Also known as capital punishment, the death penalty is state-sanctioned execution administered as punishment to someone legally convicted of a capital crime. It is a subject of great controversy.
Also known as capital punishment, the death penalty is state-sanctioned execution administered as punishment to someone legally convicted of a capital crime. It is a subject of great controversy.
Capital punishment, death penalty or execution is government sanctioned punishment by death. The sentence is referred to as a death sentence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences, such as first degree murder, terrorism, and espionage.
In the United States, capital punishment-also called the death penalty-is a legal sentence in 31 states and the federal civilian and military legal systems. Its applications are limited by the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution to aggravated murders committed by mentally competent adults.
Since capital punishment was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976, the cost of carrying out a death penalty trial has risen steadily. Increasing legal protections for defendants has translated into more and more hours of preparatory work by both sides. Fees for court-appointed attorneys and expert witnesses have climbed.
While those complex debates rage on, some like to point fingers at perhaps the most simple reason to support the death penalty: It's cheaper to kill an inmate than to keep an inmate alive.
The fight between those who support capital punishment and those who oppose it is rather simple compared to many other debates. Those in support of capital punishment believe it deters crimes and, more often than not believe that certain crimes eliminate one's right to life.
The United States remains in the minority of nations in the world that still uses death as penalty for certain crimes. Many see the penalty as barbaric and against American values. Others see it as a very important tool in fighting violent pre-meditated murder.
Death Penalty Statistics Data Number of U.S. states with the death penalty 32 Total number of executions since 1976 1,392 Current number of Death Row inmates 3,035 Percent of counties in the U.S.
Abolitionist-in-law countries for all crimes except those committed under exceptional circumstances (such as crimes committed in wartime): 10
Abolitionist-in-practice countries (have not executed anyone during the past 10 years or more and are believed to have a policy or established practice of not carrying out executions): 23
Capital punishment, death penalty or execution is government sanctioned punishment by death. The sentence is referred to as a death sentence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences, such as first degree murder, terrorism, and espionage.
In the United States, capital punishment-also called the death penalty-is a legal sentence in 31 states and the federal civilian and military legal systems. Its applications are limited by the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution to aggravated murders committed by mentally competent adults.
Since capital punishment was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976, the cost of carrying out a death penalty trial has risen steadily. Increasing legal protections for defendants has translated into more and more hours of preparatory work by both sides. Fees for court-appointed attorneys and expert witnesses have climbed.
While those complex debates rage on, some like to point fingers at perhaps the most simple reason to support the death penalty: It's cheaper to kill an inmate than to keep an inmate alive.
The fight between those who support capital punishment and those who oppose it is rather simple compared to many other debates. Those in support of capital punishment believe it deters crimes and, more often than not believe that certain crimes eliminate one's right to life.
The United States remains in the minority of nations in the world that still uses death as penalty for certain crimes. Many see the penalty as barbaric and against American values. Others see it as a very important tool in fighting violent pre-meditated murder.
Death Penalty Statistics Data Number of U.S. states with the death penalty 32 Total number of executions since 1976 1,392 Current number of Death Row inmates 3,035 Percent of counties in the U.S.
Abolitionist-in-law countries for all crimes except those committed under exceptional circumstances (such as crimes committed in wartime): 10
Abolitionist-in-practice countries (have not executed anyone during the past 10 years or more and are believed to have a policy or established practice of not carrying out executions): 23
