An End to the Death Penalty?

Those opposed to the death penalty have found an unlikely ally: the flat-lining economy. With so many states facing a budget crisis, politicians are looking for any opportunity to save a buck. Lawmakers have taken note that putting a person on death row costs as much as $1.9 million more than other criminal cases, according to the New York Times. Those opposed cite the death penalty's effectiveness as a deterrent to crime, but in states like Maryland, New Mexico and Kansas, an end to the death penalty is being discussed not on ethical grounds, but economic ones.