Death Penalty Answerss

Death Penalty Questions 

1. Was the death penalty established 
2. How many states enforce the death penalty today?
3. How many executions happen every year in America?

Answers:

The death penalty was first used in 1608 in the North American British Colonies. Captain George Kendall was put to death in Jamestown by firing squad for being accused of spying for Spain. There was around 15,000 deaths by capital punishment since then and 4,600 in between 1930 to 2002. Today some states still enforce the death penalty a liberal state California has the most people in America on death row at 3,200, Illonois has zero. The graphic below shows the states that have abolished the death penalty and when. There are 16 states that have abolished the death penalty thirty four have still not abolished it. It seems that executions are rare to none in America today but in 2010 there were 46 executions and 33 this year already. Texas has had the most executions since 1976 with 477 inmates executed. Texas is the most frequent exerciser of the death penalty as they are allowed to be. This is a subject that is morally ambiguous. People against the death penalty would say that it is cruel and unusual punishment, but the victims of second time offenders who have gained parole would say different. 

Alaska (1957) Hawaii (1957) Illinois (2011) Iowa (1965) Maine (1887) Massachusetts (1984) Michigan (1846)

Minnesota (1911) New Jersey (2007) New Mexico* (2009) New York (2007)# North Dakota (1973) Rhode Island (1984)** Vermont (1964)

West Virginia (1965) Wisconsin (1853) ALSO - Dist. of Columbia (1981)