Death penalty has its pro and con but I think it has little effect on reducing crimes. Though it does help reducing cost spent on prison. What do you guys think? Is there alternatives to punishing crimes?
It is a difficult question.
From the economic point of view, the average cost of incarceration per inmate is around 150K/year.
I would propose to create two options for all convicted death row inmates:
Option 1: death penalty, execution in one week. This is a default option if option #2 is not chosen.
Option 2: work for free in a prison factory for the rest of his/her life. Family members/friends would have to agree to pay the difference in prison costs+20%. Any breach in the contract would trigger option #1.
The cost of the two options will be minimal to the rest of us.
I already see money-raising campaigns to "save the lives of death row inmates".
You know the ads you see on TV about saving tigers or starving children in Africa etc. I think option #2 will be very popular and in the end will make money for the government.
You will basically spread the cost among the willing participants, instead of the current system when all taxpayers are on the hook.