Capital Punishment, 2018 – Statistical Tables
嚜燃.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Statistics
September 2020, NCJ 254786
Tracy L. Snell, BJS Statistician
A
t year-end 2018, a total of 30 states and
the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) held
2,628 prisoners under sentence of death,
which was 75 (3%) fewer than at year-end 2017.
In 2018, the number of prisoners under sentence
of death declined for the 18th consecutive year.
Tirteen states and the BOP received a total
of 38 prisoners in 2018 who were under death
sentences. California (28%), Florida (13%),
and Texas (8%) held about half of the prisoners
under death sentences in the United States at
year-end 2018. Eight states executed a total of
25 prisoners in 2018, with Texas accounting for
more than half (13) of the executions.
Tis report presents statistics on persons who
were under sentence of death or were executed
in 2018, and on state and federal death-penalty
laws. At year-end 2018, a total of 34 states and
the federal government authorized the death
penalty (map 1). Each jurisdiction determines
the ofenses for which the death penalty can be
imposed. Once a person has been convicted of a
capital ofense, a separate sentencing hearing is
held. During the sentencing hearing, a jury will
consider aggravating and mitigating factors as
defned by state or federal law. Before a person
can be sentenced to death, a jury must fnd
that at least one aggravating factor is present
and that mitigating factors do not outweigh the
aggravating factor(s).
MAP 1
States with and without death-penalty statutes, year-end 2018
Had a statute authorizing the death
penalty as of December 31, 2018
and carried out an execution in 2018
Had a statute authorizing the death
penalty as of December 31, 2018
but did not carry out an execution
in 2018
Had a statute authorizing the death
penalty as of December 31, 2018 that
had been invalidated by the state*s
highest court but had not been repealed
by the legislature
Had no statute authorizing the death
penalty as of December 31, 2018
Note: See table 2 for details on states that authorized the death penalty.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics program (NPS-8), 2018.
Bureau of Justice Statistics ﹞ Statistical Tables
Capital Punishment, 2018 每
Statistical Tables
Highlights
??Nineteen states had a decrease in the number of
prisoners held under sentence of death from year-end
2017 to year-end 2018, while 2 states and the BOP had
an increase.
??From year-end 2017 to year-end 2018, the number of
prisoners held under sentence of death in Arkansas
increased by two, while the BOP and Missouri each
increased their number by one.
??Eighteen states and the BOP removed a total of 88
prisoners from being under sentence of death in 2018
by means other than execution.
??At year-end 2018, 56% of prisoners under death
sentences were white and 42% were black.
??In 2018, the Washington Supreme Court ruled that
the state*s death-penalty law was unconstitutional,
and eight prisoners under sentence of death were
re-sentenced to life without parole.
??During 2018, Delaware removed its remaining
death-row prisoner from a previously imposed
death sentence.
??The largest declines in the number of prisoners under
death sentences in 2018 were in Pennsylvania and Texas
(down 11 prisoners each), followed by Washington
(down 8) and then Alabama, Florida, California, and
Nevada (down 6 each).
FIGURE 1
Number of prisoners under sentence of death,
1953-2018
??Among prisoners under a death sentence at year-end
2018 with a known ethnicity, 15% were Hispanic.
??Ninety-eight percent of prisoners under sentence of
death were male.
??In three of the four (Census) regions in the country
(the West, Midwest, and South), more white prisoners
than black prisoners were under sentence of death at
year-end 2018.
??The average elapsed time from sentencing to execution
almost tripled from 1988 (6.7 years) to 2018 (19.8 years).
FIGURE 2
Admissions to and removals from a sentence of death,
1973-2018
Number
350
Number
4,000
300
3,500
250
3,000
200
2,500
150
2,000
100
1,500
Removals
50
1,000
0
1973
500
0
1953 1960
Admissions
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010 2018
Note: Data on the number of prisoners under sentence of death at
year-end have been collected since 1953. See appendix table 2 for
counts.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics program
(NPS-8), 1953-2018.
1980
1990
2000
2010
2018
Note: Removals can be due to any cause, including execution, other
death, or appeal. See appendix table 3 for counts.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics program
(NPS-8), 1973-2018.
Capital Punishment, 2018 每 Statistical Tables | September 2020
2
FIGURE 3
Number of prisoners executed under civil authority in
the United States, 1930-2018
FIGURE 4
Number of prisoners under sentence of death, by race,
1968-2018
Executions
200
Number
2,000
150
1,500
Whitea
Blacka
100
1,000
50
500
Other racesb
0
1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2018
Note: Excludes 160 executions carried out by military authorities from
1930 to 1961. See appendix table 4 for counts.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics program
(NPS-8), 1930-2018.
