Technology, taxes arguments for death penalty

In 1972 the Supreme Court struck down the capital punishment statutes of 39 states. They argued capital punishment violated the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment. However, they emphasized that it was only cruel in the way they executed people back then. I propose Alaska implements capital punishment.

Prisons are overcrowded from so many people serving life terms for serious crimes. It costs taxpayers a lot of money to feed, cloth and guard the prisoners. With the death penalty implemented, there would be fewer prisoners, therefore lowering taxes. There would also be a lower recidivism rate.

The main argument for not implementing capital punishment is executing a person, then later finding out he or she was innocent. Well, we didn’t have DNA testing. Routine DNA testing every time a person was convicted would lower the amount of innocent people being executed.

As a resident of the Butte area and Alaska, I believe our great state should implement capital punishment.

Jeffrey Frick

Palmer/Butte