•Cost: Since 1978, California has spent over $4 billion. Containment of a death row inmate is $90,000 per inmate/year. If given a life without parole sentence, the annual savings would be $170 million.
•Innocent people: Since 1973, 140+ inmates have been found innocent.
•Unequal representation: Over 90% of the defendants cannot afford a lawyer. Court appointed lawyers often have many cases and are unable to give all their attention to one case.
•Not a deterrent: Since 1990, the disparity between death penalty and non-death penalty states has risen. In 2009, murder rates in death penalty states were 5.26 but 3.9 in non-death penalty states.
•Gender biased: From 2007-2011, 8 women were sentenced to death compared to 1,947 men. Women make up 13% of murders but 1.4% of death row inmates.