Miscellaneous Issues

     There are also many miscellaneous issues with the death penalty.  One of these issues is cost.  Executions cost 4 times as much as life in prison.  $500 000 versus $2 000 000, that's a lot of tax money down the drain. Executing someone requires them to receive free counsel for defense, multiple chances to appeal, as well as imprisonment in a separate maximum security wing of a prison during their time on death row.  When people consider the cost of the two, they often just think of the cost up front, relatively cheap for a lethal injection compared to keeping someone in prison for life, but the hidden costs for a death penalty case are massive.  The trials alone for death penalty cost about 10x as much as life inprisonment cases, because the system of appeals, government-funded lawyers, and extensive trial lengths cause huge fees.  Investigations are also far more thorough so as to avoid error.



    
     Lawyer incompetence also causes issues.  Since people sentenced to murder who are having the death penalty pursued in their cases have the right free counsel for defense, which basically means a government funded lawyer.  These lawyers, according to American law, are supposed to be some of the most experienced and highly paid in the country.  This makes sense as they are dealing with sensitive and pertinent matters.  Unfortunately, this does not actually occur.  States ignore these standards completely, and death penalty lawyers are some of the worst paid and often have little experience.

     The death penalty is associated with many societies which we as advanced western cultures do not want to share judicial practices with.  Countries in eastern Europe and Asia, as well as south america and northern Africa  where many of today's greatest crimes against humanity are committed still harbor the death penalty.  The United states seems to be an outlier here, and why would we in Canada want to revert to old ways and unacceptable behavior.

     Finally, the death penalty violates international human rights laws.  As a promoter and proud upholder of these laws, it would not be right to turn around and break them within our own borders.