SR-100-002 (12)
Social Services Commission
1685 Main Street
PO Box 2200
Santa Monica, California 90407-2200
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ICity of
Santa Monica"
June 21,2002
City of Santa Monica
1685 Main Street
Santa Monica, CA 90407-2200
Dear Mayor Feinstein and Honorable Members of the City Council:
The Social Services Commission is requesting that the City Council pass a
resolution supporting a moratorium on the use of the death penalty in the State of
California until a commission is impaneled to evaluate the application, deterrent
value and fiscal impact of capital punishment.
Our commission is particularly concerned with the enormous direct and indirect cost of
capital punishment on the public and communities.
One estimate, in the literature presented to our Commission was that adjudicating a single
capital case costs approximately $1.8 million. A moratorium on the death penalty would
save California $90 million per year.
Weare also concerned about the death penalty being imposed against juveniles and the
mentally ill, and the perception that capital punishment is disproportionately applied
based upon race or ethnicity.
By having a moratorium and creating a commission to explore this issue, the State of
California could make a more prudent decision based on a consideration of all relevant
factors, i.e., direct and indirect costs. It is our contention that significant savings to the
state budget would benefit local governments and result in additional funding for a
variety of programs including social services.
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tel: 310458-8701 . fax: 310 458-3380 . TOO: 310 458-8696
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