DEATH SENTENCE
Statistics
-
Since 1976…
-
7,800 defendants have been sentenced to death
-
More than 1,470 people have been executed
-
161 people who were sentenced to death were exonerated before their execution
-
More than 2,900 people are still on death row
-
​
-
In 2010, a death row inmate waited an average of ~15 years between sentencing and execution
​
-
Nearly 25% of death row inmates die of natural causes while awaiting execution
​
Common Misconceptions
-
Do executions lower murder/homicide rates?
-
​In 2016, the South had the highest homicide rate. The South also accounts for 80% of executions. This indicates that the death penalty is not an effective measure in crime deterrence.
-
​
-
Is the death penalty cheaper than incarcerating inmates?​
-
Legal costs: Capital cases (in Oklahoma) cost on average 3.2 times more than non-capital cases​​
-
​Pre trial costs: A lot of evidence is required
-
Jury selections:​
-
Trial:
-
Incarceration: Inmates on death row are housed in solitary confinement in special facilities which have extreme security measures.
-
Appeals: To minimize errors, every inmate sentenced to death is entitled to several rounds of appeals, all of which are costly. Only very rarely does an inmate forfeit this right.
-
