Capital Punishment In America Essay

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When comparing the United States of America’s morals to other countries the most prominent matches include countries like Canada, Germany and other progressive european countries. It is unusual for America to be categorized with countries like China, North Korea and Saudi Arabia but when it comes to capital punishment the United States is very similar to these countries. Ranked fifth highest numbers of executions per year, The United States is a surprising contributor to the list, given the country 's political and cultural views compared to the other top ranked countries, like China. This archaic “eye for an eye” form of punishment is being used less and less worldwide, specifically in the United States, due to its moral implications, ineffectiveness, …show more content…
A death sentence requires two trials; one trial determines guilt and another one determines the punishment. These trials are then followed by appellate review. This is not only a long process but a very expensive one. The cost of the judges, attorneys and clerks for these extensive trials can quickly add up. The federal commission determined that the cost of executing an inmate is fourteen times more expensive than keeping the inmate in prison for life(Times). The time the inmates spend behind bars is also expensive. In California inmates who will be executed spend their time on death row while inmate who serve life without parole serve their time in maximum security prisons. The California Commission concluded that “the additional cost of confining an inmate to death row is ninety thousand dollars per year per inmate”(Phillips Erb). A Duke University professor, Philip Cook, concluded that North Carolina could save eleven million dollars annually and others states like California, Kansas and Tennessee could save around two hundred million annually by abolishing the death penalty(Times). America’s economy is struggling and states being forced to release prisoners early and lay off corrections officers. Abolishing the death penalty would save states millions of dollars that could be used to improve prison facilities and create more

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