When voters across California go to the polls in November, we will find options in the SAFE California Act: here, we are offered the opportunity to make a decision about whether we prefer sentencing others to the death penalty or life without parole.
Tim Young, writing from Death Row, San Quentin, is clear that both are a death penalty. And lurking quietly behind this tantalizing choice to judge the fate of others, he reveals something else: SAFE includes a provision to divert $100 million dollars over the next three years (and possibly beyond) from the state’s General Fund into law enforcement, and only law enforcement.
For the whole story see below. Thanks for your research and perspective, Tim.
sfbayview.com/2012/just-when-you-thought-it-was-safe/
And, to check out the full details of the SAFE Act, see:
www.safecalifornia.org/facts/about
1 comment so far ↓
The arguments in support of the ballot measure to abolish the death penalty are exaggerated at best and, in most cases, misleading and erroneous. The Act would only make our prisons less safe for both other prisoners and prison officials, significantly increase the costs to taxpayers due to life-time medical costs, the increased security required to coerce former death-row inmates to work, etc. The amount “saved” in order to help fund law enforcement is negligible and only for a short period of time. Bottom line, the “SAFE” Act is an attempt by those who are responsible for the high costs and lack of executions to now persuade voters to abandon it on those ground. Obviously, these arguments would disappear if the death penalty was carried forth in accordance with the law. Get the facts at and supporting evidence at http://cadeathpenalty.webs.com.
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