The Idaho Department of Correction released the cost for the first execution in the state in 17 years on Friday. Director Brent Reinke says the execution of convicted murderer Paul Ezra Rhoades cost $53, 411. Now he says the department will look at potential efficiencies. “We’ll be having those discussions as we get into early January to take a look at while it’s fresh in our minds,” Reinke explained in a phone interview. “We will take a look at our expense reports. We will take a look at our policies and we’ll be looking to see if there are efficiencies that we can look at. At this point we haven’t started that process yet.”
Rhoades was executed on November 18th, 2011. The total cost for the execution breaks down like this: $25,583 went to employee overtime; $27,828 was on operating costs.
By comparison, Oregon spent $57,574 leading up to the execution of one of death row inmate Gary Haugen in 2011. Haugen received a temporary reprieve two weeks before the execution.
Reinke says the Idaho Department of Correction looked at what other states like Texas have spent on executions in the past to get an idea of what it would cost Idaho.