. All of these cases require prosecutors, defense attorneys, and other court fees; all of which costs money. The majority of this money ends up falling onto the taxpayers, seeing as most juveniles in capital cases lack the needed funds. The bottom line is that the average death row case costs a significant amount more then life imprisonment would. These costs come about largely in part because of the extensive appeals process that is involved in every capital case. Possibly the worst result of having the death penalty is its tendency to block other programs. This happens for two distinct reasons. The first is because the death penalty is seen by many as an "end all" solution. With the death penalty in place it seems as though many feel that nothing else is needed.The next way the juvenile death penalty adversely affects society has to do with an age-old dilemma; racism. Time and time again it is argued that capitol cases are the modern equivalent to something along the line of the Ku Klux Klan. There are several informal statistics which lead people to believe that the death penalty is racist. One of the statistics shows that 10 of the 16 juveniles executed since 1976 were done the southern states and that only 37% of the offenders on death row are white and the rest are of other races mainly black and Latino. (Juveniles and the Death Penalty) However there are more significant arguments to be made. Racism can be found both in charging, sentencing, and imposition of the death penalty. Presently, two thirds of the juveniles on death row are from minority groups that represent only about twenty percent of the country's population. (Juveniles and the Death Penalty) We are living in a time of increased crime and violence. With teenagers growing up as murderers there is obviously something wrong.When it comes down to it, it is time to start working on crime before it happens rather then after. One way to start this process it to eliminate o...
