California, along with the entire nation, is undergoing serious issues with the deficit. Our prison system currently is allotted a budget of 7 billion dollars, but this year instead they spent 7.9 billion dollars. Having spent over 900 million dollars over budget, it is important that we look at the reasons behind this and what initiatives on ballot will help us cut this down to allow us to have a more balanced budget. The following two propositions give us opportunity to get the budget in check:
Proposition 36 would allow for an extra $100 million dollar by abolishing the 3 strikes law for non-violent crimes
http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/propositions/36/
Proposition 34 would essentially abolish the death penalty. California last executed someone in 2006 and only 13 people have been executed in the past decade. This would abolish the death penalty and allow us to save money on prisoners because it would put two prisoners to a room and also allow us to save money on the costly appeal process.
http://voterguide.sos.ca.gov/propositions/34/
These two propositions will be extremely interesting to watch and to see what our liberal state decides to do with them.
This election was my first time voting and I was very interested in researching each proposition. One of the most interesting points of information is the fiscal impact. I think that there is definently a huge potential to decrease state spending through certain propositions, but at the same time should that be our primary concern. Can the death penalty, a choice of life or death, merely be reduced to a question of government spending? I guess for people on the fence about issues it may ease there decision process, but in my opinion such issues with such a large weight on peoples fate in society should be decided by more than just economic concerns.
ReplyDeleteWith money aside, I personally believe that both laws should be abolished. I don't think anyone deserves lifetime in prison if they were caught for crimes such as petty theft. I definitely think punishment should fit the crimes, not the amount of chances one was given. Additionally, who are we to decide if someone should live? The death penalty leaves no room for a person to learn from, suffer, or remorse for his actions. Instead perpetuates the same violent crime the prisoner himself committed.
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