What Costs More: The Death Penalty, or Life Without Parole?

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Cost of Life Without Parole:  Cases   Equivalent To Death Penalty Cases					Cost of Death Penalty Cases
1. $34,200/year (1) for 50 years (2), at       a 2% (3) annual cost increase, plus       $75,000 (4) for trial & appeals	= $3.01 million				$60,000/year (1) for 6 years (5), at   a 2% (3) annual cost increase, plus   $1.5 million (4) for trial & appeals	= $1.88 million
2. Same, except 3% (3)	= $4.04 million				Same, except 3% (3)	= $1.89 million
3. Same, except 4% (3)	= $5.53 million				Same, except 4% (3)	= $1.91 million

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What Costs More: The Death Penalty, or Life Without Parole?

The summary:

There is no question that the up front costs of the death penalty are significantly higher than for equivalent LWOP cases. There also appears to be no question that, over time, equivalent LWOP cases are much more expensive - from $1.2 to $3.6 million - than death penalty cases. Opponents ludicrously claim that the death penalty costs, over time, 3-10 times more than LWOP.

Comments

[K. Bandell]

...where are you getting your figures?...do those figures include costs at trial and costs of appeals?...from what geographic venue did the figures emerge?...please advise....thank you and in peace....

[H. J. Ablomi]

How do you figure the life expectancy of the inmate to be 50 years?