Capital Punishment is a structural manifestation of racial inequity and economic impracticality, which too often results in the conviction of innocent people on the grounds of race. It is imperative to take action in committing to structural change. California must join the 19 other states who have abolished the death penalty.
How is the Death Penalty Racially Biased?
A study in California found that those who killed whites were over 3 times more likely to be sentenced to death than those who killed blacks and over 4 times more likely than those who killed Latinos (Pierce & Radelet, Santa Clara Law Review, 2005).
How is the Death Penalty Fiscally Impractical?
A typical capital punishment case costs $1.8 million per inmate (Death Penalty Information Center, 2016 Fact Sheet)