Since 1608 more than 14,500 people have been executed in the United States. Most executions are for murder or rape. Thirty-nine states and the federal government use the death penalty. Currently about 3300 people are on death row and between 50 and 60 executions occur each year, with lethal injection being the predominate method of execution. The majority of the executed are unmarried, white males with an average age of 34 and an 11th grade education.
Supporters present many arguments for the death penalty.
They usually argue that it serves as a deterrent, that it is morally correct, that it reflects public opinion, that it is proportional to the crime, and that error is unlikely. Research supports both sides of this debate. DNA analysis now helps researchers determine if innocent people are on death row. Earlier studies have suggested that hundreds may have been wrongfully executed in our county. Supporters of the death penalty are generally correct when they argue that it reflects public opinion since approximately 75 percent of the population supports it.