Handout Death Penalty

This page summarizes key facts about the death penalty in the United States, including general information, execution statistics for 2019, and historical context.

Example: In 2019, Texas carried out the most executions (9), followed by Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee.

The handout also touches on public opinion trends, noting a sharp increase in support between 1966 and 1994, followed by a decline to 56% in 2019. It highlights racial disparities in support for the death penalty.

Highlight: A 2014 study suggested that the belief in the death penalty helping victims' families heal may be misguided, with families often experiencing depression and decreased life satisfaction.

The page concludes with a brief timeline of significant events in the history of capital punishment in the US, including Pennsylvania ending public executions in 1834 and Michigan becoming the first state to abolish the death penalty for all crimes except treason in 1846.