CA can save $1 billion over 5 years by commuting death sentence of 682 to life w/o parole.

lindisfarne

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Mon Jun-29-09 10:20 PM
Original message

CA can save $1 billion over 5 years by commuting death sentence of 682 to life w/o parole.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-executions30-2009jun30,0,304771.story

They contend that by commuting all 682 death row inmates' sentences to life without the possibility of parole, the state could save up to $1 billion over the next five years -- a view expected to be offered, and challenged, during a public hearing today in Sacramento on proposed changes to the lethal injection procedures.
...
More California death row inmates have died in the time that executions have been halted than were put to death in the previous 30 years: 16 have died since early 2006, 11 of natural causes and five by suicide, compared with 13 put to death since 1976.

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dmallind

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Mon Jun-29-09 10:34 PM
Response to Original message

1. I smell creative accounting.

We all know the usual astronomical cost of DP cases quoted in such comparisons amortizes the costs of the appeals and DA and their staffs. Unless those staffs are cut, there is not much gross savings and far less so than keeping somebody locked up for decades. The execution itself is peanuts. It's the appeals process that is expensive. Most of that expense is in staffing. If those staff just do something else (by definition lower profile cases) but are still employed, what exactly has been saved?

I've seen plenty of claims for the cost of DP cases. I've never seen it broken down into what checks would not be written without them.

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TreasonousBastard

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Tue Jun-30-09 01:13 AM
Response to Reply #1

3. DA staffing is a small part of it...

Death Row can be shut down and prisoners put in with the general population-- just like non-capital killers are.

The state often has to pay for defense costs in addition to its own costs and overtime.

Filing and copying costs, along with stenographers for the hearings and other such incidentals, are incredibly expensive for appeals.

Everyone knows capital cases are budget-busters, and some counties around the country have actually faced bankruptcy when the state didn't pick up the additional costs.

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dmallind

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Wed Jul-01-09 03:36 PM
Response to Reply #3

13. But again we are mostly talking about staffing right?

The costs of the whole process are based on working hours more than purchasing commodities or infrastructure, correct? So if those staff are not made redundant if the DP is removed, where is the hard savings in real cash outlay that would not be spent?

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ORDagnabbit

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Tue Jun-30-09 12:32 AM
Response to Original message

2. or immediate carry out of sentence would save alot of dough as well...

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csziggy

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Tue Jun-30-09 02:21 AM
Response to Reply #2

12. No, the state has to allow the full process before they kill someone

That is the way it should be if our country is going to allow the death penalty.

I used to be for the death penalty. Then I realized how expensive and time consuming it is for the government to go through the motions required. The final straw for me was when the Innocence Project started showing how many people on Death Row were convicted incorrectly.

If it will save cash strapped states money, maybe the US can join other civilized countries and stop killing people.

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ContinentalOp

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Tue Jun-30-09 01:17 AM
Response to Original message

4. I'm fine with that but a billion is kind of a drop in the bucket, no?

But yeah, we should do it anyway.

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(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Tue Jun-30-09 01:19 AM
Response to Reply #4

6. a billion here, a billion there...

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ContinentalOp

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Tue Jun-30-09 01:26 AM
Response to Reply #6

10. Makes the whole world a blind billionaire?

:shrug: Actually, upon second reading, a billion over 5 YEARS? Let's do this because it's the right thing to do, not to pretend that it's going to magically solve all of our budget problems.

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anigbrowl

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Tue Jun-30-09 01:25 AM
Response to Reply #4

8. about 1% of our deficit

taking the 5 year timespan into account. Not a lot, but not chump change either. I think the point about more people on Death Row dying of natural causes than actually being executed makes the point more powerfully than anything else.

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SoCalDem

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Tue Jun-30-09 01:19 AM
Response to Original message

5. Ca could also save a ton of money by elimination the whole proposition thing on ballots

which cause us to have an election every year.. or fire the whole legislature, and let us govern by referendum completely.. why have a legislature, if they cannot reach consesnsus on ANYTHING, and allow special interests to dictate what we will vote on..

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ContinentalOp

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Tue Jun-30-09 01:24 AM
Response to Reply #5

7. Let's just get it over with and legislate via reality show.

Let the opposing sides of propositions put on a show and we can text in to decide the winner.

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SoCalDem

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Tue Jun-30-09 01:25 AM
Response to Reply #7

9. Ahhhnold's the first off the island.. turn in that torch, bud

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ContinentalOp

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Tue Jun-30-09 01:27 AM
Response to Reply #9

11. Actually could solve the death row issue as well...

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