United States
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 16
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 47
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · The pace of USA executions is on the rise, pushed by...
- News items in the archive
- 1,047
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
United States is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 16 executions in the country, against 47 the year before. The archive holds 1,047 news items on United States, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- MARCH 15, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Military. Updates on Guantánamo Bay
USA - Military. Updates on Guantánamo Bay
- MARCH 12, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The Winter 2020 edition of Death Row USA (DRUSA), updated to January 1, 2020
USA - The Winter 2020 edition of Death Row USA (DRUSA), updated to January 1, 2020
- FEBRUARY 25, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Military. Army Judge Proposes 2022 Trial in Guantánamo’s Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri Case
USA - Military. Army Judge Proposes 2022 Trial in Guantánamo’s Abd al-Rahim al-Nashirig Case
- FEBRUARY 21, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Justice Sotomayor writes a devastating rebuke of conservative colleagues’ callousness and fealty to Trump.
USA - Justice Sotomayor writes a devastating rebuke of conservative colleagues’ callousness and fealty to Trump.
- JANUARY 28, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Death Row USA Fall 2019: Death row prisoners continue to decline
USA - Death Row USA Fall 2019: Death row prisoners continue to decline
JANUARY 24, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Nevada. Paul Browning becomes the 168th person exonerated from death row.
USA - Nevada. Paul Browning becomes the 168th person exonerated from death row.
- JANUARY 3, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Death Sentences Decline by More than Half in Decade of the 2010s.
USA - Death Sentences Decline by More than Half in Decade of the 2010s.
- JANUARY 1, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
To date, the death penalty no longer exists in 18 of the 50 U.S. States
To date, the death penalty no longer exists in 18 of the 50 U.S. States
- DECEMBER 17, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - DPIC 2019 Year End Report
USA - DPIC 2019 Year End Report
- DECEMBER 15, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The Death Penalty in 2019: A Year of Incredible Progress, Marred by Unconscionable Executions.
USA - The Death Penalty in 2019: A Year of Incredible Progress, Marred by Unconscionable Executions.
- DECEMBER 11, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Indiana. Indiana Marks 10 Years Without an Execution.
USA - Indiana. Indiana Marks 10 Years Without an Execution.
DECEMBER 9, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Kentucky. Governor Matt Bevin Commutes the Sentences of Two Death-Row Prisoners.
USA - Kentucky. Governor Matt Bevin Commutes the Sentences of Two Death-Row Prisoners.
- DECEMBER 6, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The United States Supreme Court says there is no hurry to resume federal executions
USA - The United States Supreme Court says there is no hurry to resume federal executions
- DECEMBER 2, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Federal appeals court confirms suspension of federal executions
USA - Federal appeals court confirms suspension of federal executions
- NOVEMBER 25, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Gallup Poll. For First Time, Majority of Americans Prefer Life Sentence To Capital Punishment.
USA - Gallup Poll. For First Time, Majority of Americans Prefer Life Sentence To Capital Punishment.
NOVEMBER 22, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Summer 2019 “Death Row USA” Shows Smallest U.S. Death-Row Population in 27 Years.
USA - Summer 2019 “Death Row USA” Shows Smallest U.S. Death-Row Population in 27 Years.
NOVEMBER 21, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Washington District Court Enjoins U.S. Government From Carrying Out Federal Executions.
USA - Washington District Court Enjoins U.S. Government From Carrying Out Federal Executions.
- NOVEMBER 12, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Former Judges, Prosecutors, Law Enforcement Officials and Families of Victims Urge Federal Government to Call Off Executions.
USA - Former Judges, Prosecutors, Law Enforcement Officials and Families of Victims Urge Federal Government to Call Off Executions.
- OCTOBER 28, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - More Than 250 Conservative Leaders Join Call to End Death Penalty.
USA - More Than 250 Conservative Leaders Join Call to End Death Penalty.
- SEPTEMBER 23, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Guantánamo Costed To Taxpayers More than $6 Billion.
USA - Guantánamo Costed To Taxpayers More than $6 Billion.
- AUGUST 30, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Trial for Men Charged With Plotting Sept. 11 Attacks Is Set for 2021.
USA - Trial for Men Charged With Plotting Sept. 11 Attacks Is Set for 2021.
- AUGUST 16, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Jewish Congregations Ask Not to Seek Death Penalty in Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting.
USA - Jewish Congregations Ask Not to Seek Death Penalty in Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting.
- JULY 25, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Federal Government Announces New Execution Protocol, Sets Five Execution Dates.
USA - Federal Government Announces New Execution Protocol, Sets Five Execution Dates.
- JULY 23, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Every top 2020 Democrat supports ending the death penalty.
USA - Every top 2020 Democrat supports ending the death penalty.
- JULY 23, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - BJS Releases “Capital Punishment, 2017”.
USA - BJS Releases “Capital Punishment, 2017”.
- JULY 10, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Spring 2019 “Death Row USA” as of April 1, 2019
USA - Spring 2019 “Death Row USA” as of April 1, 2019
- JULY 1, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 26th Annual Fast & Vigil to Abolish the Death Penalty on the sidewalk in front of the US Supreme Court.
USA - 26th Annual Fast & Vigil to Abolish the Death Penalty on the sidewalk in front of the US Supreme Court.
- JUNE 26, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - North Carolina. Charles Ray Finch Becomes 166th Death-Row Exoneree
USA - North Carolina. Charles Ray Finch Becomes 166th Death-Row Exoneree
- JUNE 24, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - A Snapshot in Time: The U.S. Reaches 1500 Executions.
USA - A Snapshot in Time: The U.S. Reaches 1500 Executions.
- JUNE 20, 2019United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Georgia. Marion Wilson was executed. His execution was the 1,500th since the death penalty was reintroduced in the United States in 1976.
USA - Georgia. Marion Wilson was executed. His execution was the 1,500th since the death penalty was reintroduced in the United States in 1976.