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Capital Punishment Statistics
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Summary findings
Executions
In 2007, 42 inmates were executed, 11 fewer than in 2006.
Executions, 1930-2007
- In 2007, 42 persons in 10 States were executed -- 26 in Texas;
3 each in Alabama and Oklahoma; 2 each in Indiana, Ohio, and Tennessee; and 1 each in South Dakota, Georgia, South Carolina, and Arizona.
- Of persons executed in 2007:
-- 28 were white
-- 14 were black
- All 42 inmates executed in 2007 were men.
- Lethal injection was used in 41 executions in 2007; 1 execution was by electrocution.
- Thirty-eight States and the Federal government in 2006 had capital
statutes.
Prisoners
under sentence of death
The number of prisoners under sentence of death decreased
for the sixth consecutive year in 2005.
Prisoners on death row, 1953-2006
- At yearend 2006, 37 States and the Federal prison system held 3,228
prisoners under sentence of death, 17 fewer than at yearend 2005.
Since the death penalty was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976, white
inmates have made up more than half of the number under sentence of death.
Prisoners on death row by race, 1968-2006
- Of persons under sentence of death in 2006:
-- 1,802 were white
-- 1,352 were black
-- 28 were American Indian
-- 35 were Asian
-- 11 were of unknown race.
- Fifty-four women were under a sentence of death at yearend 2006.
- The 358 Hispanic inmates under sentence of death at yearend 2006 accounted for 11%
of inmates with a known ethnicity.
- Among inmates
under sentence of death and with available criminal histories at yearend 2006:
-- nearly 2 in 3 had a prior felony conviction
-- 1 in 12 had a prior homicide conviction.
- Among persons for whom arrest information was available, the average
age at time of arrest was 28; 1 in 9 inmates were age 19 or younger at the time of arrest.
- At yearend 2006, the youngest inmate under sentence of death was 20; the
oldest was 91.
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BJS Publications
This list is in
order of the most recent publication first. Additional titles are listed
on other topical pages and a comprehensive list is contained on the
BJS publications page. To see a full abstract
of a publication with links to electronic versions of the publication,
click on the title below.
Capital Punishment, Presents characteristics of persons under sentence of death at yearend
and of persons executed. This annual BJS report summarizes the movement of prisoners
into and out of death sentence status during the year.
In electronic format only:
Capital Punishment - Statistical Tables.
2006, 12/07. NCJ 220219
- In printed and electronic formats:
- Capital Punishment, 2005,
12/06. NCJ 215083
Capital Punishment, 2004,
11/05. NCJ 211349
Capital Punishment, 2003,
11/04. NCJ 206627
- Capital Punishment, 2002,
11/03. NCJ 201848
- Capital Punishment, 2001,
12/02. NCJ 197020
- Capital Punishment, 2000,
12/01. NCJ 190598
- Capital Punishment, 1999,
12/00. NCJ 184795
- Capital Punishment, 1998,
12/99. NCJ 179012
- Capital Punishment, 1997,
12/98. NCJ 172881
- Capital Punishment, 1996,
12/97. NCJ 167031
-
Capital Punishment, 1995, 12/96. NCJ 162043
- Capital Punishment, 1994,
02/96. NCJ 158023
- Capital Punishment, 1993,
12/94. NCJ 150042
American Indians and Crime: A BJS Statistical Profile, 1992-2002, 12/04. Reports the rates and characteristics of violent crimes experienced by American Indians and summarizes data on American Indians in the criminal justice system. NCJ 203097
Correctional Populations in the United States, Presents data on the
number of persons in the United States who were under some form of correctional
supervision.
- In electronic formats only:
- Correctional Populations in
the United States, 1998 - Statistical tables, 09/02. NCJ
192929
In print and electronic formats:
Correctional Populations in the
United States, 1997, 11/00. Includes the Survey of State
and Federal inmates.
Full report NCJ 177613
Executive Summary NCJ 177614
Correctional Populations
in the United States, 1996, 4/99. Includes the survey of
Inmates in local jails.
Full report NCJ 170013
Executive Summary NCJ 171684
Correctional Populations in the United
States, 1995, 5/97. Summarizes the 1995 Census of State and
Federal Adult Correction Facilities.
Full report NCJ 163916
Executive Summary NCJ 163917
Correctional Populations in the
United States, 1994, 7/96. Includes data on military corrections.
Full report NCJ 160091
Executive Summary NCJ 161559
Correctional Populations in the United
States, 1993, 10/95. Includes State-by-State data about local
jails.
Full report NCJ 156241
Executive Summary NCJ 156675
-
Previous editions
(non-electronic)
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Selected
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