The Death Penalty Information Center has released a report which concludes that, "[S]tates are wasting hundreds of millions of dollars on the death penalty, draining state budgets during the economic crisis and diverting funds from more effective anti-violence programs.  A nationwide poll of police chiefs . . . released with the report, found that they ranked the death penalty last among their priorities for crime-fighting, do not believe the death penalty deters murder, and rate it as the least efficient use of limited taxpayer dollars," according to the advocacy group's October 20 press release.  The report's author and Center Executive Director states, "With many states spending millions to retain the death penalty, while seldom or never carrying out an execution, the death penalty is turning into a very expensive form of life without parole."  He characterizes it as another "wasteful government program that no longer make[s] sense."  Read the full report here.