Changes

At the state level, 17 states and the [[District of Columbia]] prohibit the death penalty.<ref>http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2113102,00.html</ref>  In the ''Furman'' case, the Supreme Court outlawed the death penalty in 1973 (and all inmates had their sentences automatically commuted to life in prison), but in 1977 (after intervening changes in state laws) once again allowed it in the ''Gregg'' series of cases.<ref>One of the companion cases to ''Gregg'' involved a Texas inmate.  After ''Furman'', Texas dramatically changed its laws to limit by statute what murders would qualify for the death penalty; the Supreme Court noted that Texas' statutory scheme would make the death penalty "an available sentencing option -- even potentially -- for a smaller class of murders in the state", somewhat ironic given that in the intervening years Texas has far and away carried out more executions than any other state.</ref>

At the state level, 17 states and the [[District of Columbia]] prohibit the death penalty.<ref>http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2113102,00.html</ref>  In the ''Furman'' case, the Supreme Court outlawed the death penalty in 1973 (and all inmates had their sentences automatically commuted to life in prison), but in 1977 (after intervening changes in state laws) once again allowed it in the ''Gregg'' series of cases.<ref>One of the companion cases to ''Gregg'' involved a Texas inmate.  After ''Furman'', Texas dramatically changed its laws to limit by statute what murders would qualify for the death penalty; the Supreme Court noted that Texas' statutory scheme would make the death penalty "an available sentencing option -- even potentially -- for a smaller class of murders in the state", somewhat ironic given that in the intervening years Texas has far and away carried out more executions than any other state.</ref>

Even in those states which still have death penalty statutes on the books, executions may be few and far between: [[Pennsylvania]] has hundreds of people on [[death row]], though only three inmates have been executed since the reinstatement of capital punishment laws, and all three essentially "volunteered" by dropping their appeals.  Ultra-liberal [[California]] also has death penalty statutes on the books, but hasn't executed anyone since 2006 notwithstanding two failed state initiatives to abolish the death penalty in the state.  On the other end of the spectrum is [[Texas]], which has (as of July 2018) executed over 550 inmates, more than any other state since ''Gregg'' reinstituted the death penalty and roughly 1/3 of the total nationwide.<ref>A rare exception in Texas of a death row inmate not receiving swift execution is a man who was on death row for 31 years (at the time the Los Angeles Times wrote an article on his story; the inmate would die three years later while still in custody). [http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-deathrow28jan28,1,1271967.story?coll=la-headlines-nation LA Times article]</ref>

Even in those states which still have death penalty statutes on the books, executions may be few and far between: [[Pennsylvania]] has hundreds of people on [[death row]], though only three inmates have been executed since the reinstatement of capital punishment laws, and all three essentially "volunteered" by dropping their appeals.  Ultra-liberal [[California]] also has death penalty statutes on the books, but hasn't executed anyone since 2006 notwithstanding two failed state initiatives to abolish the death penalty in the state.  On the other end of the spectrum is [[Texas]], which has (as of July 2018) executed over 550 inmates, more than any other state since ''Gregg'' reinstituted the death penalty and roughly 1/3 of the total nationwide.<ref>A rare exception in Texas of a death row inmate not receiving swift execution is a man who was on death row for 31 years (at the time the Los Angeles Times wrote an article on his story; the inmate would die three years later while still in custody). [https://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-deathrow28jan28,1,1271967.story?coll=la-headlines-nation LA Times article]</ref>

Frivolous appeals (often repetitive, making the same arguments previously rejected) and overly cautious stays of execution can create a backlog on death rows in many states.

Frivolous appeals (often repetitive, making the same arguments previously rejected) and overly cautious stays of execution can create a backlog on death rows in many states.

65% of Americans believe putting someone to death for a crime is acceptable, according to a recent poll.  But respondents were close to evenly split on whether they would prefer the death penalty (50%) to mandatory life in prison (46%).  The death penalty is most favored by age 30+ males who are [[Caucasian]] and [[Republican]].<ref>ABC News/Washington Post poll: [http://abcnews.go.com/images/Politics/1015a3DeathPenalty.pdf Death Penalty]</ref>

65% of Americans believe putting someone to death for a crime is acceptable, according to a recent poll.  But respondents were close to evenly split on whether they would prefer the death penalty (50%) to mandatory life in prison (46%).  The death penalty is most favored by age 30+ males who are [[Caucasian]] and [[Republican]].<ref>ABC News/Washington Post poll: [https://abcnews.go.com/images/Politics/1015a3DeathPenalty.pdf Death Penalty]</ref>

Capital punishment for federal crimes existed for centuries.  After the death penalty was suspended by [[judicial activism]] in 1973, the federal government reinstated it again in 1988.<ref>http://www.justice.gov/dag/pubdoc/deathpenaltystudy.htm</ref>

Capital punishment for federal crimes existed for centuries.  After the death penalty was suspended by [[judicial activism]] in 1973, the federal government reinstated it again in 1988.<ref>http://www.justice.gov/dag/pubdoc/deathpenaltystudy.htm</ref>

