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Originally Posted by PR_Glen
This debate 101? I recall doing this in grade 9 myself..
How can putting someone on death row cost more than having them 'rot in prison' for the next 40-50 years? I know it takes forever for things like that to take place but still more cost effective to flush the fish rather than feeding and having to babysit it for 4 or 5 times longer than that.
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There are a lot of different costs that add up quickly. First, death row inmates are houses separately from the general population so there is an additional cost in just keeping them in their cells. The courts are so bogged down it can often take 6-10 years for a death penalty case to make it through the courts so for all of those years the prison has the extra cost of housing that inmate on death row.
Another aspect is the legal fees. There are a serious of legal steps that must be taken in every case no matter if the defendant is asking for them or not. All of these legal fees and court costs add up quickly not to mention many of these people are also fighting and doing much more than just the minimum required steps, they are trying every legal angle they can to stop their execution. That costs money.
Put together housing them in special units for many years and all the legal fees involved in getting the case through the system and it adds up very quickly.