How to Understand Capital Punishment Statistics

Whether you're for or against capital punishment, understanding the statistics can help you come to grips with this issue. Fortunately, these statistics are available to the public and relatively easy to access.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer with Internet access

1. Search the United States Department of Justice's ongoing log of capital punishment statistics (see Resources below). Included in the stats are the number of inmates executed in a given year, the number of prisoners sentenced to death and much more. The statistics are often used by lawmakers for either promoting or denouncing the death penalty.
2. Learn about the death penalty and racial bias as published by the NCADP (National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty) (see Resources below).
3. Read about the controversy over the financial cost of capital punishment versus life without parole as presented by NCADP (see Resources below).
4. Check out the Execution Database for capital punishment statistics from 1977 to the current year. You can choose statistics by age, race, gender, state and other factors. You can find the database at the Death Penalty Information Center Web site (see Resources below).
5. Find statistics for inmates found innocent and released from death row. This is one of four major facts used in opposing capital punishment by the ACLU (see Resources below). Other topics include inadequate representation and local disparities in the capital punishment system.
6. Remember that many states claim enforcement of the death penalty has significantly reduced the number of violent crimes.
7. Become involved in and understand the need for an advocacy or support group such as the ACLU (see Resources below). Stay abreast of current death penalty activity and statistics.

Tips & Warnings

• If someone you love is on death row, familiarize yourself with the crime and the related statistics on capital punishment.
• Prisoners have the right to habeas corpus, or to have any alleged violations of their rights reviewed by the federal court.
• Many Web sites do not provide pertinent or complete up-to-date information about capital punishment. Some Web sites offer cherry-picked information to advance an agenda.