The question of whether a society should punish criminals who
commit extreme acts of murder and violence with death is largely
based on a person's moral, ethical, and/or emotional stance on the
issue.
But Proposition 34 adds one more factor to
California's death penalty debate: the financial cost of killing
criminals.
Proponents of Prop 34 say abolishing the death penalty will save the Golden State $100 million a
year, which can be redirected to investigating
crimes.
Opponents say the cost savings are misleading and
California's death penalty should be reformed to be more efficient,
not scrapped entirely.
(This Insight segment aired on October 25)