Mar 08, 2009 at 09:20:53 AM CDT

Death sentence (0.00 / 0)

Why is murder ok when 12 people do it from a jury box?????   Killing some one locked in a box is not self defense---its vengence !  

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by: tchair @ Sun Mar 08, 2009 at 19:33:05 PM CDT