Capital Punishment: The Cost Of The Death Penalty

From the beginning of the foundation of America, men have tried to figure out the correct way to deal with law-opposing criminals. From crucifixion and slavery, to death by firing squad and life sentences, the world has utilized different forms of discipline. The death penalty has formed into the most questionable form of punishment, drawing the most attention from the public eye. This sanction is used to punish criminals for committing the most heinous crimes and offenses. The crimes that obtain the death penalty mostly consist of murder which include murder during a kidnapping, murder for hire, drug-related drive by shooting, and genocide. However, the crimes can also consist of other capital offenses, such as espionage, treason, and death resulting from aircraft hijacking. The United States of America is still practicing the death penalty, but not without controversy such as its soaring price, its decrease of use, and its Constitutional right.
The cost of using the death penalty is excruciatingly immense and is continuing to surge. In his testimony to the Nebraska Legislature, Dieter states, “ In 1988, the Sacramento Bee found that the death penalty cost California $90 million annually beyond the ordinary expenses of the justice system, of which $78 million was incurred at the trial level. But the costs have increased sharply since then. As noted above, the costs now are estimated at $137 million per year” (Dieter 5). Over the last couple of decades, the cost of using