The essay discusses the death penalty laws by state and reasons for the death penalty decline. Mainly, the death penalty is a controversial issue in the United States. Moreover, the death penalty has come under severe scrutiny from various groups with differing reasons. Some groups have argued that the death penalty results in innocent individuals getting sentenced to death row. However, others believe the adage of an eye for an eye should be key in deterring crime. Significantly, the US supreme court has narrowed how the death penalty gets applied in several cases. The research paper helps understand the death penalty laws applied in the US and the death penalty decline.

PENALTY DECLINE AND DEATH SENTENCE STATISTICS

The death penalty decline is easily noticeable in the United States as prosecutors are seeking it less. Notably, in 2016, juries gave out thirty new death sentences, which was the lowest since 1972. New death sentences’ responsibility lies within several outlier jurisdictions, with 31 percent of sentences from three counties. Mainly, the counties were Riverside, California, Clark, Nevada, and Maricopa, Arizona. Significantly, there were no death sentences in Harris County, Texas. Moreover, only sixteen counties sentenced more than five people to death row between 2010 and in 2015. Notably, juries are rejecting requests from prosecutors to sentence people to death. The current death penalty laws and the court’s hand in the death penalty decline are different in different states

the death penalty decline and death sentence statistics

DEATH PENALTY LAWS AND METHODS OF EXECUTION

The methods of execution or reasons for death penalty laws vary depending on a states’ history and court decisions. Primarily, lethal injection remains the standard method of execution in the United States. Lethal injection began in 1982, and the 32 states and the military have used it as an execution method. The authorities also use a three-drug protocol of sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide, and potassium chloride to cause death. Nowadays, eight states use a one-drug protocol, which involves an overdose of anesthetic. Additionally, there are  some states use seconday excecution methods to execute criminals. In conclusion analyzing the death penalty laws and reasons for the death penalty decline helps in understanding capital punishment today.

death penalty laws and methods of execution