From 1999 to 2015, what was the US trend for imposing the death penalty?

In 2015, the number of people executed in the United States dropped to the lowest level since 1991, as states impose fewer death sentences and defendants in capital cases get access to better legal help.

The Death Penalty Information Center said 28 inmates were executed in 2015 down from 35 in 2014 and far below the peak of 98 in 1999.

Another 49 criminal defendants received death sentences in 2015, down 33% from 2014 and the lowest number since the early 1970s.

The numbers reflect a steady decline in death sentences over the past 15 years and a broad shift in public attitudes that has made capital punishment increasingly rare. Public support against death penalty has increased due to many reasons.

Incompetence, unreliability, unavailability, and administrator legality of lethal injection drugs are a major standstill and serious problem.

Another factor in the recent decline is improved legal representation for defendants by states.

Other factors cited in the decline of executions include the high cost of death penalty prosecutions which can run into millions of dollars from state tax payers.

More Info: www.nydailynews.com

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54 Comments

Johnny Rock

I still say if you do the deed you should pay the price. Cut and dry. Do something ugly and heinous and you deserve to die. That simple. No prison, no wasting tax dollars.

Bob Wexler

William Laughlin last time I checked not a single criminal committed any crime after their execution. As far as the murder rate declining, it depends on location. Have you checked Chicago lately?

Dona Devareaux

declined, unfortunately!

Bill Coe

Bob Wexler If your first sentence was tongue in cheek, bravo. Your second sentence is immaterial; the question referenced US. And, Steve0, I agree with William Laughlin to a degree. i support the death penalty where there is clear and irrevocable evidence (NOT eye witness testimony). But your justice system has WAY too many avenues for appeal. After a person is sentenced to death, they shouldn't sit around for 20 years waiting and arguing and appealing and appealing and appealing. Justice - swift and sure.

Rusty

williamrlaughlin, spoken like someone who has never lost a loved one by the hand of a murderer

Steve McVey

William Laughlin Spare us the morality lecture billyboy -Dona is entitled the her opinion just lik eeveryone else - if you don't like it then ignore it but please, your pathetic, 'everyone look at me' attempt at being high and mighty Mr Morality is pitiful.

Spencer Thomas Hancock III

williamrlaughlin, I have picked up quite a few murder victims so I have seen death close up and I would gladly pull the switch or put the needle in their arms. We could streamline the cost of the death penalty with criminals with unquestionable guilt with shortening their appeals.

Debbie Wright

williamrlaughlin, You sound like a promoter of privately owned prisons. Obviously a liberal, your concern for the burden on the taxpayer is a little out of place. Please accept the fact that your opinion hardly makes you correct.

guinevere

williamrlaughlin, it's interesting that you call her out for being bloodthirsty and barbaric when the first two paragraphs after you said that actually was about the cost... the money involved ...not about their lives and the Injustice or the barbarity of it.

✨KRISTA✨

onewayfarer, My husband is a prosecutor and I can tell you that you need to be less subjective in your ideas about the people of the court. Prosecutors are just stating and trying to prove the wrong doing that the defendant is accused of committing against the state. Get a clue and quit playing the "under privileged" card and blaming the system instead of looking deeply at the person standing trial! These defendants got where they are for some reason, the court doesn't just select people to stand trial at random!🙄

JohnnyRoulette

Johnny Rock, sure, unless your family can afford a good lawyer and expert witnesses. And as long as the system that imposes such a thing is colorblind. The inequity of how it is handed out and how a bad joke for “justice”

David Coe

Too many bad convictions overturned when DNA proved innocence. You can't release someone you've executed

janellejaworski

Oh it was declined sorry my mistake

illonabird

Not touching this one with a ten foot pole. This can of worms is best left unopened.

Debbie Skiles

Even in Texas? Check your records

docluci

Until 2015 the use of the death penalty was declining

jack patti go

I believe, they need to get back to giving yhe death penalty! I cannot believe how people are getting away with these lawless days!!!

Sean Case

As the death penalty has decreased , murders & violence has increased as well!

Shirley Dutt

Too bad it's declined. Costs us a fortune to house, feed and clothe them. Not to mention the medical aspect and frivolous lawsuits.

Char

I'm not for the death penalty in most cases as eye witness and crooked cops have set people up..the death penalty I'm for is those proven without a doubt if they survive like school shooters or like Las Vegas they are to me serial killers. Letting rapist go who have killed the person or child plus sometimes many ? I can't see how they be reformed period. I said would rather see them go than let out to do it to our children and society again. They just did this somewhere too he was involved in the death of many women and the other buddy was a child rapist/killer...

onewayfarer

Johnny Rock, I don't agree. The vast majority of capital cases are poor and minority people. When rich folks start getting capital punishment for their crimes, then let it roll. Until it's fair and impartial, I won't support it. Also, them D.A.'s, prosecutors, judges, and cops implicate innocent people all the time in capital cases. When their fairy tales or lies, can cost them the same punishments as the accused ones, then I'll go for it. These people build their resumes on the backs of innocent people and have no push back for ruining people's lives and families. Spread the consequences around for the State taking someone's life, then it will be fair and someone would have done a proper investigation and it won't just be someone's fairy tale to make themselves look good and put a feather in their cap.

marinaking

Megan Rose Jones, Remember that not all Americans are in this Quiz Club and the ones that are in Quiz Club aren't as you describe "all Americans" are. Please refrain from being so rude. Thank you in advance.

William Keller

I understand people’s rationale of death sentences. As for myself having a family member murdered with horrifying event brings me all in for execution. No system in the criminal justice is perfect and there are mistakes made . While in the case of eyewitness accounts, there exists pain knowing that this criminal is breathing.