Death Penalty, $250 Million Tax Burden

Stewart A. Alexander
2006 Candidate
California Lieutenant Governor
Peace and Freedom Party

The California death penalty has a temporary moratorium since the postpone execution of Michael Morales in February of this year; however a side of capital punishment most Californians remain completely oblivious to is the tremendous cost to taxpayers.

California taxpayers will spend an average of $200 to over $275 million for each prisoner on death row; and most of that cost is related to the high cost of capital trials, housing the death row inmate, the high cost for defense counsel and the tens of millions required to appeal convictions.

In a Los Angeles Times article it was estimated that Californians paid an average of a quarter of a billion dollars for each of the 11 executed after 1977. Presently there are over 650 inmates on Californian’s death row.

Recently Stewart Alexander, the Peace and Freedom Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor, conducted a random survey of 150 adults in Riverside and San Diego County, to determine the awareness of the public regarding an average cost to taxpayers for inmates on death row; the cost for trials, housing, appeals, prosecutors and defense counsel. “I was extremely surprised how unaware most people are regarding how their tax dollars are spent.”

Of the 150 individuals surveyed, 127 believed the cost could range between $100 thousand to five million dollars. None of the participants surveyed thought the cost exceeded $10 million. Seven individuals chose not to participate.

Alexander believes the issues concerning capital punishment are much deeper than the cost to the State. Alexander says, “Killing prisoners is big business in California and America. Inmates on death row are the poor and minorities, and for them “Lady Justice” is not blind.”

The Peace and Freedom Party, and all the 2006 PFP candidates running for public office, are strong opponents to capital punishment and support reforming our prison and criminal justice system.

Alexander says, “Angelides, Westly and Schwarzenegger support the death penalty because that support is a popular vote-getter, however it is cloaked under the veil of justice. I reality these three politicians are aware that capital punishment is robbing the public of billions of dollars to subsidize a broken down criminal justice system.”

Capital punishment has not had an impact on reducing violent crimes in California or America which may suggest that prison reform and reforming the criminal justice system may be a better approach to reduce crime in America.

For more information, search the Web for Stewart A. Alexander for Lieutenant Governor.
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