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Assessing the Death Penalty

NCJ Number
133437
Journal
C.J. International Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: (March-April 1987) Pages: 1,9-10
Author(s)
D Wiechman; J Kendall
Date Published
1987
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Capital punishment has been used by all countries at some time or another, with the exception of a few recently established countries, and has been the subject of extensive debate regarding its purposes and the crimes for which it should be imposed.
Abstract
Since 1890 more than 12,000 people have been executed in the United States, including lynchings as well as those authorized by State and local governments. The United States stopped executing people in 1967 and resumed executions in 1977. In December 1985, the nation had a total of 1,642 death row inmates, of whom 41.3 percent were black. The method of execution has changed during the last 10 years, with electrocution, lethal injection, and lethal gas the main methods. As of 1979 a total of 20 countries had completely abolished capital punishment, 1 fewer than in 1962. However, the international trend has been to maintain the status quo. In 1980, a total of 1,222 executions occurred, with more than 1,000 carried out by 8 countries. In 1984, 123 countries carried out 1,513 official executions. 24 references

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