Some studies conducted since the start of the new millennium have consistently shown a deterrence factor in the United States based on use of the death penalty.  It has been calculated that each person executed saves the lives of anywhere from 3 to 18 innocent people.<ref>Studies: Death penalty discourages crime  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,280215,00.html</ref> Other studies have shown that as a whole, "death-penalty states" typically have higher murder rates than states that do not have capital punishment, but obviously many other factors influence the overall murder rate, such as poverty and policies toward repeat offenders.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?&did=1705#STATES%20WITH%20THE%20DEATH%20PENALTY%20V.%20STATES%20WITHOUT|work=Death Penalty Information Center|language=English|title=Deterrence|accessdate=2007-08-21}}</ref>

Some studies conducted since the start of the new millennium have consistently shown a deterrence factor in the United States based on use of the death penalty.  It has been calculated that each person executed saves the lives of anywhere from 3 to 18 innocent people.<ref>Studies: Death penalty discourages crime  https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,280215,00.html</ref> Other studies have shown that as a whole, "death-penalty states" typically have higher murder rates than states that do not have capital punishment, but obviously many other factors influence the overall murder rate, such as poverty and policies toward repeat offenders.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?&did=1705#STATES%20WITH%20THE%20DEATH%20PENALTY%20V.%20STATES%20WITHOUT|work=Death Penalty Information Center|language=English|title=Deterrence|accessdate=2007-08-21}}</ref>

==== Methods in the United States ====

==== Methods in the United States ====

===Saudi Arabia===

===Saudi Arabia===

Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islam under which those convicted of murder, drug trafficking, rape and armed robbery are executed in public with a sword. As of November 25, 2007, Saudi Arabia has [[Beheading|beheaded]] 136 people, 38 people in 2006 and 83 people in 2005.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,312768,00.html Saudi Arabia Marks 136th Beheading of 2007], Associated Press, [[Fox News Channel|Fox News]], November 25, 2007</ref>

Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islam under which those convicted of murder, drug trafficking, rape and armed robbery are executed in public with a sword. As of November 25, 2007, Saudi Arabia has [[Beheading|beheaded]] 136 people, 38 people in 2006 and 83 people in 2005.<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,312768,00.html Saudi Arabia Marks 136th Beheading of 2007], Associated Press, [[Fox News Channel|Fox News]], November 25, 2007</ref>

===European Union===

===European Union===

===North Korea===

===North Korea===

The [[Associated Press]] has reported that executions and [[torture]] in [[North Korea]] are "worse than [[animal]] slaughter." "One inmate, Choe Kwang Ho, sneaked away from his work for 15 minutes to pick fruit. He was executed, his mouth stuffed with gravel to prevent him from protesting." "If a female inmate got pregnant, he said, she and her lover would be shot to death publicly. Then, An said, prison guards would cut open her womb, remove the fetus and bury it or feed it to guard dogs."<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,444672,00.html Executions, Torture in North Korea 'Worse Than Animal Slaughter'], Associated Press,  ''Fox News'', October 29, 2008</ref>

The [[Associated Press]] has reported that executions and [[torture]] in [[North Korea]] are "worse than [[animal]] slaughter." "One inmate, Choe Kwang Ho, sneaked away from his work for 15 minutes to pick fruit. He was executed, his mouth stuffed with gravel to prevent him from protesting." "If a female inmate got pregnant, he said, she and her lover would be shot to death publicly. Then, An said, prison guards would cut open her womb, remove the fetus and bury it or feed it to guard dogs."<ref>[https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,444672,00.html Executions, Torture in North Korea 'Worse Than Animal Slaughter'], Associated Press,  ''Fox News'', October 29, 2008</ref>

==Further reading==

==Further reading==

* Allen, Howard W. and Jerome M. Clubb. ''Race, Class, and the Death Penalty: Capital Punishment in American History'' (2008) 239 pp. heavily statistical  [http://www.amazon.com/Race-Class-Death-Penalty-Punishment/dp/0791474380/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262596245&sr=1-10 excerpt and text search]

* Allen, Howard W. and Jerome M. Clubb. ''Race, Class, and the Death Penalty: Capital Punishment in American History'' (2008) 239 pp. heavily statistical  [https://www.amazon.com/Race-Class-Death-Penalty-Punishment/dp/0791474380/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262596245&sr=1-10 excerpt and text search]

* Mandery, Evan J. ''Capital Punishment in America: A Balanced Explanation'' (2004) [http://www.amazon.com/Capital-Punishment-America-Explanation-Illuminated/dp/0763733083/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262596245&sr=1-9 excerpt and text search]

* Mandery, Evan J. ''Capital Punishment in America: A Balanced Explanation'' (2004) [https://www.amazon.com/Capital-Punishment-America-Explanation-Illuminated/dp/0763733083/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262596245&sr=1-9 excerpt and text search]

* Masur, Louis P. ''Rites of Execution: Capital Punishment and the Transformation of American Culture, 1776-1865'' (1991) [http://www.amazon.com/Rites-Execution-Punishment-Transformation-1776-1865/dp/0195066634/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262596245&sr=1-6 excerpt and text search]

* Masur, Louis P. ''Rites of Execution: Capital Punishment and the Transformation of American Culture, 1776-1865'' (1991) [https://www.amazon.com/Rites-Execution-Punishment-Transformation-1776-1865/dp/0195066634/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262596245&sr=1-6 excerpt and text search]

==References==

==References==