life vs death cost
The alarming cost of the death penalty. Many people believe that the death penalty is more cost-effective than housing and feeding someone in prison for life. In reality, the death penaltyâs complexity, length, and finality drive costs through the roof, making it much more expensive. More than a dozen states have found that death penalty cases are up to 10 times more expensive than comparable non-death penalty cases. 2  The most rigorous cost study in the country found that a single death sentence in Maryland costs almost $2 million more than a comparable non-death penalty case.