The death penalty is not an easy topic to write about, speak about or even think about. It conjures up pictures of inmates strapped down, witnesses watching in horror and aggrieved victims weeping while hoping for closure. Over the past several years, surveys of Americans have shown decreasing support for this death procedure for reasons attributed to the execution of innocent people, the racial disparities of those who are put to death, and the cost of litigating for and against this method of punishment. Few are aware that the cost of maintaining a convicted felon in prison for the remainder of his/her life is actually less expensive than a jury or judge’s order to sentence the individual to death. There have been no executions In Nevada since 2006, and 22 states and the District of Columbia have abolished them. However, there are many who feel the death penalty is deserved and is maintained for the sake of justice, that of the victim and the victim’s family. Many consider “an eye for an eye” a justifiable philosophy that doesn’t contradict our humanity or sense of fair play. Others argue that the death penalty is barbaric and futile since it hasn’t been carried out and only puts money in the hands of lawyers who spend years in courtrooms while the prisoner waits for a lethal injection that may or may not be administered. So, the historic debate about exacting punishment and teaching those who commit heinous crimes a lesson has yet to be resolved and is left to each state’s decision-makers. Many of us may never know a convicted murderer or lose a loved one to homicide. Yet, we debate the death penalty based on strongly held beliefs, religious or otherwise, without reaching an understanding of the scope of its impact. What are we to do in Nevada? Should we wait for a lethal cocktail of drugs that will be administered long after sentencing, decades behind bars and countless hearings and appeals, or should we eliminate the death penalty in favor of a mandatory life sentence, to be completed by the convicted until his or her natural death? Are we willing to engage in the conversation by evaluating the costs of the death penalty versus the costs of life imprisonment from the perspective of financial savings to Nevada? Criminal justice reform is on the table and we need to grapple with the death penalty as an ethical, religious, moral and financial matter. This year, our legislators will be considering whether to repeal the death penalty, and we should include it in our discussions of criminal justice reform. “Commerce Matters” is a monthly Voices column in the NNBW authored by Ann Silver, CEO of the Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce. Reach her for comment at asilver@thechambernv.org.
