California, the state with the largest population, is
attempting to change many of the laws that our government has enacted in the
late 80’s and early 90’s. Some of these laws
have been accused of creating the long battle that California has had with the
overwhelming populations and budget spending in the state prisons (Dieter, 2007.) On the November 2012 election ballot there
are a number of new reforms awaiting their fate. Amongst these reforms are
proposition 34, and Proposition 36. Proposition 36, is a reform on the three
strikes law which is said to help alleviate any future congestion within the
prisons, because it would require that the third strike to be a violent
offense; opposed to the law of today, where an individual can get a life
sentence simply for stealing a sandwich on their third strike (ballotpedia,
2012.) Proposition 34, is a reform on
California’s capital punishment. If enacted proposition 34, will abolish the
death penalty, and turn what would be punishable by death, into a life sentence
without the possibility of parole (ballotpedia, 2012.)
The
death penalty has had a long history in California. It was first allowed in the state in 1872; however, in 1972 the
California Supreme Court ruled against the death penalty describing it as cruel
and unusual punishment. The Supreme
Court’s ruling turned the sentence for those on death row into life in prison
without the possibility of parole; much like what proposition 34 will do if
enacted (CDCR, 2010; DPIC, 2012.) Again,
Californians feared the rising rates and severity of crime so much so, that capital
punishment was once again enacted. California
re-enacted the death penalty for first degree murder, in 1977; it was only to
be used for those guilty of first degree murder. In 1978, the citizens of
California decided to extend capital punishment to murder with special
circumstances; these special circumstances include multiple murders, or murder
during a rape, robbery, or torture. Since
its re-enactment, California has only executed thirteen inmates and there are
currently 724 inmates awaiting their execution (CDCR, 2010; Sangiorgio, 2011; DPIC,
2012.)
There
has been controversy over whether or not the death penalty is actually an
effective punishment or if it is simply a flawed waste of money. According to an article published in the L.A.
Times ( Williams, 2011) California’s tax
payers have spent more than four billion dollars on the death penalty since
capital punishment was reenacted; this means that each of the thirteen executions
that have taken place in the last thirty-three years cost approximately 308
million dollars. Today, those who are currently on death row in California cost
the state approximately 184 million dollars more per year more than those
inmates who are currently serving a life sentence. Also costly to Californian’s
are the prosecution costs which are estimated to cost at least twenty times
that of life sentence cases. According to a study published in the L.A. Times (Williams,
2011), “the least expensive death penalty trial costs $1.1
million more than the most expensive life-without-parole case (Williams, 2011.)”
It
is obvious that capital punishment costs the state millions of dollars more
than it does just to house inmates on a life sentence; however, opponents of
abolishing capital punishment such as chief of staff to the Orange County District Attorney, Susan
Schroeder (appeal democrat, 2011) explained
that,
“…Even if the death penalty is not carried out often in California, we have
to hold the line on tough punishments. If prison without possibility of parole
becomes the toughest penalty, then a slippery slope could develop in which
lesser penalties could be imposed for heinous crimes. Eventually, we could end up like Norway,
where Anders Behring Breivik murdered 69 people last year and was given that
country's harshest penalty, 21 years in prison (appeal democrat, 2012.)”
Sometimes,
as people with emotions, we do things just because it makes us feel better.
Even though it costs a lot more money to put someone to death, some may argue
that at least now we know that person will never hurt anyone or their family again.
They may also argue that it provides closure for victims and their families
when their attacker has been put to death. Although the idea of killing another
person as punishment has been a part of man kind’s history, California has had
a long battle accepting it. History
usually repeats itself, and I believe that if Proposition 34 does get the
majority vote and goes into effect on November 7, 2012, in the future there will
be some way to bring another form of capital punishment back to the state.
Works Cited
Appeal Democrat.
(2012, September 26). Our view: No on prop. 34 – repeal of death penalty.
Retrieved from
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/death-119740-penalty-prison.html
Ballot Pedia. (2012). California proposition 34, the end
of the death penalty initiative. Retrieved from http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_34,_the_End_the_Death_Penalty_Initiative_(2012)
CDCR. (2010). Capital punishment: History of capital
punishment in California. Retrieved from
http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/capital_punishment/history_of_capital_punishment.html
Death penalty information center. (2012). State by state
database. Retrieved from http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/state_by_state
Dieter, R. (2007). Changing views on the death penalty. Death
penalty Information, http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/Beijing07.pdf
Halsall , P. (1998, March). Ancient history sourcebook:
Code of hammurabi, c. 1780 bce. Retrieved from
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/hamcode.asp
Sangiorgio, C. (2011). The death penalty and public
information on its use. International Review of Law, Computers &
Technology, 25, 33-44. Retrieved from
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=93f87b04-76f2-4853-82b2-6c1e4379a5ad@sessionmgr14&vid=4&hid=7
Willams, C. (2011, June 20). Death penalty costs California
$184 million a year, study says. L.A. times. Retrieved from
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jun/20/local/la-me-adv-death-penalty-costs-20110620