Question

question 5 of 10
central claim: the death penalty should be abolished because it is too expensive.
which reason best supports the central claim?
a. it costs three times as much to put prisoners to death than it does to give them life in prison.

b. the death penalty is a cruel and unusual form of punishment that forces the state to commit murder.

c. the death penalty is legal in 32 states, but that number is shrinking.

d. many law enforcement agencies support ending the death penalty for various reasons.

Explanation:

The central claim is that the death penalty should be abolished because it is too expensive. Option A directly supports this by comparing the cost of the death penalty (putting prisoners to death) with life in prison, showing it is more expensive. Option B focuses on cruelty, C on legality status, and D on law enforcement support reasons (not cost), so A is the best.

Answer:

A. It costs three times as much to put prisoners to death than it does to give them life in prison.