Broad coalition will work towards ending the death penalty in California
by Brian Leubitz
It is often said that California voters are attached to the death penalty, that they would never vote against it. That something like 2/3 of voters support it in concept. But reality is far different from concept, and voters know that. We don’t actually carry out the death penalty, yet we spend millions of dollars prosecuting it.
It’s time for something different.
Today a statewide coalition of law enforcement, murder victim family members, exonerees and community groups announced the launch of signature gathering for the SAFE California Act (the Savings, Accountability and Full Enforcement for California Act), a ballot initiative that will replace the death penalty with life in prison without possibility of parole. The SAFE California Act will save California taxpayers millions of dollars, protect the innocent from execution, and direct funds to local law enforcement to solve more rapes and murders.
Over the last thirty-three years, we have spent something on the order of $4 billion pursuing the death penalty, but executed only thirteen prisoners. That money could have gone to solving some of the 46% of murders or 56% of rapes that go unsolved. Or it could have gone into prevention efforts that actually lower the crime rate.
Now is the time to end the death penalty. We can help save our budget, our prisons, and make us all safer at the same time. This is the right answer for California.
If they come out to Barstow CA, to either Stater Brothers Market or Vons or even If needed to Food for Less, I’ll be out that way on the 1st of November.
abolish sociallism
I will sign the petition and vote for the initiative, but I am not hopeful that it will pass. With the prison realignment and the attending fear porn from people like Jim Nielsen and George Runner, people will stop thinking and start fearing. This is certainly a noble effort and I hope it passes, but …
When my wife was in labor with our daughter the doc told me to put my hands under her while he pushed on my wife’s lower abdomen….out squirted my daughter into my hands. She was a miracle to me. I feel that every birth is a miracle and it’s not mine (or yours) to decide to end someone else’s life as punishment.
Society makes the rules; that society can expel someone who violates the rules… but not kill them. But that’s not the argument that will win the day. Now, saving millions of $ per year while keeping our worst behind bars to stew… well, that argument might just work…
Either way, I’ll sign and vote to abolish…. and my daughter is still a miracle…
But we have a couple hurdles if this is to pass. Kamala Harris did us no favors with the naming, “Death Penalty Repeal” will get a quick knee-jerk reaction to vote against, and the recent Field Poll (http://articles.sfgate.com/2011-09-29/bay-area/30227986_1) doesn’t leave me optimistic.