0
1968 1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2018
Note: Data on Hispanic origin was not collected prior to 1977. See
appendix table 5 for counts.
aIncludes persons of Hispanic origin.
bIncludes Asians, Native Hawaiians, Other Pacifc Islanders, American
Indians, Alaska Natives, and persons for whom only ethnicity
was identifed.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics program
(NPS-8), 1968-2018.
Terms and defnitions
Aggravating factors〞Specifc elements of a crime
defned by statute. When present, these factors may
allow a jury to impose a death sentence for a person
convicted of a capital ofense. These can also be called
aggravating circumstances.
Capital conviction〞A formal declaration that a
defendant is guilty of a capital ofense, made by the
verdict of a jury, the decision of a judge, or a guilty plea
by the defendant in a court of law.
Capital ofense〞A criminal ofense that may be
punishable by death. Ofenses that are eligible for
a death sentence are defned by statute in each
jurisdiction that authorizes capital punishment. The
most common is frst-degree murder accompanied by at
least one aggravating factor.
Capital punishment〞The process of sentencing
convicted ofenders to death for the most serious crimes
and carrying out that sentence. The specifc ofenses
and circumstances that determine if a crime is eligible
for a death sentence are defned by statute and are
prescribed by Congress or a state legislature.
Capital statute〞A state or federal law dictating
specifc crimes that are eligible for a death sentence and
specifc procedures to be followed in carrying out such
a sentence.
Civil authorities〞For the purposes of this report, the
state or federal entities responsible for implementation
and enforcement of capital-punishment laws, excluding
military authorities.
Commutation〞Reduction of a death sentence by
the president (federal) or by a governor or a board of
advisors empaneled to review sentences (state). Criteria
for granting a commutation vary by state. The new
sentence can be for life or to a term of years.
Death row〞A slang term referring to the area of a
prison in which prisoners under sentence of death
are housed. Usage of the term ※death row§ continues
despite the fact that many states do not maintain a
separate unit or facility for prisoners under sentence
of death.
Received under sentence of death〞The admission of
a person to prison after they are sentenced to death by
a court.
Removal from being under sentence of death〞The
removal of a prisoner who was previously sentenced
to death from the count of persons under sentence of
death. A prisoner can be relieved of a death sentence
by several methods: execution, death by causes other
than execution, commutation, or an overturned capital
conviction or sentence.
Sentence of death〞A sentence imposed by a court for
a capital ofense that authorizes the state to execute a
convicted ofender.
Year-end〞As of December 31 of the calendar year.
Capital Punishment, 2018 每 Statistical Tables | September 2020
3
List of tables
TABLE 1. Status of the death penalty, December 31, 2018
TABLE 2. Capital ofenses, by state, 2018
TABLE 3. Federal capital ofenses, 2018
TABLE 4. Authorized methods of execution, by state, 2018
TABLE 5. Movement of prisoners under sentence of death, by region, jurisdiction, and race,
2017 and 2018
TABLE 6. Demographic characteristics of prisoners under sentence of death, 2018
TABLE 7. Female prisoners under sentence of death, by region, jurisdiction, and race, 2017 and 2018
TABLE 8. Hispanic prisoners under sentence of death, by region and jurisdiction, 2017 and 2018
TABLE 9. Criminal history of prisoners under sentence of death, by race or ethnicity, 2018
TABLE 10. Prisoners removed from being under sentence of death, by region, jurisdiction, and
method of removal, 2018
TABLE 11. Average elapsed time between sentencing and execution, 1977-2018
TABLE 12. Number of prisoners executed, by race or ethnicity, 1977-2018
TABLE 13. Number of executions, by method and jurisdiction, 1977-2018
TABLE 14. Cumulative number of executions at year-end 2018, by jurisdiction, since 1930 and
since 1977
List of figures
MAP 1. States with and without death-penalty statutes, year-end 2018
FIGURE 1. Number of prisoners under sentence of death, 1953-2018
FIGURE 2. Admissions to and removals from a sentence of death, 1973-2018
FIGURE 3. Number of prisoners executed under civil authority in the United States, 1930-2018
FIGURE 4. Number of prisoners under sentence of death, by race, 1968-2018
FIGURE 5. Advance count of executions, January 1, 2019-December 31, 2019
List of appendix tables
APPENDIX TABLE 1. Demographic characteristics for prisoners under sentence of death, 2018
APPENDIX TABLE 2. Number of prisoners under sentence of death, 1953-2018
APPENDIX TABLE 3. Admissions to and removals from a sentence of death, 1973-2018
APPENDIX TABLE 4. Number of prisoners executed under civil authority in the United States,
1930-2018
APPENDIX TABLE 5. Number of prisoners under sentence of death, by race, 1968-2018
Capital Punishment, 2018 每 Statistical Tables | September 2020
4
Status of the death penalty in 2018
At year-end 2018, a total of 34 states and the federal
government authorized the death penalty for certain
ofenses (tables 1, 2, and 3). Although New Mexico
repealed its death penalty in 2009 (2009 N.M. Laws,
ch. 11 ∫ 5), the repeal was not retroactive, and
ofenders charged with a capital ofense committed
prior to the repeal date may be eligible for a death
sentence. As of December 31, 2018, New Mexico held
two men under death sentences.
