Florida Adjusted Total Costs
Death penalty cases $500,000
Life without parole cases $1,953, 000
Death penalty cases $500,000
Life without parole cases $1,953, 000
As Virginia averages 7.1 years of appeals prior to execution, there is no
doubt that Florida can do it within 10 years, unless all of the obstructionists
are immovable.
Let's presume Florida can be both accountable and responsible and can
complete appeals by adding a whopping 41% more time than Virginia uses.
That will save, on average $450,000/case on incarceration time/costs (1)
and likely $50,000 or more to litigation time/costs, or a total of $500,000 per
case, bringing the costs of the average death penalty case to $500,000,
providing 5 1/2 years for state appeals and 4 1/2 years for federal
appeals.
Only obstructionists can fail to make this work.
That would be considerably cheaper than lifers, who will cost about
$1,953,000 total, or $1,453,000 more expensive than a death penalty case.
LWOP cost calculations.
Lifers would spend an average of 46 years in prison, at a cost of
$1,104,000 at $24,000/yr, NOT including pre trial, trial, appeals or geriatric
care costs.
Presuming average incarceration at age 28, with an average 46 yr prison
stay, dying at age 74 (2), geriatric care costs likely add $41, 000/yr (2) for
19 yrs., age 55-74 (1) ($779, 000 more), with all trial and appeals costs
averaging at least $70,000/case (3).
Of course, present valuing the cases will bring the costs closer
together.
These costs do not include a cost benefit of the death penalty, which is a
plea bargain to a LWOP sentence, only possible with the presence of the death
penalty. Therefore, if you save all trial and appeals cost in those plea
bargained LWOP cases, it shows up as a credit to the death penalty side of the
ledger, even more pronounced, if you present value the costs, which, at $70,000
per LWOP case, would equate to a full credit if present valued. a significant
cost reduction for death penalty cases.
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MANY ADDITIONAL STATE COST REVIEWS
DEATH PENALTY COST: SAVING MONEY
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2013/02/death-penalty-cost-saving-money.html
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MANY ADDITIONAL STATE COST REVIEWS
DEATH PENALTY COST: SAVING MONEY
http://prodpinnc.blogspot.com/2013/02/death-penalty-cost-saving-money.html
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1) Treasure Coast Death Row: Special report: Cost of Florida's death row easily exceeds $1M per inmate, Melissa E. Holsman, October 7, 2012 at 4:05 am
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2012/oct/07/newspaper-investigates-florida-death-row-cost/
These are only three cases, but this is the only cost review that I have seen, out of Florida, that attempted to get accurate costs, per case.
"Determining how much post-conviction death row appeals cost taxpayers is
nearly impossible, especially in cases spanning decades. Scripps Treasure Coast
Newspapers took an in-depth look at the available expenses in three cases and
here’s what was found:
ALFONSO CAVE:
Sentenced to death in 1982 for the murder of Frances Julia Slater in the
same year in Stuart.ALFONSO CAVE:
$711,750: Estimated cost of housing Cave on Florida’s death row for 30 years
$348,000: Verified costs of post conviction appeals, which in part includes $163,025 in appellate attorneys fees; $27,904 in state attorney’s expenses; and $61,758 in costs for experts, witnesses and investigators
J.B. “PIG" PARKER:
Sentenced to death in 1983 for the 1982 murder of Frances Julia Slater in Fort Pierce.
$688,025: Estimated cost of housing Parker on Florida’s death row for 29 years.
$296,000: Verified costs of post conviction appeals, which in part includes $31,016 in appellate attorneys fees (Parker also has received 29 years of free legal representation from a New York law firm); $3,020 in state attorney’s expenses; and $63,977 in costs for experts, witnesses and investigators.
Sentenced to death in 1983 for the 1982 murder of Frances Julia Slater in Fort Pierce.
$688,025: Estimated cost of housing Parker on Florida’s death row for 29 years.
$296,000: Verified costs of post conviction appeals, which in part includes $31,016 in appellate attorneys fees (Parker also has received 29 years of free legal representation from a New York law firm); $3,020 in state attorney’s expenses; and $63,977 in costs for experts, witnesses and investigators.
Executed April 12, after being sentenced to death in
1984 for the 1983 murder of Lynn Elliott in Vero Beach.
$664,300: Estimated cost of housing Gore on Florida’s death row for 28 years.
$210,000: Verified costs of post conviction appeals, which in part includes $149,489 in appellate attorneys fees; $7,442 in state attorney’s expenses; and $37,934 in costs for experts, witnesses and investigators.
$664,300: Estimated cost of housing Gore on Florida’s death row for 28 years.
$210,000: Verified costs of post conviction appeals, which in part includes $149,489 in appellate attorneys fees; $7,442 in state attorney’s expenses; and $37,934 in costs for experts, witnesses and investigators.
(2) The Lives of Juvenile Lifers: Findings from a National Survey, p 33,
March 2012, Ashley Nellis, Ph.D.
http://www.sentencingproject.org/doc/publications/publications/jj_The_Lives_of_Juvenile_Lifers.pdf
"The average cost of incarcerating a person is $22,000 annually. A life sentence that begins in one’s late teens can be expected to last at least 55 years. But with rising costs of older inmates, beginning at age 55, the annual cost is closer to $65,000."
http://www.sentencingproject.org/doc/publications/publications/jj_The_Lives_of_Juvenile_Lifers.pdf
"The average cost of incarcerating a person is $22,000 annually. A life sentence that begins in one’s late teens can be expected to last at least 55 years. But with rising costs of older inmates, beginning at age 55, the annual cost is closer to $65,000."
3) The $70,000 assumes a 77% cost reduction in pre trial, trial and appeals
going from a death penalty case ($300,000 average) down to $70,000 for a LWOP
case.
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Victim's Voices - These are the murder victims
