The death penalty can be an extremely sensitive subject in every community, both emotionally and politically. The family of a child who was raped and murdered by the creepy old man down the street would love to see this man receive the latest death sentence. On the other hand, taxpayers do not want to pay large sums of taxes to execute an inmate. Due to the large number of appeals involved in death penalty cases, significant expense is required to ensure that the decision is one hundred percent correct. As tensions continue to grow over whether or not we should abolish the death penalty at the federal and state levels, the formation of various organizations for and against the death penalty has sprouted up across the country. All of this considered, I will discuss the history of the death penalty in the state of Kansas and some of our most famous cases. In doing so, I will show how the state and federal government have continually struggled to find a reasonable solution to an extremely controversial issue. Additionally, I will discuss the cost of the death penalty in the state and how these costs affect our next generation of leaders. On a fall night in 1906, Kansas Governor Edward Hotch sent a letter to Governor Fletcher D. Procter of Vermont to show his opposition to capital punishment. In the letter, the governor says the state allows the death penalty, but leaves the final decision to the governor if the inmate has been incarcerated for at least a year. The following is a quote from the governor's letter: "I can understand how those who believe that death ends everything can commit suicide through legal process, but ho...... middle of paper .... ..usgovinfo.about .com/library/weekly/bldeathpenalty.htm>."A Solemn Anniversary | Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty." You can contribute to efforts to abolish the death penalty in Kansas. | Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty. Internet. November 28, 2011. “Additional Sources and Information.” Death Penalty Information Center. Internet. November 28, 2011. “Summary of the DPIC Report on the Cost of the Death Penalty in Kansas.” » Information Center on the Death Penalty. Internet. November 28, 2011. “The Effect of Education on Crime: Testimonies from Prisoners, Arrests, and Self-Assessments.” » University of Los Angeles: Lochner, Lance; & Moretti, Enrico. (2002). California Center for Demographic Research.