Walla Walla County (Washington) Sheriff Mike Humphreys said the death penalty does not deter homicides, and it may be time for the public to reconsider the law: “At the time, (perpetrators do not) think about [the death penalty]. They don’t believe they’re going to get caught. And if they do get caught, there are a lot of court proceedings making it likely (execution is) not going to happen.… It’s costing us this much money. Let the people make that decision,” he said. Humphreys agreed with a recent (Death Penalty Information Center) survey of police chiefs who rated reducing drug abuse as a better way of reducing crime. “If we’re going to reduce the drug abuse, we’re going to reduce all crimes. From theft to murder,” he said. Police Chief Chuck Fulton agreed with Humphreys that the death penalty is not a deterrent and would prefer to see the practice abolished through legislation. Fulton said the death penalty creates more victims and the system results in a “ ‘carnival atmosphere’ that adversely affects penitentiary workers, law enforcement officers responsible for maintaining security, and every one else involved.” He said he understands the anger toward those who commit murder but doubts that the death penalty is the answer for society.
(T. McConn, “Death penalty divides local law enforcers,” Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, November 11, 2009; see DPIC’s report Smart on Crime: Reconsidering the Death Penalty in a Time of Economic Crisis.) See also Costs and Deterrence.
