The death penalty can be an extremely sensitive topic in any community, both emotionally and politically. The family of a boy who was raped and killed by the creepy old boy on the block would like to see that man receive the final death sentence. On the other hand, taxpayers do not want to pay large amounts of taxes to execute an inmate. Due to the large number of appeals involved in death penalty cases, a lot of expense goes into ensuring that the decision is one hundred percent correct. As tensions continue to grow over whether or not to abolish the death penalty at the federal and state levels, various pro- and anti-death penalty organizations have sprung up across the country. With all of this in mind, 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 consistently 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 those costs are impacting our next generation of leaders. On an autumn night in 1906, Kansas Governor Edward Hotch sent a letter to Governor Fletcher D. Procter of Vermont asking him to express his opposition to capital punishment. In the letter, the governor states that the state allows the death penalty, but leaves the final decision to the governor if the inmate has been in prison 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 all could take life through legal process, but I have...... middle of paper ..... .usgovinfo.about .com/library/weekly/bldeathpenalty.htm>."A Solemn Anniversary | Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty." You can help abolish the death penalty in Kansas. | Kansas Coalition Against the Death Penalty. Network. November 28, 2011. "Sources and additional information." Death Penalty Information Center. Network. November 28, 2011. “DPIC Summary of Kansas Death Penalty Cost Report.” Death Penalty Information Center. Network. November 28, 2011. “The Effect of Education on Crime: Evidence from Inmates, Arrests, and Self-Reports.” UC Los Angeles: Lochner, Lance; & Moretti, Enrico. (2002). California Center for Population Research.