Fighting Capital Punishment

Our introductory sociology class at Truman State University is working on a project for social change. We have chosen capital punishment as our focus for change because our group feels that it is inhumane and against an individual's right to life.

Also, despite capital punishment being a hot topic for political debate, it is important to remind the public of factors playing into the death penalty that make it a dark stain upon our justice system.

Our reasons for fighting capital punishment are these:

1. It is an unnecessary strain on our economy. The greatest costs associated with the death penalty occur prior to and during trial, not in post-conviction proceedings. Even if all post-conviction proceedings (appeals) were abolished, the death penalty would still be more expensive than alternative sentences.

AND

2. Racism and classism is prevalent in the sentencing to death row. Blacks accused of killing white victims were five times more likely to be charged with capital murder than blacks accused of killing black victims. Also, Defendants with public defenders or court-appointed attorneys --reflecting poverty level income--were 73% more likely to be sentenced to death by juries in capital trials than were defendants who paid for private attorneys.