Most residents of Alameda County do not realize that our county has been one of the most aggressive death penalty counties in California. Most people are also surprised to learn that sentencing people to execution costs far more than condemning them to permanent imprisonment. Relying on the death penalty strains our county's resources and compromises our ability to pursue effective public safety programs -- which is especially important in Alameda County. In 2005, the most recent year that data is available, 3 out of 4 murders went unsolved. As residents of Alameda County, we all know that we desperately need more resources for more effective violence prevention and intervention.

The Alameda County Coalition for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (ACCADP) comprises a broad spectrum of community leaders and organizations working together to increase public safety by promoting effective alternatives to the death penalty.