Te Washington State Supreme Court declared the
state*s death-penalty statute unconstitutional on
October 11, 2018. Te court found in State v. Gregory
(192 Wash. 2d 1, 427 P.3d 621 (2018)) that the death
penalty was administered in an ※arbitrary and racially
biased manner§ and, therefore, violated the state
constitution. Te ruling resulted in the removal of
eight prisoners from being under sentence of death
in Washington. Te state*s legislature has not acted to
repeal the statute.
During 2018, the Alabama state legislature revised
statutory provisions for the death penalty. Tey added
murder committed in the presence of a child younger
than age 14 when the murder victim was a parent to
that child (Ala. Stat. Ann. ∫ 13A-5-40(a)(20)) to the list
of ofenses eligible for a death sentence. Te state also
added as aggravating factors the murder committed
either against a victim younger than age 14 or in the
presence of a child younger than age 14 when the
murder victim was a parent to that child (Ala. Stat.
Ann. ∫ 13A-5-49 (11) and (12)). Tese changes became
efective August 1, 2018.
South Dakota amended its code of criminal procedure
to prohibit persons with severe mental illness from
being sentenced to death (SDCL ∫∫ 23A-27A-26.1 to
23A-27A-26.7). Persons deemed prior to trial to have
severe mental illness whose ofenses occurred afer the
law*s enactment will be sentenced to life imprisonment
if convicted. Te law became efective July 1, 2018.
TABLE 1
Status of the death penalty, December 31, 2018
Executions in 2018
Texas
Tennessee
Alabama
Florida
Georgia
Nebraska
Ohio
South Dakota
13
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
Total
25
Number of prisoners under
sentence of death in states
with a death-penalty statute
California
736
Florida
344
Texas
223
Alabama
176
Pennsylvania
143
North Carolina
140
Ohio
137
Arizona
116
Nevada
75
Louisiana
69
Federal Bureau of Prisons
61
Tennessee
57
Georgia
50
Oklahoma
47
Mississippi
43
17 other states*
211
Total
States with death-penalty statute
invalidated by state*s highest court
but not repealed by legislature
Delaware
New York
Washington
2,628
Jurisdictions with no
statute authorizing the
death penalty (17)
Alaska
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Illinois
Iowa
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
New Jersey
North Dakota
Rhode Island
Vermont
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Note: See table 2 for information on statutes.
*New Mexico repealed its death penalty for capital ofenses committed on or after July 1, 2009. As of December 31, 2018, two males in New Mexico
were under previously imposed death sentences. The other states with prisoners under sentence of death were Ark., Colo., Idaho, Ind., Kan., Ky., Mo.,
Mont., Neb., N.H., Ore., S.C., S.D., Va., and Utah. Wyoming held no prisoners under sentence of death during 2018.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Prisoner Statistics program (NPS-8), 2018.
Capital Punishment, 2018 每 Statistical Tables | September 2020
5
................
................
In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.
To fulfill the demand for quickly locating and searching documents.
It is intelligent file search solution for home and business.
Related download
- death row u s a
- living on death row the psychology of waiting to die
- inmates under death sentence uds 2018 3
- discrimination torture and execution a human rights
- executing the will of the voters a roadmap to mend or
- proposition 66 death penalty procedures initiative statute
- u s standard certificate of death rev 11 2003
- opinion calif death penalty decision the new york times
- another ecord decline in death penalty use
- common abbreviations used in criminal record reports
Related searches
- 2018 vanguard capital gains estimates
- 2018 irs tax tables individuals
- federal withholding tables 2018 chart
- 2018 federal tax tables pdf
- punishment for misdemeanor in california
- military pay tables 2018 dfas
- 2018 irs withholding tables pdf
- 2018 tax tables federal 1040
- 2018 federal withholding tables pdf
- 2018 federal tax tables 2018
- 2018 tax tables for payroll
- capital punishment and the 8th amendment