Death Penalty and Capital Punishment

Death penalty - Over 1,500 people have been executed in the United States since 1973. The U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976 after finding it didn’t violate the Eighth Amendment’s cruel and unusual punishment clause. Although over half of the states have abolished or paused executions, the death penalty is still legal in dozens of states. People of color are more likely to be prosecuted for capital murder, sentenced to death, and executed. African Americans make up 42% of people on death row and 34% of those executed, but only 13% of the population is Black. See EJI’s Death Penalty overview for more information.

Review other themes and topics on the Choosing an Essay Topic page.