Wednesday, March 15, 2006
ACLU - The Death Penalty: Questions & Answers
According to this site, more than 13,000 people have been executed in this country since it was founded. Most of the executions took place in the 20th century.
In the 1930s, as many as 150 people were executed each year. The number gradually declined until 1967, when there were almost no executions.
In 1995, 38 states allowed the death penalty. Some states like Michigan and Minnesota used to have the death penalty but they have abolished it. Michigan abolished it on 1847 and Minnesota in 1853. Alaska and Hawaii have never had the death penalty.
Most executions in this country take place in the South.
There are nearly 3500 people on death row right now. Most of them are poor. Many of them are mentally disabled. 40% are African American and too many are Hispanic and Asian.
According to a study published in the Stanford Law Review stated that 350 people convicted and sentenced to death in the 20th century were later found to have been innocent. Of those 350, 25 had already been executed. The rest had spent many years of their lives in prison.
In the 1930s, as many as 150 people were executed each year. The number gradually declined until 1967, when there were almost no executions.
In 1995, 38 states allowed the death penalty. Some states like Michigan and Minnesota used to have the death penalty but they have abolished it. Michigan abolished it on 1847 and Minnesota in 1853. Alaska and Hawaii have never had the death penalty.
Most executions in this country take place in the South.
There are nearly 3500 people on death row right now. Most of them are poor. Many of them are mentally disabled. 40% are African American and too many are Hispanic and Asian.
According to a study published in the Stanford Law Review stated that 350 people convicted and sentenced to death in the 20th century were later found to have been innocent. Of those 350, 25 had already been executed. The rest had spent many years of their lives in prison.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Welcome
Welcome to our class blog. In this space we are going to record what we learn about the death penalty, in preparation for our final research-based papers.
