Life sentence costs less than death row

Life sentence costs less than death row: "

By Nannette Miranda (KABC)

October 20, 2009

The new study shows that the death penalty is turning into a really expensive form of life without parole for the nearly 700 inmates on California’s death row.

The Death Penalty Information Center concludes California is one of many states that wastes millions of dollars on the death penalty.

In California, the bill is $137 million a year to imprison and litigate the sentence of death row inmates. Whereas if they were serving a life sentence without parole, the estimated cost to taxpayers would be $11.5 million.

University of the Pacific-McGeorge School of Law Professor Michael Vitiello has been studying prison reform for years and says the savings could be used to make streets safer.

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