Hutchinson, Death Penalty, 1 They [prisoners sentenced to death] are almost all poor, usually white, often high school dropouts. Most have never killed before. Most are from the South (Benac).Introduction:Opponents of the death penalty have said that capital punishment does nothing to deter crime. There is some critical information that is important to know before going more in depth on this discussion. The purpose of this paper is not to discuss whether capital punishment is effective in deterring crime nor does it present any ethical arguments regarding it. It is to discuss whether it is used in a universally just and fair manner. Presently, approximately 3, 565 prisoners are living on death row. The costs for death penalty cases are enormous, possibly soaring in to the millions. (National Association) Since 1973, over 160 children [defined as anyone under the age of 18] in the U.S. have been sentenced to die (National Association). It is possible that ten percent of death row inmates are mentally retarded. Approximately 90% of those whom prosecutors seek to execute are African-Americans or Latino (National Association). Considering all of the above facts, there are obviously some distinct problems with the manner in which the death penalty is imposed. In particular, class differences along with race can drastically affect the manner in which death penalty cases are handled.Costs:Lower class people get a worse defense than wealthy people. The costs for a capital defense case can add up quickly: DNA tests, experts, background and psychiatric investigations. Many lower class people have to depend upon public attorneys who are not really qualified (ABCNEWS.com). There is a bill in Congress that would Hutchinson, Death Penalty, 2regulate state standards for appointed defense attorneys for capital cases but it is doubtful that this will be a quick solution. There is also a bill in Congress that would guarantee DNA analysi...
