Why is Texas’s Death Row so Quick?
Statistical, in every state that supports capital punishment, death row inmates are more likely to die of natural causes than the needle – except for Texas.
From a legal point of view, why is that? I’m not interested in liberal cries of ‘evil Texas’ and such, I want to know what laws makes Texas the only state in the union with an ‘efficient’ death row.
There are a number of reasons that Texas’ capital punishment system has recieved an increase in “efficiency”. But, I cannot actually answer your question, because it is not a matter of laws which is actually casuing this. It is a result of a political decision which is placing motivation on the different aspects of the system to pro`cess inmates quicker. Some examples are tougher standards for an oppurtunity to apeal a case. A second example is the increase in turnaround time for the apeal process and the speed to which apeals are brought to court. The system has also gained an increase in employees, due to more funding put into the system. In conclusion, it is more a decision from political players and other agents and not so much specific new laws.