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The misery wrought by the recession is practically universal. Unemployment numbers continue to rise; funding cuts still plague schools and hospitals; and once slick dudes now find it harder to woo hot babes.
The economic crisis might not be all bad, though: Budget shortfalls may actually push legislatures to adopt sounder legal policy. With fewer resources available for law enforcement, support is weakening for costly tough-on-crime measures that appear to have little other substantive benefit. In some states, the financial argument against capital punishment may succeed where the ethical one has failed:
[Maryland Governor Martin] O’Malley, a Democrat and a Roman Catholic who has cited religious opposition to the death penalty in the past, is now arguing that capital cases cost three times as much as homicide cases where the death penalty is not sought. "And we can't afford that," he said, "when there are better and cheaper ways to reduce crime."Next up, recession-induced drug policy reform? Alas, I would guess that's to remain but a pipe dream for now.Lawmakers in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and New Hampshire have made the same argument in recent months as they push bills seeking to repeal the death penalty, and experts say such bills have a good chance of passing in Maryland, Montana and New Mexico.
--Alexandra Gutierrez
